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Chris

Performance Recovery & Sleep-Coach

SUREL

Husband & Father
MY STORY

Hi, I'm Chris

and I am passionate about making our performance culture more human, energized and sustainable. I firmly believe that finding the right balance between hard work and deep rest is the key to personal growth, success and happiness.

For as long as I can remember, I have strived for excellence in every area of my life. Whether in tennis (top 10 in the German junior rankings) or soccer (FC Bayern Munich junior team) or later in my studies and professional life... I always wanted to be the best and achieve something really significant in my life.

And although this attitude has always pushed me to my limits and beyond and has brought me many successes in life, it was also the main driver in my biggest crisis and the blessing of the breakdown and turning point. Because I made a big mistake that I didn't realize at the time:

For far too long, I behaved as if my energy resources were infinite. I never cared about my depleted energy levels and even less about how little I was doing to recharge (nothing at the time!).

But I had to learn the hard way that energy is a very valuable resource. In fact, it is THE most valuable resource we have (not time or money). And managing it is the most important skill for sustainable high performance and long-term success.
MY PROBLEM AT THAT TIME

No energy. No progress. No joy.

As a management consultant and later as a managing director, I was used to living a high-intensity life on the edge. To be completely honest, I thought the workaholic lifestyle of traveling, strict deadlines, constant sleep deprivation and constant movement was pretty cool back then. It was hard and challenging, but I was still doing well.

Things quickly got worse when I decided to build my first business as a side business working night shifts and weekends while still working my 60-hour corporate executive job.

Driven by a strong desire to become a successful entrepreneur, I ignored all other aspects of my life. Over the next few months, I went on a crazy (adrenaline-fueled) trip with 2-4 hours of sleep per night, sometimes even forgetting to eat. Sport or any other kind of fun or relaxing activity became a luxury I could no longer afford.

Without even realizing it, I was in the middle of a downward spiral. But of course there were signs...

Strenuous morning hours
Every morning it became increasingly difficult to get out of bed.
Endless to-do lists
Growing to-do lists that are not getting any shorter due to night and weekend work
Racing thoughts
The never-ending high-speed train of racing thoughts in my head that couldn't be turned off
Feelings of guilt
being unproductive, unsuccessful and constantly procrastinating
Achieve less
The growing frustration of not achieving enough
Brain fog
A fuzzy head that makes it impossible to solve problems or be creative
24/7 tired
Red, burning eyes day and night, without a single minute of not feeling tired
No Energy
No more energy for any kind of social activities with my family and friends.

It’s hard to fight back sometimes.

On a rainy November day, when I was walking my Labrador Karli, I suddenly found myself on the brink of the abyss. I was mentally and physically devastated and was really thinking about putting an end to my struggle.

Although I had everything you could wish for (my own company, more than enough money, success, recognition, real friends and a caring family), something crucial was missing inside me: I had no energy, no self-confidence, no happiness... Nothing.

"At that moment, I decided that I would do everything I could to get my energy back."

The next moment I turned to my dog and looked into his loyal and gentle brown eyes. I will never forget his intense gaze that saved my life. He reminded me how simple and beautiful life is. And then I thought: "No... that can't be it yet! I still had too many visions, dreams and goals and so many wonderful people in my life. I decided to do whatever it took to get my energy, my smile and my happiness back. This shocking experience became a turning point in my life. Thank you forever, Karli!
My 90-DAY Commitment

Come back.
Stronger.

I was 100% determined to fight my way back and become the strong, energetic and confident person I once was.

That same day, I wrote down exactly how I wanted to feel in 90 days, and the first three steps on how I could achieve that. Now I had a plan. I sent this plan to my parents and one of my best friends to create instant commitment before I could change my mind. Now I was back in the game, and for the first time in months, I felt a little less miserable.
First, I found a top-notch mental coach who helped me figure out and structure what I should do next.

Second, I underwent a full medical check-up (with pretty sobering results), but at least I knew where I stood. And thirdly, I went to a quiet little hut in the Alps for three days to sleep (a lot!) and write down my 90-day recovery plan (90-DRP). That got me going straight away. The weeks and months that followed became a very intense time of massive action and change.

