The Podcast Meta Game
I listen to a lot of podcasts. But not passively—there’s a system. Here’s the meta game I’ve developed for getting actual value from audio content.
The Tiers
Not all podcasts are equal. I sort them into three tiers:
Tier 1: Active Learning - These require attention. I take notes. I pause and think. Technical content, interviews with experts, anything where missing details matters. I only listen to these when I can focus—morning commute, walks, dedicated time.
Tier 2: Passive Exposure - These are good but don’t require notes. News analysis, general interest, entertainment that’s also educational. I listen while doing chores, cooking, or light work.
Tier 3: Background - Pure entertainment. Comedy, sports, casual conversation. For when I want noise but don’t want to think. Gym time, yard work, falling asleep.
The mistake most people make: treating everything like Tier 3. Just having podcasts on in the background all day. Feels productive. Isn’t.
The Rotation
I keep three to four podcasts in each tier. That’s it. More than that and I fall behind, feel guilty, and stop listening to everything.
Every few months I evaluate: Am I still getting value? Has the quality dropped? Am I listening out of habit or because it’s actually good?
Podcasts that used to be Tier 1 often drift to Tier 2 as I learn the domain. That’s fine. Replace them with something new.
The Speed Game
Here’s where it gets tactical:
Tier 1: 1.0x speed. Maybe 1.2x if the speaker is slow. But these need full comprehension. Speed defeats the purpose.
Tier 2: 1.5x to 2.0x. Most people speak slowly. Once you’re used to faster playback, 1.5x sounds normal and 1.0x sounds drunk.
Tier 3: 2.0x or faster. I’m not trying to catch every word. I’m trying to be entertained while doing something else.
This means I “read” way more content than my time allows. A 2-hour podcast at 2x is an hour. Three of those per week is six hours of content in three hours of listening.
The Note System
For Tier 1 only: I keep a note file per podcast. Date, episode, key takeaways. Three bullets max. If I can’t summarize it in three bullets, I didn’t understand it well enough.
Once a month I review these notes. What patterns am I seeing? What should I dig deeper on? What’s contradicting something else I learned?
This turns passive consumption into active learning. The notes force processing.
The Dangerous Trap
Podcasts can feel like work without being work. Four hours of business podcasts feels productive. But if you don’t change behavior, it was just entertainment.
I ask myself: What did I do differently because of that episode? If the answer is “nothing,” it was Tier 3 content I was treating as Tier 1.
Current Rotation
This changes, but right now:
Tier 1: Security-focused shows, technical deep dives, specific skill development.
Tier 2: News analysis, founder interviews, general tech.
Tier 3: Comedy, sports, and whatever my friends recommend.
I won’t list specific shows because recommendations age poorly. The system matters more than the content.
The Meta Point
Every input competes for attention. Podcasts feel free but cost time. Being strategic about what you let into your head is the same as being strategic about what you let into your calendar.
Guard both.
Drafted by AI