Alundas Havens joins the show to talk about how mental health can impact your success as a podcaster!

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: And WPI fam what's going on.

My name is Hector San Stavan and I am your host , , and I get way too geeked up

about creating amazing podcasts that can fuel your lifestyle and your business.

And I've been producing and promoting podcasts . For the last half decade,

Walts also wrangling some toddlers.

And this show here is to help you to learn the things that do and do

not work when it comes to marketing and monetizing your podcast.

And on today's show, we're talking Toland havens.

He's a former Marine and the host of the winners paradigm.

It was such a raw and authentic interview.

And despite it not being the best audio quality, I thought I had

to put it out because of a Lu.

Fire his tenacity and his spirit for helping people.

So if you can forgive some of the background noise, I know you're

gonna love this interview with the Lu havens of the winner's paradigm.

. Alandus welcome to the NYP show, man.

Thanks for hanging out.

alundas_havens-2022-3-7__13-38-8 (1): Thank you Hector for

inviting me on brother.

I'm looking forward to this.

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: We were chatting before we hit the

record button that we got connected.

Via Paul T.

And if you guys have not gone and listened to the episode with

Paul go back and listen to that.

It's probably in the twenties or something like that seems like

a forever ago, but I got connected.

And what I really loved on this was your willingness to, help and to give.

And I think that that's something that's so.

So Important in the podcast community.

And so when people are doing that and willing, and I learned

a little bit about your story, I knew that I had to have you on.

So just thanks again, man.

alundas_havens-2022-3-7__13-38-8 (1): Thank you brother.

And, and I'd second that on there.

Yeah, absolutely.

The willing to help people and so forth that all starts with is feeling.

That I was the only one going through it, you know, to where

things weren't happening for me, I was hitting that road.

I finally found something I was good at, which was being in the military in

the Marine Corps, get a freak injury.

Now my life's changing to where, Hey, I can't stay in for 20 years.

Well, I'm going to school, you know, I can start working there.

So it was, transitioning from service to civilian.

And then realizing, Hey, there's a couple things about me that are a little bit

different now than previously before my mindset's completely different.

So I started, engaging in small little arguments with people because

I wasn't understanding that, Hey, we're thinking totally differently.

I'm seeing mission comes first.

It doesn't matter.

You better get this done because again, military, that's the

point being is no matter what happens, the job's gonna get done.

So that's why I was seeing life for a short period of time.

And that's where it was kind of hurting me, was I wasn't able to see exactly.

Hey.

Certain people have different perspectives.

They're not gonna understand you.

Why don't you talk about it instead of getting frustrated with

people of, oh, they act this way.

Well, why don't you have that conversation?

And sometimes, it went, but having that podcast is where you're able to

put that through, share these things with you, and then you get those people

and say, Hey, I've went through the same thing where I felt like I was

working at everything or people in my life treated me a certain type of way.

And it was one thing that you kind of just dealt with because.

We don't wanna say anything, we wanna be nice.

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: I lend this what's interesting is that.

Had rich card on, he hosts the NFT for newbies podcast and

he also is a former Marine.

And you guys both talk about this mindset that you have.

So I'd love for you to catch us up on how you ended up starting the podcast.

You started it I think you're now in your, in your second year.

But how did the transition from needing to find your, your path post-military, how

did that end up turning into a podcast?

alundas_havens-2022-3-7__13-38-8 (1): So you hit it on the head.

Actually, what's funny is I was thinking about it for quite some

time about starting the podcast, but never really formulated it.

It was funny.

Zach Babcock came out with his podcast powertrain course at the time,

and he was like $48 for Christmas.

And I didn't really have money back then, but I was like, you know what?

I was working at a mortgage brokerage at the time and I liked

it, but this was the first time in my life that I actually hit road.

The reason why is I've naturally been, smart had the good grades

worked on things, but I was doing so much at the time that I failed

my mortgage broker exam three times.

So I was already in a bad place to where I was, you know, I hate this job.

I said, as a pride thing, I'm gonna stay here for six months, and work until I can.

Take the test another time.

So within that period, was this battle of whole shift in my mindset because I

started thinking about things negatively as, oh, I failed at this, I hate this job,

and that was where, when that course came out $48, I started going through

it and I was like, you know what?

This would be awesome to start the podcast.

And then it ended up going into I transitioned jobs.

So I was just, staying up all day, trying to figure out the podcast.

So what we're gonna kind of do then initially I wanted

it to drop in June of 21.

But that didn't happen because, you know, I couldn't get everything done,

wanted to be that perfectionist.

So went to July and then all of a sudden I noticed it was in November to where I

finally , had the product out finished the podcast away, somewhat of what I

liked it, after rerecording everything.

