Life Is A Marathon

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LIAM 099 – Leadership is About Leading, not Managing! Apr 27, 2015

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Leadership is not the same as management. Management is making sure people do what they are supposed to do. Leadership is about casting vision, coaching, supporting, nurturing, your team. Leadership is about setting a standard and personal example. Leadership is about being what you want to see in other people. Listen as I explain more: Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here: Show Outline: Leadership is not about being the boss, telling people what do to Leadership is more like parenting. It is setting the example, creating the vision, motivating, nurturing, training. Leaders are not responsible for the numbers. They are responsible for the people who are responsible for the numbers. It is the job of the leader to make sure the people are supported, trained, have the things they need to get their jobs done. Leadership is like coaching. The leader isn't necessarily the quarterback. The leader coaches the quarterback and the other players Leadership is like conducting a symphony. The leader doesn't play the instruments. He/She sets the pace, the mood, and gets everyone to play their part to create beautiful music. Leadership is about leading--being out in front, setting the example. You cannot expect from others what you are not doing yourself. If you come in late, you can't expect others to not do the same. People will do as you do, not as you say. If you are grumpy, reactionary, gossip, and have a pessimistic attitude, you can expect those around you to be the same. Be an example in every area--take care of yourself, be a vision caster, an encourager, take responsibility instead of blaming. Mentioned in this show: Help me create better content. Please take this short survey! Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living LIAM Team Life Coaching Community Subscription/Social Links: Subscribe on iTunes! Subscribe on Stitcher Radio! Watch on YouTube! LIAM on Twitter: @LifeIs262 LIAM on Facebook / LifeIsAMarathon Subscribe to the LIAM Mailing List www.BruceVanHorn.com Bruce Van Horn on Twitter Bruce Van Horn on Facebook

LIAM 098 – Core Values: Know Them, Live By Them! Apr 26, 2015

Show notes

Do you have a set of core values that guide your thoughts and behaviors? You should! It is better to know who you are than to know where you are going! Your Core Values are the rudder by which you steer your life. They let you know when you are on or off course. Listen as I explain more: Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here: Show Outline: My oldest son received a very high honor: his school's Core Values award! Jim Collins said "it's better to know who you are than to know where you were going." Athletes know that strengthening core muscles is vital to all athletic performance. These are your abdominal muscles. They control your balance, and posture. In life, it's just as important to strengthen your core values they define who you are and give you balance and posture. More than anything else, as a dad, I want to teach my boys to have Core values . I don't care, ultimately, what their political or religious beliefs are, I don't care what they choose as a career, as long as all of these things are in alignment with their own core values. Honesty. I spent so much of my life living a lie and telling lies took me a long time to get back to the truth. You can feel it in your soul when you are living according to your core values. You vibrate. You're soul sings. You feel light. It gives you energy and happiness that does not come from anything outside of you. You also know when you are living contrary to your values--you lose energy, you feel a heaviness, darkness within you. Maybe not immediately, but soon after, you know what you did was not in alignment with your values. My purpose statement is "to love, serve, and add value to the lives of others" I know when I am living according to my purpose. I know when I am not. I also know that when I am living according to my purpose and values, I can be happy and confident regardless of my circumstances or the people I am around. I have learned to simply leave settings in which people are behaving in a way that is contrary to my values. It is not a negative judgement against them. It is a protective action for me, and ultimately a gift to them and the world. When I am always in sync with my values, I improve and everything around me improves--the same is true for you! When you live according to your core values, you stand out from the crowd. You are different and people notice. That may be uncomfortable, especially for teens. My teen chose to be different, to live by his rules, not his peers. His teachers have noticed that and that is why he won the award. Winning the award was not his intention. Living by his own values was his intention. Let me be candid. I'm not perfect. My friends/family know my moral failures, the times I've fallen. Howie Day: "even the best fall down some times" Vince Lombardy: "Man's greatest glory lies not in never falling, but in rising every time he falls" We are human, none of us are perfect. Strength and evidence of core values is recognizing when you have strayed and taking steps to get back in alignment. Know your core values. Your non-negotiables. Your deal-breakers (especially you single people out there!). Be willing to be alone a while longer, rather than compromise your values. Your values don't need to be the same as mine. In fact they should not be the same as mine simply because mine sound good. Do your own soul searching. Discover your uniqueness. Own it. I want my boys to become men who have discovered and embraced who they are, not who their dad told them they should be. Mentioned in this show: Help me create better content. Please take this short survey! Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living LIAM Team Life Coaching Community Subscription/Social Links: Subscribe on iTunes! Subscribe on Stitcher Radio! Watch on YouTube! LIAM on Twitter: @LifeIs262 LIAM on Facebook / LifeIsAMarathon Subscribe to the LIAM Mailing List www.BruceVanHorn.com