Suddenly I found myself in the middle of an upward spiral.
The result: massive action.

My priorities set
I have organized my priorities in all the important areas of my life and gained clarity about what I need to focus on.
Distractions eliminated
I got clarity about what distracts and overwhelms me and how I can get rid of it.
Found limiting beliefs
I recognized my biggest limiting beliefs that were holding me back and robbing me of energy
Started exercising againI've started doing my favorite sports like running, cycling and fitness again
Started with meditation
I started meditating every day and gradually learned to focus on a specific task again
Focused on myselfI have identified my 5 most important needs and my top 5 values
Defined my life goalsI have found out what I really want in life and who I need to become to achieve it
Getting rid of toxic peopleI got rid of some toxic and energy-sapping people in my life
Changed my dietI have made some significant changes to my diet (although there is still room for improvement)
Ich fing an, mich selbst zu liebenI have accepted that self-love is not arrogant or selfish, but a necessity in order to love and serve others as well
Good routines implementedI started to study all about routines and habits and how to implement them
Started my gratitude diaryI started to write down three things that I am really grateful for every day
Celebrated my victoriesI started celebrating my successes (big and small) and being proud of myself
Found my "Life Regrets"
I found out what I would really regret at the end of my life if I just carried on living the way I did

I raised my own standards, and things that I used to call "shoulds" suddenly became "musts".

That was just the beginning

of my journey, and my first victories motivated me a lot to keep going. The whole recovery thing became a new passion and optimizing my performance level became my new top priority. Over the next few years, I studied all the science, knowledge, wisdom and expertise out there on psychology, success, neuroscience, recovery, sustainable high performance and energy management.
I have worked with world-class clients and mentors and learned from some of the best teachers of all time.
I have invested tens of thousands of euros in first-class seminars
I have joined great mastermind groups with other entrepreneurs
I interviewed entrepreneurs, athletes and other top performers about how they overcame their challenges
I have consumed hundreds of online courses, webinars and podcasts from the industry's leading experts and gurus
I have spent thousands of hours reading books, e-books and blogs by the best authors in these disciplines

I soaked up every piece of content, every piece of advice and every tool and tried them out myself, constantly experimenting to refine and optimize my own systems, tools and routines.

On my own journey.

I found out what really works for me and other people and what doesn't.
And more importantly, I've learned this: you really can change. Yes, it's hard, but it works if you take it one step at a time, one at a time. And if I can change ... believe me, you can too. You just have to make the decision to start. You have to want to change. And most importantly: it's never too late.

But the most important lesson

on my journey was that there is no trade-off between a super ambitious high performance life and a life where you are happy, rested and healthy. In fact, our performance improves dramatically when we prioritize our wellbeing and take care of ourselves. And the secret to doing this is simple: strategic rest.

Once you master this life-changing skill, you'll be able to constantly perform at your best without ever running out of energy again. You will have the strength to pursue every dream without ever being exhausted or burnt out.

For far too long, we have all been under the false assumption that feeling exhausted and burnt out is the necessary price to pay for being successful.

This is far from the truth!

My own experience and the latest scientific findings show that not only is there no trade-off between high performance and a balanced life, but that our performance improves dramatically when we focus on our health and energy. It's time to move from talk to action. Let's get our energy back.
My Way up

Rising energy. Progress.
Returning happiness.

My engines gradually refueled

And I experienced a higher energy level than ever before. I was back in the arena of high performance. I was experiencing more successes, achievements, adventures and precious moments than ever before.

- I built my new consulting and coaching business and quickly established myself in the market.
- I regained my physical strength and finished several marathons, half marathons and mountain runs
- I started to spend a lot of my time with my family and friends
- I started traveling around the world 1-2 months per year
- I shaped my life according to my true goals, values and needs and became independent of the noise around me
- I regained confidence in my mental and physical strength to achieve anything I want
- I started to read 30 minutes every day
- I found a way to meditate daily (and got the Headspace badge for 365 consecutive days, STRIKE!!!)
- I made time every week for my passions like R&B music, hiking and mountain biking
THE OTHER WAY

Success? Or well-being?
We can have both!

