Ep. 232: Chris Stevenson – What is Your Reasoning For What you Do

There are so many things we can learn from hearing the experiences of others. Today’s show is packed full of wisdom from valuable life lessons as a previous guest returns to share more of his story. Join us!

Chris Stevenson, former Power Ranger stuntman, is the founder of Stevenson Consulting. Chris’s current focus is helping businesses and entrepreneurs of all types maximize their potential. His expertise stems from his past hands-on experience in all aspects of the health club industry. For almost 20 years, Chris and his team successfully owned and operated Stevenson Fitness, a full-service boutique health club in Southern California. The club’s success was based on providing an unparalleled member experience centered on proper staffing, systematic operations, and world-class leadership. This success was reflected in the club’s NPS, which was consistently in the 90s (the industry average is in the 40s). Chris recently founded Be Military Fit California to bring the world-renowned brand to the US. Be Military Fit is the world leader in military fitness and outdoor training. Chris is an international speaker who regularly presents at IDEA, IHRSA, Club Industry, and other fitness and business events. He sits on the IHRSA board of directors and the Customer Engagement Academy. From health and wellness to business strategies, Chris has the unique ability to connect with people instantaneously and to present viable, applicable lectures that resonate with every audience.

Young Chris’s dreams

Do you have a dream you’ve chased since childhood? From the time Chris was very young, the field of martial arts has been his passion. He left all other sports behind to focus on his training, and his dream was always to run his own martial arts school. The martial arts belt system taught him to set goals to accomplish his dreams. He learned the value of having a mentor, the value of trust, and how to listen and learn from an instructor. Chris began with Tae Kwon Do and then branched into other martial arts disciplines, and finally into boxing to hone his hand skills. He stayed busy with college classes while teaching martial arts, but pivoted after college to take time to have fun and enjoy life in CA, where he still lives today. Chris lives with no regrets because his choices back then brought him where he is today.

TWEET: The choices Chris has made has brought him where he is today. @thechrisstevenson #chasingdreams

Controlling your stress response

How do you handle stress? Chris explains that some people struggle with mindfulness and mental health because of how our stress response is wired, which is the same way our ancestors responded when they were trying to get food and not be eaten as food. Our minds are automatically wired to defend ourselves, so we instinctively fall into a negative “fight or flight” response to everything. We have to train our brains to respond differently and react more positively. Even the simple act of deep breathing can have a huge effect as we engage our controllable nervous system to offset our natural instincts.

TWEET: The simple act of deep breathing can have a huge effect on our mindset. @thechrisstevenson #chasingdreams

The best lessons learned

What are the best life lessons you’ve learned? Through Chris’s varied experiences, he’s learned many lessons. While running a martial arts studio, he learned that he could accomplish anything he put his mind to if he committed to working hard enough. Another lesson was when he learned not to let other people dictate his emotions and reactions. The important thing is to be aware and flip the reaction so we don’t give other people control. He learned another important lesson about holding grudges. The truth is that grudges only hurt the people who hold them--so, let them go! Another problem is that we encounter more negative influences as we age, and we...

There are so many things we can learn from hearing the experiences of others. Today’s show is packed full of wisdom from valuable life lessons as a previous guest returns to share more of his story. Join us!

Chris Stevenson, former Power Ranger stuntman, is the founder of Stevenson Consulting. Chris’s current focus is helping businesses and entrepreneurs of all types maximize their potential. His expertise stems from his past hands-on experience in all aspects of the health club industry. For almost 20 years, Chris and his team successfully owned and operated Stevenson Fitness, a full-service boutique health club in Southern California. The club’s success was based on providing an unparalleled member experience centered on proper staffing, systematic operations, and world-class leadership. This success was reflected in the club’s NPS, which was consistently in the 90s (the industry average is in the 40s). Chris recently founded Be Military Fit California to bring the world-renowned brand to the US. Be Military Fit is the world leader in military fitness and outdoor training. Chris is an international speaker who regularly presents at IDEA, IHRSA, Club Industry, and other fitness and business events. He sits on the IHRSA board of directors and the Customer Engagement Academy. From health and wellness to business strategies, Chris has the unique ability to connect with people instantaneously and to present viable, applicable lectures that resonate with every audience.

Young Chris’s dreams

Do you have a dream you’ve chased since childhood? From the time Chris was very young, the field of martial arts has been his passion. He left all other sports behind to focus on his training, and his dream was always to run his own martial arts school. The martial arts belt system taught him to set goals to accomplish his dreams. He learned the value of having a mentor, the value of trust, and how to listen and learn from an instructor. Chris began with Tae Kwon Do and then branched into other martial arts disciplines, and finally into boxing to hone his hand skills. He stayed busy with college classes while teaching martial arts, but pivoted after college to take time to have fun and enjoy life in CA, where he still lives today. Chris lives with no regrets because his choices back then brought him where he is today.

TWEET: The choices Chris has made has brought him where he is today. @thechrisstevenson #chasingdreams

Controlling your stress response

How do you handle stress? Chris explains that some people struggle with mindfulness and mental health because of how our stress response is wired, which is the same way our ancestors responded when they were trying to get food and not be eaten as food. Our minds are automatically wired to defend ourselves, so we instinctively fall into a negative “fight or flight” response to everything. We have to train our brains to respond differently and react more positively. Even the simple act of deep breathing can have a huge effect as we engage our controllable nervous system to offset our natural instincts.

TWEET: The simple act of deep breathing can have a huge effect on our mindset. @thechrisstevenson #chasingdreams

The best lessons learned

What are the best life lessons you’ve learned? Through Chris’s varied experiences, he’s learned many lessons. While running a martial arts studio, he learned that he could accomplish anything he put his mind to if he committed to working hard enough. Another lesson was when he learned not to let other people dictate his emotions and reactions. The important thing is to be aware and flip the reaction so we don’t give other people control. He learned another important lesson about holding grudges. The truth is that grudges only hurt the people who hold them--so, let them go! Another problem is that we encounter more negative influences as we age, and we become conservative and afraid to take chances. We should never lose the excitement of taking a risk.

TWEET: Grudges only hurt the people who hold them, so let them go! @thechrisstevenson #chasingdreams

ONE action for a dream chaser to take--”Crystallize your dreams. Set up your goals and dig deeper for your WHY. Figure out your core purpose and build a plan.”

OUTLINE OF THE EPISODE:

[:20]        Young Chris’s dreams of martial arts[3:15]      What builds you as a person[5:49]      Why Chris pivoted[8:13]      Living with no regrets[11:01]    Chris’s tagline: education, empowerment, and encouragement[15:35]    Anxiety is controllable[18:44]    My life, my choices[22:55]    Chris’s path to Power Ranger and beyond[31:32[    The best lessons learned [40:56]    ONE action for a dream chaser

Resources:

Chris’s Facebook

Chris’s Twitter

Chris’s Instagram

Chris’s LinkedIn

Stevenson Consulting

Watch the Episode on YouTube

TWEETS YOU CAN USE:

Understanding the science behind our stress can change everything. @thechrisstevenson #chasingdreams

It’s easy to look back and have regrets, but that path is what brought me where I am today. @thechrisstevenson #chasingdreams

Negativity hits us harder than positivity. @thechrisstevenson #chasingdreams

Grudges only hurt the people who hold them. @thechrisstevenson #chasingdreams

I decided a long time ago that only 10% of my time would go to things I feel obligated to do. @thechrisstevenson #chasingdreams

https://youtu.be/ac5odTNcIKY