LIAM 097 – My Boston Marathon Experience Apr 22, 2015

Show notes

On April 20, 2015, I scratched an item off my bucket list--I ran the Boston Marathon! I've run many marathons in my life, but this was, by far, the best marathon experience I have ever had. It represented many dreams manifested and many obstacles overcome--both physical and mental. Listen as I explain more: Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here: Mentioned in this show: Photos of my Boston Marathon weekend Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living LIAM Team Life Coaching Community Subscription/Social Links: Subscribe on iTunes! Subscribe on Stitcher Radio! Watch on YouTube! LIAM on Twitter: @LifeIs262 LIAM on Facebook / LifeIsAMarathon Subscribe to the LIAM Mailing List www.BruceVanHorn.com Bruce Van Horn on Twitter Bruce Van Horn on Facebook

LIAM 096 – Boston Bound! Living the Dream Apr 17, 2015

Show notes

I am Boston bound and living the dream! Ever since I ran my first marathon back in 2006, I have dreamed about running the Boston Marathon. I haven't just dreamed, though. I have visualized, practiced in my mind, and have trained for it. We have the ability to make our dreams come true, but you need to dream, believe and take action! Listen as I explain more: Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here: Mentioned in this show: LifeThought: You don’t need to be perfect to inspire people! Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living LIAM Team Life Coaching Community Subscription/Social Links: Subscribe on iTunes! Subscribe on Stitcher Radio! Watch on YouTube! LIAM on Twitter: @LifeIs262 LIAM on Facebook / LifeIsAMarathon Subscribe to the LIAM Mailing List www.BruceVanHorn.com Bruce Van Horn on Twitter Bruce Van Horn on Facebook

LIAM 095 – You Don’t Need to be Perfect to Inspire People! Apr 15, 2015

Show notes

You don’t need to be perfect to inspire people! You just need to be you. Tell your story, your struggles, your failures with an open, honest heart, and with the intention of giving your story to the world as a gift. Someone is meant to hear your story and use it change their own life. You were given your own story to give away to others. The thought that it, or you, needs to be perfect is a lie that keeps so many people from using their gift. Listen as I explain more: Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here: Show outline: You don’t need to be perfect to inspire people! We spend way too much time listening to, and giving too much credibility to, that voice in our heads that tells us we are not good enough or that nobody cares about our story. That voice is lying to you. Nobody is perfect! If you wait until you are perfect before you share your story with the world, we will never hear it! Think of the people who have inspired you the most. Most of them described the difficulties they faced and how they were not perfect, but how those hardships and imperfections helped to shape the people they became. The thought that you need to be perfect is what keeps so many inspiring writers from writing anything. You never know who it is going to be, but someone is meant to hear your story. Stop striving for perfection. Stop thinking that you need to be better than you are right now. Just be you. Let your life and your light shine into the world. Tell your story. Sing your song. People want to hear it. Trust that it will reach the right person at the right time and that it will inspire them to live and tell their own story! Mentioned in this show: LifeThought: You don’t need to be perfect to inspire people! Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living LIAM Team Life Coaching Community Subscription/Social Links: Subscribe on iTunes! Subscribe on Stitcher Radio! Watch on YouTube! LIAM on Twitter: @LifeIs262 LIAM on Facebook / LifeIsAMarathon Subscribe to the LIAM Mailing List www.BruceVanHorn.com Bruce Van Horn on Twitter Bruce Van Horn on Facebook

