Christopher Evatt’s Blog

What is the key to success?

Success? It is what what you are being as opposed to an external achievement.

We usually think of success as the accomplishment of a goal or achieving an ambition. The external success is an effect. The real success is the cause, and that cause is who you are being. All external success is the result of that cause.

The KEY to your success is you first being the success you want to experience.How do you do that? Simply see in your mind and feel you have ALREADY achieved the success you want and behave as though you have.

Here is an example. There was a team of young teenage ice skaters who had been training and competing for several years and were being coached by a very competent coach. The team was  technically excellent yet year after year they failed to achieve a medal. I was asked if I could help. We met for two hours and I had the team members tell each other about the beauty they saw in one another.I wanted them to know and feel their own beauty. Using brightly coloured plastic shapes they together made a picture of the collective beauty they wished to express on ice when they next competed. For a few minutes they looked at their picture holding it in their minds and seeing and feeling themselves expressing that together. A few weeks later at the next world competition they received a silver medal.

Their “success” was expressing their collective beauty on ice. By doing that so well they received their medal.  The medal was an effect.. Them expressing their beauty was the cause. The key was not focusing on “winning a medal”. They had been doing that before and all that did was to increase their stress and decrease their performance. The key was them expressing their best on ice….. the result was the medal.

Remember, you are already a success..

We have taken 13.8 billion years to get here. According to Dr Jean Houston, that’s how long it took after

the Big Bang, for you and I to be these people we are. And what’s the purpose?

To go from that flash of light, gas, into dust, then a cell and finally into you, who is able to read this, is almost

incomprehensible.

Congratulations, but how did we do it? We were definitely not there at the start. Where was the receipt

for you and me? Where was code? So we just formed ourselves as things evolved.   And what does that tell us?

The universe is super intelligent in coming up with us. I don’t know about you, but I could not have

designed me even if I was around to do it.

So we went from that flash of light, gas and dust to who we are now.

So the universe is also creative? Super creative. And unfolding in every increasing complexity.

Now we are here. Did we just emerge here on the shores of life by an on-going freak accident or is there a meaning?

To get us here from that Bang was a very purposeful process. And therefore everything that took place along the

way therefore had a meaning … a purpose, which was to get us here at this point in time.

Now we are here, what is our purpose?  What’s is the meaning do we wish to create? What is your unique gift or

contribution to this unfolding process?  And, as we are not here for long, we had better be quick in deciding

before we are again dust.

But do we really have to bother?  Can’t we just be mediocre, exist and then die; do what we are told to do;

get paid; get a pension; leave?  Most probably do that. Fit in and fall off life’s disembly line.

But is that a life?  That’s not living. So what is our purpose? What are we living for? What are we giving

our lives to?

Like the universe, we are intelligent, we are creative and we are unfolding … expressing ever more of

our potential.

Life has given life to us, so why don’t we return the favour and give life to life, making our unique

contribution to the quality of life and the lives around us.

Let me know what is the unique contribution you choose to make.

Because you are free to choose, how do you decide what to choose?

The choices you make dictate your future, the quality of your life, your relationships, your well-being, your wealth and health and possibly how long you live. Making your choices is THE MOST IMPORTANT task you have. So how do you decide what to choose?

Tips on how to choose:

1.  Choose life!  When you make a choice ask yourself what choice most serves and supports life. What is life-supporting adds to life …. your life and the lives of others. What you will find is that when you support life, life supports you. I will share an example. When I moved from New Zealand to Finland I decided it would be best if my children could enjoy the company of their Finnish grandparents because my parents were no longer here. Any thought of a career was put behind me. Within days of arriving in Finland my wife talked with the woman who owned a cafe. She said her son was studying international business; a subject I was interested in. I spoke to him and got the name of his university. Then spoke with the dean who arranged for me to meet the head of the business studies faculty. He said “we need a native English speaker in leadership. Would you be interested in lecturing on that subject?” Of course I said “yes”. “There’s a problem. The students are not interested and only half turn up.” “No problem” I replied and left to go to the main book shop to select a book on leadership to study. A week later I was lecturing. A week after that the class was full and the lectures were rated by the students as the best they had attended.

