In this age of information, we all seem to have a never-ending stream of business advice at our finger-tips. What I have noticed as more of this information becomes available to us through blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter feeds and You Tube videos is that people love to talk it up – PT success is now a currency.
Fitness marketers are out their selling the dream; making you feel that facing challenges in your business, having your failures, overcoming your obstacles and gathering your experiences is the backwards way to build your business.
Not this little black duck…. I am here today to tell you the truth. So hang on – their may be some ego’s bruised here.
Truth #1: Running your own PT business is bloody hard
Getting clients converting clients, keeping clients, being unique, managing the money, dealing with client complaints, getting burnt-out, avoiding the weather, injuries and cancellations, finding good staff, managing staff, keeping good staff, building new services while above all that giving all of your physical and emotional energy to your clients. Shit….that all seem’s like hard work (but very rewarding).
Hey, I don’t want to scare anyone off here but I do want everyone to stop giving themselves such a hard time. This gig is not an easy one and you do not have to be a super-trainer every day of the week. You are human and perfection is not the goal here. Take a breath and enjoy the process.
Truth #2: To get exceptionally good at anything takes a long time
If you have just started out, reaching six figures in your business in three months may not be achievable in such a short time (no matter what that info-product said). So recognise that there is ALOT to learn when running your own personal training business and also recognise that time and experience can be your only teachers in some situations.
Keep making consistent actions, mixed with a heavy dose of up-skilling and learning from those who have already walked the path. If you are seriously passionate about this industry and helping a large amount of people throughout the span of your career, hold a career perspective – not a “right now” perspective.
Truth #3: There is no failure only feedback
So you may have seen or heard variations to this theme, but the message remains a clear one. Every failure is simply another lesson on how you can do better next time. If something you do doesn’t work, step back and get feedback from yourself or others about what went wrong and how you can improve.
By looking at your business world through these glasses – you will never be scared to fail. Because each failed experience is another closer to getting it exactly right – and refining your business, building your knowledge and getting it exactly right is great feeling.
2 things to help you get through the tough times
1. Identify WHY
Why are you putting yourself through all of this? What is the over-riding reason why you are striving to develop your own business? Let me use myself as an example…
A few years ago I realised that there was no lasting happiness to be found in making piles of money. Yeah, you could get a bunch of nice stuff but funnily enough a few months later that stuff bored you and you wanted more stuff. So, the driving force behind my business is to continue to structure it so I can spend as much time as possible with my little boy Finn and my partner Nikki. That makes me happy and motivates me through hard times. Also knowing that the work I am doing is helping trainers in some small way to move forward with their business.
So for me, the WHY is to be able to spend time with my beautiful family and to continue to help other trainers – that is what gets me through the challenges.
Find your why – it is crucial. Be specific, be emotional and be as passionate as you can. This is what instinctually drives you push when you really don’t feel like pushing. Identify your why and the rest will follow.
2. Ask yourself why you love what you do?
I do this activity with my coaching clients and it also acts as some simple assistance when a business problem rears it ugly head. This is a simple act of identifying five things that you love about what you do. It can be training aspect, the business side of things, the relationships formed – it’s really up to you. This list should definitely make you smile.
Once you have got your five reasons why you love what you do, write them up on a piece of paper and display them in your private work space. So the next time you are faced with a “challenge” and you feel like crap, use that sheet of paper as a reminder to why you do what you do. If may sound really simple but it is really powerful in helping you change your negative thought patterns and bring yourself back to a good place and move forward.
Feeling confused, frustrated and annoyed about your business sometimes is normal. If you can create a clear picture why you are here, try and view your business situation with perspective and use your 5 things list as a thought-swinger (I just made that saying up) then you can start to have a lot more positive experiences in your business – regardless of what is happening. That is a good thing :-)
So the million dollar question that I would love to know is WHY? What is it that makes you get out of bed at 4.30am and push yourself to crazy limits for your business? Let me know what your reason is and why it is so important to you.
As always, I just love getting your feedback.
Cheers
Rick
P.S: There is lots happening over on our Facebook group, so if you are not already a Fan get your butt over there and get connected – no business owner has to be an island.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Ha,
Love it Rick. Life in the fitness industry is certainly a tough one.
We still average losing 72% of trainers within the first 2 years of being in the Fitness Industry. That is a massive stat…. but it does tell you that the fitness industry is not for everyone.
Our industry has to work around the rest of the population. We have to train them before work, after work or on weekends. We get them at the best times (early mornings they have gotten out of bed and are tired, afternoons they have had a shit day at work and exercise is the last thing they want to do).
I can see why we lose so many people to this, as it is hard. We have to supply the energy to these people everyday. Even if we are tired we need to bring some energy to them just to get them to do anything.
The million $$$ question is easy, it is those emails or phone calls you get from your clients that you have helped changed their life (or perhaps saved their life). When you get those phone calls you know why you do what you do…
Scott
Hey Scott
Thanks for your input mate – that stat is very concerning. Funnily enough, 5 years ago I remember that the average lifespan for a trainer was 2.2 years so things haven’t changed too much over time. I just hope that the scope of education contines to widen and that trainers see that it is just as important to work on themselves as it is to work on their businesses.
Ok – I am officially stepping down of my soap box :-)
Keep up the good work mate
Hi Rick,
There are some great truths you have given here… Good, sound advice to remember when I get persuaded by the bright lights, bells and whistles of consumerism, advertising and marketing. Thanks!