MY MISSION AROSE FROM THIS:

Less RED
More sparkling eyes.

MY APPROACH

STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE RECOVERY.

01. Mindset

Understand the science and develop the right mindset to maintain long-term high levels of energy, performance and health in fast-paced environments.

02. Breaks

How do you manage to actively build in breaks and switch off your racing thoughts in real time - anytime, anywhere?

03. DEEP SLEEP

How to optimize your sleep recovery without sleeping a minute longer.

04. NUTRITION

Take your nutrition game to the next level and provide your body with essential nutrients, whether you're eating at home, in the office or on the go.

05. MOVEMENT

How to activate and upgrade your physiology (even when sitting all day long and no time to exercise).

06. Autopilot

How to put the right recovery habits on autopilot so they run as easily as brushing your teeth or driving a car without draining your precious energy and willpower.

& your Feedback speaks for itself!

  • "Thanks again for the great training!
    I have rarely taken away so much extremely relevant content and was so well entertained at the same time."
    Elisabeth Wente
    Consultant Boston Consulting Group (BCG) 
    "Thanks for the input!
    It was really interesting."
    Heiko Westermann
    Co-Trainer beim DFB​
    “Super relevant and engaging session by Chris Surel. Impressively reminded us of the importance of recovery and the impact on performance. Great actionable advice!”​
    Markus Winn
    Partner Allianz Consulting
  • “Chris has a very inspiring and energizing personality. With fact-based scientific insights and credible examples he made us aware that recovery and sleep is key to maximal and sustainable performance.​
    David Maximilian Weber
    Project Leader Mercedes-Benz Consulting
    “Thank you Chris for this awesome session! We get lots of great feedback from our team! We’re really looking forward to our next workshops with you.”​
    Nicklas Dietrich
    Fitness Coach DFB A-Nationalmannschaft​
    “Chris' virtual session was one of the most valuable I heard in a long time! Many small tricks and hacks which in total added up to the big picture. It has already been life changing for me!”​
    David Szabadvari
    Analyst EY Strategy & Transactions
  • “Inviting Chris helped open the eyes of our team to a completely underestimated topic while having a good laugh.”​
    Dr. Gavin Meschnig​
    Principal A.T. Kearney
    “Chris knows how to inspire and educate at the same time. His keynote at our practice offsite was eye-opening for all our team members across the ranks.”​
    Daniel Milleg​
    Partner Bain & Company
    “Thank you Chris Surel for inspiring us about Strategic Recovery! We took away many useful insights on how to increase performance while focusing on recovery!”
    Klaus Selling del Val
    Head of Global Business Insights​
  • “Vielen Dank nochmal für das großartige Training! ​
    Ich habe selten so viele extrem relevante Inhalte mitgenommen, und war dabei auch noch so gut unterhalten.”​
    Elisabeth Wente
    Consultant Boston Consulting Group (BCG) 
  • “Danke für den Input! Es war mega interessant.“ ​
    Heiko Westermann
    Co-Trainer beim DFB​
  • “Super relevant and engaging session by Chris Surel. Impressively reminded us of the importance of recovery and the impact on performance. Great actionable advice!”​
    Markus Winn
    Partner Allianz Consulting
  • “Chris has a very inspiring and energizing personality. With fact-based scientific insights and credible examples he made us aware that recovery and sleep is key to maximal and sustainable performance.​
    David Maximilian Weber
    Project Leader Mercedes-Benz Consulting
  • “Thank you Chris for this awesome session! We get lots of great feedback from our team! We’re really looking forward to our next workshops with you.”​
    Nicklas Dietrich
    Fitness Coach DFB A-Nationalmannschaft​
  • “Thank you Chris Surel for inspiring us about Strategic Recovery! We took away many useful insights on how to increase performance while focusing on recovery!”
    Klaus Selling del Val
    Head of Global Business Insights​

Einblicke in mein leben.

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MY Podcast

Week after week, I have the pleasure of welcoming incredibly exciting guests to my podcast microphone and talking to them about their ups and downs. I would be really happy if you would listen in and leave me your feedback!

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