And that was where I was able to a week before my daughter was born, told myself,

Hey, you know, I'm gonna drop this.

We're gonna start the podcast and be able to start voicing what we're talking about.

Because again, one of my main things is integrity.

Values, let's be able to talk to people and let them know, Hey, this is okay.

What you're going through, it's common.

We're gonna interview people and we're gonna talk about those stories like

me and you were talking about before, having those compelling stories to

reach out to people and say, Hey, doesn't matter what you're doing,

whether it's addiction, you know, it's transitioning from service to not

everybody goes through something sometime.

So it's great to be able to hear a message or hear people

that you're like, you know what?

They did this, obviously, if they can get themselves out of it, I can do the same.

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: Yeah.

It's amazing what podcasting can the opportunities right that it has.

And I think what's really interesting is what pushes people to start a show and

there's usually like a big, life event.

Right.

I remember I started my first show right around the time where I had my first kid.

And I don't know what it is about having kids that makes,

someone wanna start a podcast.

But, I'm curious, what got you through the hurdles, right?

The life that comes.

Being a dad need, you know, all the things that come along

with that needing to provide.

All the things that come along with putting out a show take me

back to, how you got through it.

What were you thinking mentally was there any times where , you

kind of considered giving up and, how did you kind of get over

alundas_havens-2022-3-7__13-38-8 (1): Yeah, it started so before I worked at

that mortgage broker, so probably six months before that, this was like my

second month out of the Marine Corps.

My grandfather passed away and that was , the kind of tip of the iceberg

that sent me into depression, into where I was kind of, battling something.

Because he was always that person who was that father figure, me and

my dad don't have the best relat.

So he would always step in, when things would go on, he would take care of me.

So to me it felt like, I lost my person that last year of his life,

me and him both got, really close.

And that was where we started having conversations.

He started understanding, okay, scenarios differently.

You're not a kid anymore.

And that, and that took that hard.

It was kind of, for me, I was real angry because.

There was a lot that I didn't, get a say with him or angry at my dad.

And it was just one of those things where I needed to take back and unwind, so as I

start going through the mortgage brokerage and fell in there, I was looking at it

and I'm like, well, I still have a wife.

I'm still going to school working on my bachelor's degree.

And it was like, you can't blame yourself.

And it's like, we want to I start gaining weight and I realized was,

Hey, I'm always in the gym, but now it's the discipline factor.

Eating clean, the things we don't wanna do, we have to.

So my wife, you know, got me on a meal plan again.

And for me, I always feel like I need to push myself, up to it.

So I started just kind of thinking about ways to reinvent myself

per se and say, Hey, what is it?

Or what is my mission?

Obviously it is my family.

I didn't wanna be cliche, but that is huge part because growing up it was different.

I didn't have that, family, you fall back on.

I went to all these other different people.

So I was like, I want to have that great marriage with my wife.

I wanna be able to be the best dad I can be.

And I think like you said, father.

Changes you a bit.

Absolutely.

You just start like before I would be petty and then now it's, you know what,

I don't wanna waste my energy on that.

It's like, you're having a good day over there.

You're smiling.

Why am I gonna come mess it up?

One of those type things, so for me, it was slowly piecing those things and

pushing through it, finding that meaning.

And then I started thinking differently.

I'm like, I had three good friends die.

My grandfather died.

Why don't we say it's for a reason, why don't I say that everything I'm

gonna do is to kind of help them out or excuse me, in this case, do

it for them per se, to be able to say, Hey, they're not here no more.

So it'd be disrespectful if I didn't.

So in my head, I trained myself, retrained myself, I should say just

start thinking at it differently where I'm like, Hey, I need to do this,

or let's approach this differently.

Or if I, I'm not able to do something today, well, let's find time tomorrow.

And it was one of those things where.

I stopped, making the excuses complaining now, get it done.

I actually recently went through another short thing like that, that

brought me back to that message was I was like, Hey, I don't have time

to use CAMBA to do certain things.

And I go look at my wife, she starts building me things

and she's like here done.

And I'm like, oh, it was that simple, the way you work it.

So it's one of those things.

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: I'm curious if you've put this together

because one of the things that I noticed as you were talking was the connection

between your show and your mental health.

And I'm wondering if that's become.

Something that you are intentional and, consistent about, or because it

seems like it played a role in it, in kind of, whether it's an outlet or I

don't know, but how did the, podcast play a role in your mental health?

alundas_havens-2022-3-7__13-38-8 (1): that's huge.

Absolutely did.

And the reason why it did, all that other stuff going on, like you said outlet.

I was able to finally get some things off my chest and talk about.

The way I was the reason why is my family kind of always labeled me or in

this case, they would be like, oh, you don't know what you're talking about?