 

2.  What choice best adds to my happiness?  Your mind, heart and body is one intelligence sensitive to what is best for you. When you face a choice between two or more alternatives consider each alternative and ask your self “does this add to my happiness?”. Sense the reactions in your heart and body. The choice best for you is the one where you feel a sense of fulfillment and increased happiness. It could be called your intuitive sense. Even though the choice you make may not appear rational or sensible you will invariably find that it was  the best choice for you at that time. Try this in simple ways first developing and trusting your ability to make the right choices.  It is a skill you can easily develop and is a skill used by many, such as business leaders, who are making big decisions.

3. Observe the outcomes of your choices.  Although we may think we make our choices on clear rational grounds, many of our choices are driven by our sub-conscious urges that we are unaware of.  The outcomes of your choices will inform you about the nature of the inner urges that caused you to make the choice you did. You may find you have a pattern of making choices that are not good for you. For example, you may have noticed that sometimes women who are in relationship with alcoholics leave their relationships only to go into relationships with other alcoholics. Once you are aware of your inner urges you can change your choices to be more beneficial. Later I will explain ways to do that.

4.  Sometimes it is better not to choose.  Instead you may rather not do anything when faced with a problem. Why?  A new manager of the subsidiary of one of the world’s largest companies realised the previous manger was always solving problems. No sooner had he solved one problem, another would pop up. As he observed this, he realised that the manager’s solutions would often be the cause of new problems. When he took over as manager, he decided not to solve problems but rather wait to let the problems solve themselves. Only, if they did not, would he intervene and often only to ask those who were most affected what they considered the most appropriate course of action.

5. Choose not to do harm to others.   This is similar to  No 1 and relates to No 2. You will find by choosing not to harm or hurt others will add to your own happiness. Go the next step. Choose to benefit others; not to save them from themselves, but to help them to help themselves. If do the former you could be disliked. If you do the latter, they will be empowered and you may or may not be liked, remembered or even thanked. That is not why you chose to help them to help themselves. The help you give is best if given without thought of reward or thanks. Your reward is knowing that you have the power and the opportunity to make a positive difference in someone’s life. When you are aware of your power you become more powerful. When you are aware of opportunities you attract more opportunities. That is your reward.

If you have a question, email me.  I will read it and, if I’m not too busy, will reply.

Your best opportunity is always RIGHT NOW. That’s right. It is not tomorrow or the next day. It is now! That’s the way life works. In every situation did you know there is always the next natural step for you to take? … the opportunity for you to move forward in your being well. That is how it has always been. Think about it. Look around you and you see nature is constantly providing its full support: the air, the rain, the soil, the food.  And this same life-supporting principle is constantly in operation supporting you.

Would you like to know how it works and can work for you? The opportunity that is waiting for you is exactly what matches what you need for your progress. It is exactly tailored to fit you and can be much better than what you may have wished for or could reasonably expect. 

We will look at a real life example that happened me that shows how this life-supporting principle works. As I share the story I will also share the keys for you to find your best opportunity.

I was in my early twenties, self-employed in my new business with no capital and too little income to pay the rent for even the cheapest of offices..

This was my situation and I accepted it… no point in feeling depressed, frustrated or worried about it. Rather, I went to the best office area in the city and decided where I would like to have an office if I was able to afford it.  

KEY 1:  Accept your situation, just as it is without judgement. 

KEY 2: Focus on what would be best for you

Having decided on a ground floor and a street front location about four minutes walk from the city’s down-town main street, I contacted the property manager of the building and asked if he had space to rent in that building. He said the very space I was looking at, the rest of the ground floor area and the first floor was soon to be vacant and, of course, he was only too happy to meet me to show me what would be available.

Key 3.  Do not sit and wait for your opportunity. Go for it NOW.

