Posted on 24 Aug, 2011 -
How to Shine like Elvis
Do you still have that special something?
How to up your ‘Elvis Factor’
And why we can all add more to this world and our own lives by practicing the art of SHINING!
Dear Reader,
It was pouring with rain. Dark and dreary both inside and out. I was dressed in an old pair of pyjamas and yesterday’s socks. Then, sat at my desk and nursing a cup of coffee I opened a parcel that contained a book called ‘Shine: How to survive and thrive at work.’ by Chris Baréz-Brown. The subheading for the book was: Upping your ‘Elvis factor’!
Now, to be perfectly honest, I couldn’t have felt less shiny or Elvis-like on that morning. I’d have had second thoughts about opening the door to the postman let alone swanning through an office or turning heads at a business meeting.
In fact, the thought that washed half-formed and lethargically through the fog of my brain was something along the lines of: Shine? Hmmm. I guess that’s something I used to do.
Which is interesting. And not entirely true. Because I still have my moments!
Do I want to be a shiny person? Of course I do!
So, with a small flicker of desire to be a shiny person rising up inside of me, I opened up the pages.
The central idea of the book is that our work is such a huge part of our life that we might as well make the most of it. Sure we can just go in everyday and be another worker ant, but isn’t it better to SHINE in some way. Be “a bit more Elvis.”
And while it is obviously aimed more at high-flying types working in trendy London offices, there is still plenty in it for those of us whose work is a little less glamorous… a little less like working in the A Team for Google… and perhaps more likely to involve looking after kids, doing the housework or even sitting around in pyjamas.
Work or life? You want to shine in both, right? And is there really such a difference?
Either way, I have made a short-list of some of my favourite parts and pieces of advice in the book and summarised them for you here:
SLOW DOWN! “When we are busy we feel as though we’re achieving something and we feel as though we are important. The truth is very different: if you are too busy and to hectic you lose your impact and your shine.” “To truly shine, you need to tune yourself into you, the people around you and the context in which you work.” “Beware of being too busy. It dilutes you.”
JUST DO AND BE. Instead of sitting around worrying about whether things are a good idea or not, just give it a go. Try it out. Spend more time acting, less time worrying. To be somebody with SHINE you need to get things done. Get things moving. Take action. And act.
ASSUME EVERYONE IS AN ANGEL. “If you assume positivity, life is Technicolor. If you look for crap, that’s what you’ll find.” “Every interaction is a chance to see the sparkle, the Elvis in others. Knowing all their variety of behaviour makes life a richer experience; everything that angers you can also help you learn.”
REST. We often feel the need to be constantly busy and achieving things in order to justify our existence - especially at work. In order to shine, to be creative, and to be an important person to have around, it is also important to keep up our energy. Slow, relaxing activity can help us regenerate physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
PRACTICE DISCONNECTING FROM ALL THE DAILY CLUTTER AND RECONNECTING WITH THE PURE YOU. On a day-to-day basis we can get so bogged down with all the small details and bothers of the day that 24 hours can pass without any one moment being pure.
I like Baréz-Brown’s instructions for pulling ourselves out of this life fog: “Next time you feel isolated, stuck, powerless, or frustrated by the small things, stop. None of these sensations are real. They are just a perspective. Sit Straight, breathe, smile, feel your body falling back, and connect to who you really are.”
EVERY MORNING, IDENTIFY THE ONE BIG THING THAT YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY. Instead of aiming for quantity, think of quality instead. Energy and SHINE are easily diluted. If you have one aim, one big focus, One Big Thing, then that thing is much more likely to be something special. Something that gets results.
DO ICONIC. If you work or play in an environment where everyone is clamouring for attention, you’ll need to do the big stuff if you want to shine. “Find a project that’s significant, so that when you nail it everyone will be talking about it. Aim to do something that will become the stuff of legend, a project that can be your legacy. When you come across such an opportunity, throw everything you have at it to guarantee its sparkly success.”
REMEMBER THE LAW OF KARMA. If you give generously of your time, your energy, your affection, your help, your warmth, your enthusiasm… then over the course of your life you’ll get it all back with interest. “Surprise people by helping them when you have no obvious reason to do so, and notice the impact. Karma will reward you in the most unusual and pleasing ways.”
KNOW WHAT YOU NEED. There are times during all of our lives when we have shone brighter. We each of us shine more in different circumstances and our natural ability to shine if fuelled by different things. If you know what makes you shine and thrive then it’s easier to make sure you get more of it when possible. If you think of the times when you “took more risk, had more fun and were more ‘you’”, what was it that you were getting then that was making you more alive?
IMMEDIATE ACTION KEEPS YOUR MIND CLEAR AND YOUR TO-DO LIST TINY. (I think that one speaks for itself. I only wish it would work for me in reality!)
MAKE NERVOUSNESS YOUR FRIEND. “I speak for a living,” says Baréz-Brown, “and always have butterflies in my stomach and a rush of adrenaline before I step out in front of any group. It helps me to perform to a higher level.” And he is so right. There have been times during my life when it has felt a bit like being up on the high wire. But those energetic butterflies and highly-focused nerves have made me feel really alive and (mainly) made me successful in what I’ve done. Embrace the power of adrenaline. Feel the fear and leap into it like a bungy jumper!
BELIEVE. “People don’t shine brightly unless they believe they deserve to do so. You won’t shine unless you believe it’s right to do so.”
As Jeff Schrembs once said, “Elvis Presley is, was, and forever will be the greatest entertainer who ever lived.”
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t all try to add a bit of shine, a bit of entertainment or a bit of our own special kind of sparkle to the world and to other people’s lives.
Best wishes
