The Most Important Trait of Successful Fitness Business Owners
Isn’t it just great when your business is on fire and you’re raking in all kinds of money? I’ll bet you feel on top of the world!
And, how about all that validation from your peers and loved ones for a “job well done.” Yup… it’s easy for you to take credit for all your incredible success, right?
But, then, there are the down times… you know what I’m talking about. The slow periods where nothing seems to be working… Those times when you’re not getting referrals... not converting prospects and simply not making enough sales to even cover the rent!
Who gets the credit for this, hmmmm….?
It’s easy to play the blame game. It’s the economy. It’s the market place. It’s the competition. It’s the weather. It’s this. It’s that… Blah…blah.. blah…
It Takes Courage
Yes… you and I both know that it takes a certain amount of COURAGE to own up and take full responsibility for lackluster sales and the current financial condition of your business.
It’s during these times that the winners distinguish themselves from the losers. It’s a time of self-reflection on who you are and where you want to go.
Crisis Equals Opportunity
For you, this might be the empowering moment. Instead of hanging your head in self-defeat, this might be the best time ever to choose and create your new reality. A reality that never allows you to slip down into a dismal financial condition ever again.
A reality that YOU control. And, a reality that once and for all puts you in the winner’s circle.
The Self-Imposed Trap…
Do you know the #1 one enemy blocking your success? It’s YOU! Yes, you are probably your own worst enemy when it comes to achieving your success. You’re not alone.
We all do it. We get in our own way. We self-sabotage. And, instead of using our creativity to build successes, we use it to come up with excuses and cover our tracks so we don’t even know how we get in our own way!
Believe me, I’m an expert at self-sabotage and know first hand how crippling it is.
An Entrepreneur’s Journey
I turned 63 this year and have been an entrepreneur since my mid 20’s. I have started numerous businesses. I know exactly what it’s like to finance a business with maxed-out credit cards and live on pure fear and adrenalin getting it off the ground.
I know what it’s like to work a “day job” while simultaneously starting a “side business” in hopes that it would grow — and thus quit the regular job.
I understand the strain and stress it puts on a family. At times, my wife and two daughters saw very little of me.
I know what it is to fail. To throw in the towel. To go back to working for someone else because despite all the hard work, commitment and dedication… the business did not turn a profit. Again…. self-reflection.
This Will Kill Your Business
Since I probably have a few years on you… and, most likely have started a few more businesses, let me pass on some solid advice that you can take to the bank!
The #1 business killer… the #1 deal killer… the #1 relationship killer is your ego and your fear..!
Here’s what I mean….
Entrepreneurs tend to be self-absorbed. And, quite often this self-absorption is a “cover-up” for a lack of self-confidence or other related self-esteem issues. That was me.
All About “ME!”
In my early days of entrepreneurship everything became all about “me.”
- For example, if a weight-management client achieved great results — I did not always rejoice in his or her life-changing experience. Instead, my self-absorbed thoughts went to how his or her success would affect “me.” How many referrals? My credibility. My success…!
- Even stupid things like how I was dressed. Who I associated with. Where I was seen (restaurants, bars, clubs, gyms, etc.) and how all of this would affect “me.” I was consumed with looking good, receiving praise and getting acknowledged.
- After a while… this kind of self-absorbed thinking made me outright paranoid. I was afraid of what others thought of “me.” I became afraid of being rejected. And, soon, that fear prevented me from putting “me” out there.
At the end of the day… this behavior is just plain selfish.
It prevented me from public speaking. It prevented me from participating in events and social gatherings where I might be vulnerable. It prevented me from living. It totally paralyzed me.
How to Overcome It…
Luckily, I am married to a marriage and family therapist (MFT). You may have met Gigi at an event or spoken with her on the phone. She’s brilliant. And, 25 years ago, with just two sentences, she totally turned around my business and my life!
She said, “Art, it’s not about you, it’s about them. The
question you need to ask is, ‘How can I serve them?”
BAM..! There it is.
The difference between success and failure can be that simple.
And, the more I started to research truly successful people the more I realized she was right. Successful people are laser-beam focused on SERVING their constituents.
It Works Every Time!
So, I repeated the mantra every day. How can I SERVE THEM?
I started to actively listen to my clients. I put myself in their shoes to feel what they felt.
Every day I challenged myself to perform a good deed… even if it was as simple as giving a bottle of water to a homeless person at my exit ramp.
Serving and helping became the order of the day.
Yes, serving and helping our weight-management clients was the motivation that led to the development of our Transformation Journals. And, then other products.
Even today, our commitment to health education is all about serving and helping fitness professionals and consumers to achieve their goals through empowerment.
Prove it to Yourself!
Here’s what else I can tell you.
Once you shift your focus you become liberated. Yes you free yourself from… yourself! All that pressure forced upon you from your own ego…. and all the fear of being vulnerable, or rejected, or ridiculed... well, all of it just disappears.
There is some real magic that occurs when your purpose in life shifts from “self-serving” to serving others.
Repeat this like a mantra at least 100 times a day…
“It’s not about me, it’s about them. The question
I must always ask is, how can I serve them?”
Think About This…
Here’s an analogy. When you think of “Mind, Body and Spirit” on a universal level, we have teachers who help us with our minds. We have clergy who help us with spiritual matters. But, who helps with the “body?” As a health and fitness professional, isn’t that YOUR ROLE?
You have something that can make the world a better place. So, isn’t it almost YOUR DUTY to get your business in front of as many people as you possibly can? To help and serve..?
Trust me… the money will follow.
Why am I Sharing This With You?
O.K., here’s my point. Every month I speak with hundreds of Health and Fitness Entrepreneurs... seeking a pathway or direction toward their own personal and professional success.
And, just like me, almost all are way too focused on themselves, their money, their success, etc. instead of their true mission in life… to help and serve others.
So, I am going to point you in a direction that I know will lead you to success. It is 100% effective because it helps and serves the public by giving them something of value.
It is something that almost all of our Health Coach professionals are already doing….
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