We walked through the space and I asked how much he wanted in rent  for all the space that was soon to be available. I asked “If I could arrange for it to be rented, what commission would you pay me?”  He said 4%. “Could you give me a copy of your lease agreement as I and another company maybe your tenants?”

Key 4.  Find out what the other party wants.

I began by asking a friend if he knew of someone looking for office space and he told me about a book shop having to move and the manager, who he knew, was looking for shop front and storage space close to the main street. I went to see them and asked what his needs were and invited him to look at the space. He looked at the space, less what I would have as my office, and said it was ideal and agreed to the rent which was the rent the property manager said he wanted.

KEY  5:  Make sure each party, including you, gets what they want.

The property managers lawyers drew up the agreements marking my space on the floor plan in red. We signed. I was paid my commission of 4% which I used to pay for a wall to be built between the space I was going to use and the book shop and moved in to my rent-free space on the ground floor just a short walk to the central business district and main street.

Join me with this family. We are in their kitchen,listening.

“We are off to the shops…” Before he could finish his five year old daughter grabbed him by the knees and gazing up “daddy, can I come too?”

“Of course you can darling. How could we not go without you!”

She lets go, jumps with delight, puts on her shoes, picks up her small shopping basket and, skipping behind her father and elder sister, follows them to the car. Her father opens the back door. She carefully places her basket on the seat and moves across and fastens her seat belt and beaming expectantly.

They drive off and we follow them into the car park and watch as the three, holding hands, make their way through the supermarket doors.

Inside they take a wire shopping basket stopping here and there, filling bags,  weighing and moving on.

Now they are at the bread and bun section. With an expectant feeling we draw close.

The father reaches into a woven basket once filled with buns and takes the last four.

Suddenly the little girl cries and, with tears running down her cheeks, she frantically tugs her father’s hand.

He looks down speechless, bends and, in open eyed surprise, holds her around the waist asking  “what is wrong?”

“Daddy, you haven’t left any buns for the next person.”

He slowly straightens up, reaches into their basket and thoughtfully takes one of the buns and puts it back.

They move on. The five year old is holding her father’s hand and skipping.

Would you like to know how to get your life-spark to burst into flame?

…to get that joy of living back?

…to feel the excitement of being alive?

Here are my tips. When my flame had gone out and my life seemed

pointless, I developed some techniques that helped me move out of

reverse gear, back into first, up into second, then  third and into top.

I had too. If I had not, I would not be writing this.

1. Make your film.

The first time I did this I was standing as I could not sit on my bed without

feeling I was being sucked into a black hole of ever deadening depression.

Shut you eyes. Go back over your life and search for those moments when you felt

happy and at your best. Recall humorous, fun situations; jokes. Your good times.

At first you may find just one. That’s a good start.  Focus all your attention on that

moment. Take yourself back there. Experience the experience. See the people.

Capture the time of day. Was the sun shining? How were you dressed? What were

you saying? What were others saying? What was your expression? How were you feeling?

Go fully into that moment.

Why? Because your body-mind recalls it all. It is indelibly etched inside you, part of who you are. It is you. And as you recall how you were,  you return to how you were then. It has not gone. It is like a book on your shelf. You can take it and open it at any time and you are there, fully alive.

Once you have your first picture flaming, you will readily be able to recall more and more. With each mental picture, go fully into the situation until it bursts into flame…into your life. The night I first did this I start to laugh and, the more funny situations I recalled, the more I laughed. That was until my land lady started stomping on the floor above me saying “I told you. I told you, you were not have any parties in my house”.The laughing stopped.

Keep doing this until you have a story board of such mini-film clips to string together and then run them through your mind and feel the feelings you felt with each clip.

Now open your eyes and write them down.

Every night before going to sleep take out your paper and play your film to yourself. When you wake in the morning, do the same. Even when you are feeling good, do this.

It is a twice a day exercise

2. Take a walk on the wild side:

Get moving. The more you move your body the more alive you will feel.

However, what I am going to recommend, is a walk with a difference. A difference that will make your life-spark flame, raise your self-confidence and bring back that joy of living.

