We’re looking forward to introducing you to Chris Keaton. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Chris, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
My alarm clock has the sound of birds chirping. It is the first sound I hear every morning and as I turn it off, I consciously smile. I get out of bed, walk to the kitchen, grab a cup of mushroom coffee and read a few pages of whatever two books I am currently reading (Who Not How-Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy) and Unreasonable Hospitality-Will Guidara). Then I stretch, practice Tai Chi and meditate for 30 minutes or so. Then I check email, peruse socials and daily newsletters (my favorite is The Universe – TUT). Then I have breakfast and begin my workday.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
First and foremost, I am a husband and father.
My life began as a young man in southwestern Virginia with big dreams and has truly become a costume party with me, always me, inside. Some of the costumes I wear are: THE CONNECTOR, (a music industry consultant); Celebrations Consultant with the retail giant, Macy’s; a podcast creator and host of RANDOM ACTS; a musician; an actor in commercials and industrial videos; lover of fast cars, good wine and food; I have authored several books including DAPPER ( a primer for gentlemen and the ladies who love them) and CONFIDENCE ON THE FLY (a book on a subject I know nothing about-confidence. LOL)
So as you can see I truly am an intergalactic force field riding a tidal wave of joy. My standard is to approach everything I do with joy and passion.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Honestly, there are many mentors and guides in my life who saw something in me. and helped to bring it to life. But three people really “got” me before I had a clue. My late mother, my wife, Gina and our daughter, Maddi.
My mother saw my fire and my passion; my determination and refusal to surrender. She always used to say, “There’s no grass growing under your feet!”
My soulmate and wife of over forty years sees the real me every day. She grounds me and keeps me honest. The best way to describe our relationship is I am one of those giant balloons in the Thanksgiving Day parade-flying high and taking in all the available attention. She is the chief balloon wrangler and has a rope which she can tug to get me back on track when I breathe too much of my own hot air.
Maddi, our daughter clearly brought to life for me, and to Gina, the reality that loving someone more than myself or ourselves was possible.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
This is the easiest question of all for me. I would lovingly, elegantly and graciously tell 20 year old Chris to “calm the f5$k down!”
The lesson I wish I had learned earlier was that life happens for me and not to me. To learn and gain from every experience including the ones we perceive as being negative is essential. Attempting to connect the dots in the future is futile without first connecting the dots in the past and gaining and maintaining momentum from previous wins. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan explain this concept best in The Gap and The Gain.
Essentially, living in The Gain means you train yourself to find the motivation to pull yourself forward is by acknowledging the success you had in the past. The key is to recognize and celebrate the wins but never dwell on them.
Additionally, I would have kindly encouraged 20 year old Chris to start the daily practice of meditation as one of the keys to calming down and living in the Gain.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes. But my life IS a costume party and sometimes it may be a challenge to recognize the real me.
All joking aside, I make every effort to be real and as open as possible.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When have you had to bet the company?
Not sure I have ever had to “bet the company” but there have been massive changes and disruptive events in my life. Moving to Nashville in 1993 was huge. That game changing event truly could have gone either way. It all worked out even better than I ever could have imagined. In my opinion, what made it easier for me was I decided before the move that we did not dislike where we were living (in Virginia) and that if things did not pan out we could always return. No big deal.
There have been times I changed direction and ‘burned a boat or two’ but that is what makes life fun.
Most likely the reason I feel this way is that when things get too comfortable or predictable life gets stale.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chriskeaton.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/@chrisjkeaton
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chriskeatonmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chriskeatonrandomacts
- Other: Books
DAPPER and CONFIDENCE ON THE FLY available at Amazon
Image Credits
Images by Tiffany Jones and Chris Keaton