LIAM 094 – Let’s Get Engaged! Apr 14, 2015

Show notes

When the storms of life come in wave after wave after wave, it's so easy to just stop fighting for your dreams. However, you will never get the life you really want by settling for whatever life gives you. I want you to engage with life again, to get back in the game, to start dreaming again. Do so, however, may require a shift in your perspective, an editing of the story you have been telling yourself. Listen as I explain more: Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here: Show outline: People never lose the ability to dream, they just quit doing it. If that's you, it's time to start dreaming again! Twitter post: https://twitter.com/BruceVH/status/483755640729645057 I've been beaten, battered and bruised up so many times in this marathon of life, I stopped getting up It was just safer, easier to stay down and go through the motions, do the minimum to get by I didn't want to get hurt again, to lose more than I had already lost I was so scared to make more mistakes, I decided to not take any more chances. My brother came to town--said "Bruce, I think you should run a marathon!" My story of personal transformation There will always be things I can't control, but I was in control of so many more things than I realized my finances, my health my THINKING!! Consider this: the things you thought were meant to break you are the very things that were meant to MAKE you! There is no rejection, only protection. There is no failure, only data What you did get, wasn't meant for you. The times you've been rejected, you were really being protect The failures have made you smarter, they have given you data that you can use in the future When you walk at night and see shadows, do you see scary things: ghosts with harmful intent, voices from the past condemning you, something waiting to jump out to harm you? Or do you see angels who are protectors standing guard to keep you safe, voices from the past encouraging you to be brave and keep going? The shadows are the same. It's all about the story you tell yourself What you thought was sent to harm you, may be what was sent to transform you Home Lyrics: everything that could be shaken was shaken, now all that remains is all I ever really had What I'd have settled for You've blown so far away, What You brought me to I thought I could not reach Now the winds you sent to shake me, become the wings you sent to take me to my home! What my brother was really saying to me back in 2005 was "Bruce's it's time to get back in the game, it's time to re-engage" This is your life poster: https://twitter.com/BruceVH/status/424737747803598849 I know you're tired, I know you're hurting and afraid to get back in the game because you might get hurt again. Do it any way. I need you, your loved ones need you, the world needs to you reengage with life, with love and with the dance of living. I'm here to cheer for you, motivate and encourage you, to coach you. Let's do it! Let's get engaged! Mentioned in this show: Boston Marathon #Miles4Smiles Fundraiser Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living LIAM Team Life Coaching Community Subscription/Social Links: Subscribe on iTunes! Subscribe on Stitcher Radio! Watch on YouTube! LIAM on Twitter: @LifeIs262 LIAM on Facebook / LifeIsAMarathon Subscribe to the LIAM Mailing List www.BruceVanHorn.com Bruce Van Horn on Twitter Bruce Van Horn on Facebook

LIAM 093 – Personal Branding: Everyone is Self-Employed (Revisited) Apr 13, 2015

Show notes

It does not matter who signs your paycheck, everyone is self employed! This is the most important concept for you to learn and embrace for every area of your life--not just professional. In every interaction with other people, in person or online, you are marketing your brand. Your employer is not your employer, it is your customer! Listen as I explain more: Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here: Show outline: Life coaching issues Personal presentation is very important Get work/Get promoted Improve relationships Must create foundational mindset for success Can't build sustainable behavior change if mindset doesn't support it Topic: Regardless of who signs your paycheck, you are self-employed The primary factor for success is connections and relationships Your ability to connect with and build relationships with people impacts every area of your life Regardless of how good you are, people do business with people/companies they like and trust "Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude." - Zig Ziglar You are your own brand! You own and represent a brand named You, Inc. You are self-employed You are CEO - casting the vision and direction of the company You are head of Marketing - Creating connections/relationships so people know your name You are head of Public Relations - you must deal with people who are upset with you Most importantly, you are in Sales - you are responsible for getting new clients Embracing this idea will make you more successful in every area of your life Relationships will improve Job opportunities will appear Great companies are built around 2 foundational principles Providing the best products or services Love for their customers and a desire to keep customers for life! What they don't teach you in school Job Interviewing 101 You are NOT entitled to anything - especially a job! You are not applying for a job, you are trying to gain a customer People don't buy features, they buy benefits and feelings Do not say "here are my qualifications for this job, how much will you pay me?" Sell your benefits - how you can solve problems, increase their profit, ease their pain Make it about your customer's needs, not about you or your desire for money Ask questions Do you want your customers to be greeted with big smile and sincere "how are you"? Do you want your customers feel like they are genuinely appreciate and valued so they come back time and time again? Do you have a hard time hiring employees who love their work, show up on time, smile while they are here, and do the work as if they owned the company? If so, here's what you can expect from me.... Love the work you are doing right now! See your employer as your customer See everyone you meet in the course of your day as a potential customer or referral to a customer Do the work you are hired to do with the greatest enthusiasm and highest quality because it reflects on your brand! See the work you do as part of a much bigger picture! The box you just loaded on to the truck is very important to the person who will receive it--it may change their lives The person you are speaking to on the phone has their own set of issues, values, etc and deserves as much respect as you do--they may tell someone about how you treated them. The more profitable/successful you are able to make your customers, the more valuable you become to them. How you interact with everyone, every day of your life--friends, family, neighbors, grocery store clerks--impacts your brand. Everyone in you interact with is a potential consumer of your brand They may want to hire you They may refer you to someone who may hire you They may want to be friends with you They may want to develop a life-long relationship with you Respect and protect your brand!