This time take your name. Let us say your name is Christopher,like mine. Starting with the first letter “C” make it the first letter of a word that inspires you. “C” could stand for courage.

Now see the next lamp post up ahead of you. Walk or jog to that lamp post saying to yourself I am becoming more and more courageous, more and more courageous.

See the lamp post as a  winning post ..  like a finishing tape at the Olympics. When you reach the post firmly reach out your hand and slap the post saying to your self                   “I AM courage”.  Of course you say this silently otherwise you may be wizzed off for some serious observation.

When you have caught your breath and have fully absorbed into yourself that you are a winner that is courageous, go for the next lamp post.

The next letter is “h”. This could stand for “humour” or what ever quality you wish to experience in yourself. And do the same again.

Once you have gone through all the letters of your name, repeat the process.                      I started doing this one evening and found myself still running on the far side of my city, from lamp post to lamp post, at four the following morning, totally high. Totally exhausted, I staggered back to where I was staying with the stomping land lady.

Was it worth it?  Of course it was. It rocketed me out of depression and self pity, right back into life. My life flame was now burning like a mini sun.

And the joy? Yes, that is what I discovered. Ones joy is always there. It sometimes needs turning on.  That’s how I did it.

Tell me how you are doing it. I would love to hear so I can share your story with others to help lift them up and inspire them

Email me at chris@chrisevatt.com

For more idea,s go to my www.chrisevatt.com. View my videos.

Festina Lene (Latin. By Augustus 27BC)

“Am too busy. No time. Got to rush. The kids

can wait. Will be back late tonight. No time for

dinner……”

Is that you?

STOP. You are getting no where fast.

STOP and think:  You are already there!

Today is where you were rushing to yesterday.

You have arrived. Congratulations. You made it.

Now … for your sake and our sake…just take

it easy. Make the most of this time that you have

been rushing to. Why?  Because it is the only

time you have. And this moment is as good as it

gets. As good as this moment can be.

It is what it is so accept it fully.

And the next moment can and will be different.

Time is an illusion:

All other time is an illusion in your mind. You know

full well the past has gone and the future is not here.

The only sensible, rational and meaningful thing to do

is to make the most of what you have. This moment

right now.

What do I do now?

There is  nothing you have to do. The most meaningful

thing to do is to be. Yes, be who you are. That means fully

accepting who you are…all aspects…the ones you like

and the ones you do not like. And accept what is in all

its aspects because all aspects of you and all aspects of your

life are equally valuable. Unless you accept them, they become

your master and follow you as relentlessly as your shadow.

What happens then?

You experience:

…being fully present. Your thoughts go still and your mind clears

as you become totally aware.

…being fully alive

…feeling fulfilled i.e. without need

All tension and your need to rush disappears. Your power is no

longer scattered ahead of you causing you to feel powerless

and the victim of your present circumstance. Now you feel your power.

You

are your power and what seemed difficult or impossible becomes

feasible and probable. Ideas flow naturally and effortlessly into

your mind as you become ready for your next moment.

All we need to do is to focus on one option … one moment…

at a time as all other options evolve out of we are focus on.

When you are BEING YOU and being fully present in this moment

you are perfectly prepared and ready for your next moment.

Then you and the next emerging moment are in harmony and

are aligned…the perfect moment for you!.

Email me your experiences about you being in your state of alignment.

E  chris@chrisevatt.com

Like to hear more? In invite you to visit my web site and view my videos.

www.chrisevatt.com

.

“We work in environments in which human

values are placed a distant second behind

economic ones. What inspires us to work

hard is ignored”  Michael Leiter, US psychologist.

For many work is not working.

Do you feel there is social value in what you do?

Do you feel what you do makes your positive

difference in the lives of others… adds to their

well being?

Or do you feel a sense of “profound personal

worthlessness” as described by

Piece Johnson Howard, author of

The Owner’s Manual for the Brain”?

If you feel what you are working at does not

reflect your highest aspirations or is not aligned

with your values, what can you do?