My dad's the crazy one.

You're his son.

You're the crazy one.

So I always had this image of me being crazy or that where I

was just really misunderstood.

My dad doesn't really know the real me.

So it was all those things where it was like, Hey, this is you let's talk.

And when I talk about things and open up to people, oh, what, you're totally

different than what I was thinking.

So it was one of those things where the podcast allows you to have that

outlet, to talk to people on that.

But two on the mental health side, we're talking to people who have done

things, you know, accomplish things.

So you're able to extract that value you yourself, interpret it.

And you're like, you know what?

That was a great conversation.

But two, you're also able to show people, Hey, these are the stuff

people battle on a daily basis.

This is what people go through.

In our case, you have to mentally be prepared to do the podcast,

have to mentally check in.

So if you're not feeling that way, you won't do it that day.

But if not, you're able to say, Hey, I made it here today.

I'm learning these things or this is a hiccup I ran into.

Hey, now you guys know one thing you guys.

Are informed about, so you're gonna be able to have the simulated

experience to where, oh, you heard somebody else do this, or they

faulted on this in their business.

Now we're able to move on from that.

Cause we learned from their mistakes.

So that was kind of two parts there for me.

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: Interesting thing is that

you seem to be resourceful.

I think Tony Robbins talks about, people is not their resources,

but their resourcefulness.

And we got connected in the alpha podcasters community.

And so what has.

Done for you.

What has, immersing yourself into a, community or, surrounding yourself,

even with, someone like your wife who's, supportive of, you and, can you think

of a time where, you've leaned on that in terms of your, podcasting career?

alundas_havens-2022-3-7__13-38-8 (1): the whole podcasting career has

been leaning on other people.

And what's funny is naturally I say, and it's funny, people laugh.

Sometimes I'm a extroverted introvert, right?

So if I have the option, I'll stick by myself.

Like I really I enjoy people, but.

With me, I have a really bad problem to where I extract

value outta the conversation.

I'm really transactional.

So if we're having a conversation like, we're talking about podcasting

or life, I can have that, but if we're talking small talk, oh, how you doing?

What are you do for work?

I get really angry.

Cause I'm like, I don't wanna talk about this.

Like I know you don't care about the conversation at all.

So why should I care?

And that's kind of where I check out, so in this case being able to see for

myself, the way I was and Hey, we can talk to other people on the show.

We can be able to go from there.

We can learn more, allowed me to be able to tap into more so as in the

whole, you know, resourcefulness it broke me outta my shell.

It made me realize that, Hey, I gotta go to Paul.

I can meet other people or.

For example, you know, I was thinking about public speaking.

So I went to one of my friends, Dave, Hey brother.

How could I be able to public speak?

Like you, I see what you're doing.

Well, what are some pointers you can give me?

And he was like, join Toastmasters.

So then again, you have a different outlet of where you can go to train,

equip yourself with the tools and that's all about, being resourceful is Really

you're finding what works for you, whether it's TikTok, YouTube videos,

talking to other people reading books.

Whatever works for you, whatever you're able to get into your game plan.

One what actually you're able to retain and that interests you.

Cause I know for me, for a period, you know, is I didn't wanna read books.

I didn't wanna do anything.

I just had to find the good books that interested me.

All of a sudden I'm reading a little bit.

I start watching YouTube videos because content that I actually believe I'm

using applying and it's working.

It's just those small things that you don't think about in my case,

you know, I talk about kind of having that mental barrier to where

you don't process those things.

And that's where we gotta break out of that shell to just say, Hey, we can do it.

It's that mental fear.

It's us having that belief that we're gonna fail, that's stopping us.

So in this case, you know, taking that shot, even though

you may have that uncertainty.

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: I want to get a little tactical.

And I'm curious, is there anything that you wish you did sooner in your

podcasting journey or something that you did from the beginning, or if you had to

start over, something that you would do now that you know what you know now.

alundas_havens-2022-3-7__13-38-8 (1): I would do two things.

So first one, I would've just probably started it sooner.

The reason why is just, I've got in connection with so many

people already within a short.

four months of having a podcast.

So just the connections, you're gonna be able to be connected with people

longer, but what I would say definitely kind of learning the technical aspect.

And that was one thing that held me back initially was I didn't want to record it.

I recorded a zoom call one time and the zoom audio didn't work.

So going back to the other.

Per the guest and saying, Hey, I gotta reschedule you brother.

Never got him back yet.

Because of the way our schedules conflicted.

So it was one of those things of, Hey, knowing how things operate

by having that backup plan.

In that case, I didn't have that backup plan.

So I ended up moving on from there, and it was one of those things of learning, but

at the same time I ended up recording a different episode and I had a wire headset

and I was like listening to it after.