LIAM 092 – Premeditated Living Apr 12, 2015

Show notes

I want you to live a premeditated life! Premeditated living is simple living a life and taking action based on having thought about what you want to achieve, what the desired outcome is for every action, interaction, decision. I want you to happen to your life instead of letting life happen to you. When you decide, in advance, how you want something to go, you create the energy and momentum that guides in the direction of your desired outcome. Listen as I explain more: Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here: Show Outline: Meditation: contemplation, thought, thinking, pondering, concentration Premeditated: thought out, planned beforehand, intentional, deliberate, calculated Are you living intentionally? All my social media profiles: Living Intentionally Was just going through my life, day to day, hoping something good would happen, but doubting it would LIAM 22 - Living Intentionally Living intentionally has changed my life I spoke to a group of people last week: driving out there is spent time defining my intention, my desired outcome, visualizing it happening I told them about my intention: to give them a gift, something I hope would entertain and challenge them to change 4 or 5 people, independently, came up afterwards to say my intention worked!! Going into a business meeting, coaching call, personal call, talk with my boys, going out with friends, a run/race It sets my energy/momentum even before the event starts If they start going the wrong way, I know which way to steer to get it back on target Out with friends, if conversation gets negative or all about work, I can redirect to fun topics Don't get me wrong: I'm all in favor of being spontaneous and doing spur-of-the-moment things But even once you've begun a spontaneous thing, you can quickly set an intention Happen to your life, instead of just letting life happen to you. Mentioned in this show: Boston Marathon #Miles4Smiles Fundraiser Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living LIAM Team Life Coaching Community Subscription/Social Links: Subscribe on iTunes! Subscribe on Stitcher Radio! Watch on YouTube! LIAM on Twitter: @LifeIs262 LIAM on Facebook / LifeIsAMarathon Subscribe to the LIAM Mailing List www.BruceVanHorn.com Bruce Van Horn on Twitter Bruce Van Horn on Facebook

LIAM 091 – My Nightly Routine: Programming My Mind with Good Thoughts Apr 08, 2015

Show notes

The thoughts, images, and feelings you focus on just before you go to sleep at night are what your subconscious mind focuses on while you sleep. Your last thoughts of the day are the most important thoughts of the day because your mind dwells on them for the next 6 to 8 hours. I think having a nightly routine of focusing on good thoughts, your victories, things you want more of in your life, is one of the most important things you can do for your personal development. Listen as I explain more: Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here: Mentioned in this show: Boston Marathon #Miles4Smiles Fundraiser Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living LIAM Team Life Coaching Community Subscription/Social Links: Subscribe on iTunes! Subscribe on Stitcher Radio! Watch on YouTube! LIAM on Twitter: @LifeIs262 LIAM on Facebook / LifeIsAMarathon Subscribe to the LIAM Mailing List www.BruceVanHorn.com Bruce Van Horn on Twitter Bruce Van Horn on Facebook

LIAM 090 – Your Resume or Your Eulogy: Which is More Important? Apr 07, 2015

Show notes

Your résumé or your eulogy: which is more important? I love speaking to groups about Professional Development--how to interview, presentation skills, career advancement, etc. However, all Professional Development is actually a byproduct of Personal Development! In Professional Development, your resume is very important. In life, your eulogy--what people will say about you at your funeral--is more important. Listen as I explain more: Listen on iTunes or Listen to/download this episode here: Mentioned in this show: Boston Marathon #Miles4Smiles Fundraiser Download: Affirmations for Abundant Living LIAM Team Life Coaching Community Subscription/Social Links: Subscribe on iTunes! Subscribe on Stitcher Radio! Watch on YouTube! LIAM on Twitter: @LifeIs262 LIAM on Facebook / LifeIsAMarathon Subscribe to the LIAM Mailing List www.BruceVanHorn.com Bruce Van Horn on Twitter Bruce Van Horn on Facebook

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