Here are my  tips:

1. Express what you stand for in a non-accusing way,

explain why and what could be the benefits from what

you stand for. You may have a way at looking at things

that others may not have considered and may find valuable.

2. Be a positive role model. Do not complain. Instead walk

your talk and be true to yourself, your ideals and what you stand

for. You know, your “actions speak a 1,000 words.”

Others will be effected.  They can’t help it. They pick up the

quality of your energy. If you do not “walk your talk” you become

disappointed in yourself. You lose your integrity, your self-esteme

and your power. Ultimately, you become depressed.

3. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” as you may have heard.

It means you see what you want to see. In every situation and job

there appears to be both the positive and the negative. I said “appears”

because this your interpretation. Look clearly and non-emotionally

at your work situation. Make a list of your work-positives and work-

negatives. Ask yourself, is this where I wish to be?

Is this where I can make my positive difference?

Is this where I can make full use of my natural abilities?

If you can, stay and make your positive mark.

If not, find a work environment where you can.

Never ever forget, where you give your time is where you give your life.

There is no price you can ever be paid that is worth your life. You are priceless!

The world needs you to express the very best of who you are.

Nothing less, and life wants you to be fulfilled, putting your passion into

action and receiving all the rewards that you deserve.

Go for it!

Let me know how you are making your work an expression of the

very best of who you are. Send me your story and I will share with others

to inspire them.

Email chris@chrisevatt.com

View my videos to lean more at www.chrisevatt.com

“To Be Or Not To Be… that is the question.”

Why did William Shakespeare ask this question?

Why did he not ask “To Do Or Not To Do?”

Because who you are being defines who you are

and who you are defines what you do.

What you do defines your life.

Do you wish to be fully live? Enjoying every moment? Being more

and more of who you are? Creating? Growing? Experiencing? Relating? 

Having fun?

Of course you do.

The only way to do that is by choosing “to be” who you are.

Why do you think your life is not what you would like it to be?

Think about this. Since the Industrial Revolution more and more of

mankind has been driven by an ever greater demand to produce more,

more and more… faster, faster and faster. The speed at which we

work being dictated by the speed of our technology. We have become

its servants.

Look at your computer screen. Emails poor in. Like a boat with a

hole in it and the water is flooding in, you feel you can’t bail

out those incoming emails fast enough. Panic!

You are certain if you pause, you will drown. A “Death by email!”

The focus is on Doing. Making more in less time and at lower

costs. And another form of doing is consuming. More doing in making.

More doing in consuming, until we burn out with stress or bloat out

from obesity,…from too much stuff, while the planet’s resources

strain to provide and we run out of space to dump our rubbish.

This is the  “black hole”  that is taking your life.

It is the space between what’s produced and what gives you 

value. It is the hole where our unworn-out cloths go;

where we put that out-of-fashion refrigerator and car.

Do you remember buying that coffee machine, juice maker

or blender? Great idea at the time, but when did you last use them?

Off they go into the “black hole”.

When did you last see your motor mechanic mend a part?

He can’t. He pulls out the broken one, throws it away and fits

in a new one.

And those apples on the neighbours trees?

They were so busy they didn’t have time to pick them and

instead purchased their apples from the supermarket.

Does this make sense? Of course not, but it makes money.

Yes, all of that un-used stuff holds your money. The money

you spent has gone to others.

The result. You give away your life. Your love-connections

with family wither and your friendships die.

You lose your freedom and become a slave to “the system.”

Is this how it is for you?

Sure, there is always another title and pay rise to entice you on

but whatever was really meaningful to you, life-full, fades

into gray monotony.

What you can do? There is always a better way.

You have had the best and the worst of the Industrial Revolution

and what followed. Now is the time for you and your Human Evolution.

Time to claim back yourself and your life.

Join me. Here are your evolutionary steps to freedom, being all you can be

and living your life to the full:

¤  design your life anew. Take paper and pen and write and draw what

    it would mean for you to live fully. Your vision for you.

¤  write down clear, specific goals on a card you can keep with you and

   read it often seeing yourself as ALREADY having achieved them

¤  sell or give away to others everything you are not using… books;

   CDs; DVD’s; cloths; sports gear; old phones; bikes.