And I actually didn't notice it for like three episodes.

I was just like, oh, it could be the other person.

And that's when I noticed there was like a wishing sound and it

was from the wire hitting the mic.

So just learning those little technical aspects where you're like,

Oh, this can mess up the audio.

You can try to filter it in my case, I'm not dive too deep

in that technical aspects.

I'm not good at that stuff.

So that's where I was.

Hey, you need to take some time to learn it that way.

If things happen like that, you can do it.

I also had a time I was using Zencaster and my audio files than an upload.

So it was one of those where I was listening to a prior recorded

episode and I was trying to piece in.

What was going on.

I ended up missing a little chunk and cut it out because it just didn't align.

I was like, honestly, I don't remember what I said.

So it was having all those, plans and then saying, Hey, if this doesn't

work out, what are we gonna do?

How are we gonna approach the guests?

So they don't get offended or, Hey, we just had this conversation for an hour.

You know what, you're a hundred percent right.

Technical difficulties.

Could I take some time, to be able to re-interview I'd really love this

content for both of our audiences.

And it was one of those where it was like, okay, Learn these things

now let's not have it happen again.

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: Yeah.

Been there for sure.

One other.

Technical question.

Is, has there been a moment where you saw your downloads jump, and

if, so, what did you do anything?

Or like , do you remember,

alundas_havens-2022-3-7__13-38-8 (1): I would say two.

So initially I seen a, huge following of downloads.

I contacted people and the podcast dropped and I sent out to you needed to

fight people to be able to get ranked.

So I was just hitting, people up on Instagram.

What I did was I just looked at, the stories to.

Who was active for like the past two hours.

So I was like, I know all these people are on their phone.

So I just started shooting the messages, got ranked.

So first you see the skyrocket, then it goes down because

people are gonna unsubscribe.

Naturally.

They're gonna see the episode come for a week.

And then from there I went on a little hiatus to where I was,

interviewing people, but only doing like one a week, two a week.

Trying to go on other shows.

I was having that problem with it.

And that was where I was able to start saying, Hey, you know, I have a top rated

podcast, two, move it into their win on pod match, started going on other shows.

And once I was able to get a couple of those out, that's

where those numbers gradually started to increase a little bit.

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: Yeah, this is good.

I really enjoy the mental health aspect of a podcast, especially

in, the circles that we kind of run around and there's so much around

monetizing your podcast and monetizing your brand and, Celebrity, persona.

And I think all there's, there's so much value to all that, but I think

there's also value to just having an outlet where someone can go and talk and

whether a thousand people listen or, one person that just that person listens,

just having that outlet, , I think is so powerful that often gets overlooked

By a lot of people who are just seeing podcasts as a channel to monetize.

alundas_havens-2022-3-7__13-38-8 (1): I'd agree.

I've seen a couple people like that where it just didn't

seem like they were lying in.

And it's just really about what the peop what, what the individual who's

starting, the podcast wants, you know, if that's their goal, in my case, yes.

You know, would absolutely love to have a.

High celebrity guests on which in the future, that's in the works.

But at the same time, what is the podcast about?

It's about extracting that value, finding out ways to win asking

other people about their stories.

So we can be able to inspire other people, show people that,

Hey, anything's attainable.

If you work at it, certain people went through different things.

You hit a bottom, you end up.

Battling some things that you never thought you would

it's life, things happen.

All you gotta do is put that one foot in front of the other, take

it day by day, and then you can be able to accomplish things.

So it's awesome.

You know, Us having the floor to be able to let people know is,

Hey, this is what's going on.

Share a little bit personally withable to find those answers

for people as well as ourselves.

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: this has been a , fun conversation.

The name of the show is the winner's paradigm.

, you mentioned it came out late last year and it's available,

wherever you get the podcast.

Is there anything else that people should do or if they

want to get connected follow up,

alundas_havens-2022-3-7__13-38-8 (1): Good question.

So if you want to get connected my websites, the winners, paradigm dot

X, Y, Z, just go to the about me page.

You can be able to fill it out.

Let me know.

Hey, I have questions of, how to break a habit, how to formulate.

New mindsets or new strategies to be able to help me out.

We can be able to talk and see from there, you know, on what you

can be able to do just one thing a day to be able to help you out.

So definitely check that out.

Other than that join alpha podcasters so you can be able to join the network

Hector and I are, and be able to get in touch with those other podcasters

that are looking to do the same exact thing, feed off each other's

energy, be able to network and get some great content for people.

hector_santiesteban-2022-3-7__13-38-7: Yeah.

And guys, thank you for being part of the NYP fam and, and sticking with us.

We appreciate you guys being here.