¤  right now stop eating low life-value foods and grow or buy high life-value foods.

    This will reduce your food bill and increase your energy and well being.

    What are these super foods?  Check the net.

¤  say “no” to whatever is not enhancing your life and the lives

   of others. That connects you to your power.

¤  discover what you fear and DO IT. A great booster to self-confidence!

¤  start living dangerously. Try out the new. Go for adventures.

Stop and watch the sunset:

Talk to new people. Dance. Sing. Climb a tree or a mountain. Go ice skating.  

Be outrageously you.

Eat different foods.  Play with your dog.

Feel the life flowing in your veins.

This breaks you free from your unconscious limits.

¤  Read the biographies of people you admire. Put yourself in their shoes.

    Walk their walk. Feel how they feel. Think like they think.

¤  Work?  Only do that which really excites you and do that with your

   full passion. Do that which is personally fulfilling and which enables you to

   make your positive difference. Know the world needs your best so do NOT

  settle for less.

¤  Pay yourself first. Set aside a fixed percentage of your income each

    month and save it. With the rest, only buy that which gives you long lasting

    value.

With these tips you will rocket-boost yourself into your new life.

Tell me your stories about how you are creating your life the

way it was meant to be…. the way you want live it. I would love

to hear.

Email me:  chris@chrisevatt.com

Like to hear more? Visit my web site and view my videos.

Here is on

www.chrisevatt.com

Welcome to your Evolution!

How has your life been todate?  Has it been according to your expectations? Better or worse? If you were offered the opportunity to have life the way your would really want it, would you take it?  Or are you just going to repeat what it has been.

I offer you the opportunity to leap out of your old box. Cast off what does not work for you and fully embrace what does.

Right now give yourself  30 minutes with no interruptions, no phone calls or emails. Shut off your outer world and take the steps to fully claim your new life.

Step 1.    Sit or stand up straight and out loud say “I take full responsibility for my life and everything in it.” And say it with real conviction. Fully feel  you are fully in charge and know that you are. Doing this will put you in the drivers seat and move you from being the victim of life to being in charge. The former sets you free.The latter imprisons you and turns you into both the jailer and the jailed.

Step 2.     List down what has NOT been working in your life.Know that each dysfunction is rich in learning. Ask yourself, “what did I learn about myself from each dysfunction?”

What did I learn about my beliefs, my attitudes, my limitations, my strengths, the way I treat myself, the way I treat others……..?  Write what you have learnt beside the dysfunctions.

Step  3   Now turn the dysfunctions into your ideal outcomes. What would have been the ideal outcome for what did not work or did not meet your expectations? Write these down.

Step 4.    What beliefs, attitudes, thoughts and actions that you leant from step 2 that are most likely to produce what you wish to experience?  Write these down and practice them until they become ingrained habits. Go overboard with your practice and use every opportunity to use them.  Yes, make MASSIVE changes. The bigger, the better and faster the results.

For example, if a dysfunction was that you were not shown respect, your learning may have been you do not respect others and, quite likely, you do not respect yourself enough. Your new attitude may be “I fully respect myself. I fully respect others”. Now practice this new attitude with every relationship no matter how short or long it is If you are at the check-out at the supermarket say to yourself as you look at the cashier “I fully respect you” Show this in your manner…by your smile; your eye contact; your expression of appreciation.  Now closely observe the reactions. Are you now receiving more positive responses from others? Are you receiving more respect?  I bet you are. I know you are!

Step 5.  Now decide that 2009 will be your best year yet.  Write down what you wish to create and experience this year and the beliefs, attitudes, thoughts and actions you will use to make it happen just the way you want it.

2009 is your year.  It’s a new year so why not enjoy a new life and make it your best year yet. When 2010  comes, make that even better.

Once you have done this, blog me and tell me and at any time this year you have a question about making 2009 your best year, send it to me and, if I have the time, I will do my best to answer it. Better still, send me your “success stories” about what worked.