Hey it’s your main man 7-figure Sam,
Real quick….
I need your input and opinion on something.
What Advice Would You Give To A Young Personal Trainer Getting Started
The other day I got an email from a 15 year old kid by
the name of Brian.
Below is the email:
Hi Sam,
I’m 15 years old and plan to eventually start my own personal
training business. I’ll be signing up for my first college courses
during this summer and need to know what you can suggest for the steps
I should take in getting where I need to be as quickly as possible to
get and keep on my feet. Classes I should take, Things I need to keep
in mind. I’m in a really good position to get my life started off
really well but I also don’t have the financial means to waste any
time at all or get a second chance if I mess up so I need to know what
my best approach is.
Please Help,
Brian
Let’s help this young fellow get started in this business.
Dear Brian, I applaud you for being 15 years old and already thinking of your future. You’re already leaps and bounds ahead of most people. If I were in your shoes here is what I would do.
1) Leave below your means and have a wealth building plan. I recommend reading a book called the compound affect.
2) Build RELATIONSHIPS with everyone you come in contact with.
3) Nurture these relationships through GIVING and staying in touch. Read a book “Go Giver”
4) Learn your craft and be the best you can be. Don’t settle for anything less. Attend seminars, read books. Remember formal education makes you a living, self education makes you a fortune. Your education is just beginning after college ;)
5) Learn BUSINESS and MARKETING. I recommend reading the “E Myth” and “Business Blueprint”
6) There is no substitution for hard work and dedication. Hard work will beat talent every single time.
7) Hire a coach. Hire someone that is doing what you want to do. It’s not an expense it’s a necessity. This is the shortest way to success.
8) Have clear defined goals. Know EXACTLY what you want and wake up early and go to bed late until you get it.
9) Do not get distracted and get “Shiny Object Syndrome” There is always going to be distractions. Know this: Everything either gets you closer or further from your goals.
10) Know why you want to be in this business and communicate that clearly with everyone you come in contact. People don’t care about WHAT you do til they know WHY you’re doing it. Read “Start With Why”
Spot on.
Start your personal website now even before you open up your first class
start blogging about exercise and nutrition at least once a week while you studying
build a huge list. build a huge following of people. get them so much value by the time you ready to start people will be standing in line to workout with you
just make sure you tell stories and give the best lastest information you can. you will kill it
Find a good mentor.
Learn all you can and KEEP learning as you go! Remember education is detrimental (you have to know your stuff) in every aspect (anatomy, business, marketing, customer relations) but people don’t pay for your certification or your degree, they pay for YOU!! Be the greatest fitness ambassador you can be to everybody! Treat everybody as you would want to be treated if you were in thir shoes! Make it personal but keep it professional!
Also, you learn MORE being around other trainers (good ones) than you do sitting at your desk with your nose buried in a book! Get information not just from books but from trainers you want to emulate!
Good luck and keep trucking!!
Become and expert in your field first. They’ll be plenty of time to make a billion dollars after you master your craft and become the type of person that deserves to earn a good living.
BE – DO – GET
I’ve always liked the idea that “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”
Actually caring about people is so important in our industry.
Here are 37 tips I shared in a recent newsletter that I think are appropriate for you too. Best of luck and keep us posted as to how we can help!
1. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
2. Be early… on time is tolerable. Late is never acceptable.
3. Do what you say you’re going to do. Try to do more. Never do less.
4. Focus on what you can control.
5. Learn from the experiences of other – not just your own.
6. Live your life like most people do and you’re going to settle for what most people get.
7. ‘Trying’ isn’t enough. It’s an excuse. Either you’re doing something or you’re not.
8. You never fail until you quit, make excuses or die.
9. If you want to achieve something write it down.
10. Make your goals specific and measurable. The more specific you are, the more quickly you’ll be able to achieve them.
11. Plan every day. Success isn’t an accident.Write out tomorrow’s plan the night before and review it throughout the course of the day.
12. If you want your personal training business to be more successful – apply the 80/20 Principle.
13. Discipline yourself… focus your energy, thoughts and actions on the task at hand and eliminate useless distractions.
14. Schedule everything. Personal time too. Why wouldn’t that be as important as an appointment with a client?
15. Outsource, delegate or eliminate things that provide a low return on your time in your personal training business.
16. Take control of your time. Just because the phone rings, there’s a knock at the door, an email enters your inbox or someone instant messages you doesn’t mean you have to immediately give them your time.
17. Tell the truth. There’s no such thing as a good liar.
18. Listen more than you talk.
19. Accept that there is no ‘Get Rich Quick’ solution and that the only shortcuts are working smart, working hard and learning from others mistakes.
20. It’s not only about you. Help others get what they want and you’ll get what you want.
21. Be a problem solver.
22. Be nice. Genuinely care about others’ success and happiness.
23. Surround yourself with successful people.
24. Make every interaction a Win/Win.
25. Focus on getting 1% better each day. Small improvements add up.
26. Sell people what they want. Give them what they need.
27. Mean what you say.
28. Take responsibility. If you make a mistake – own up. No excuses.
29. Failure is part of the process as an entrepreneur. Accept it. Learn from it. Move on.
30. Change is inevitable. Embrace it.
31 . If only… ‘ is dreaming. It’s not reality. And there is plenty of opportunity in reality.
32. We’re not judged on what we could have been – rather we’re judged by what we actually become.
33. Life isn’t fair. Get over it.
34. Don’t dwell on the past and don’t live in the future. Focus on today.
35. Half of success is showing up. Do the work… day after day. Don’t get distracted. That’s how you become better than everyone else.
36. Today is the best day to start (anything.) Procrastination is contagious. Wait until tomorrow and you may find yourself waiting until next week, next month or next year.
37. If you’re waiting for circumstances to be different (or perfect) – you’re in for a long wait. Stop waiting and start doing.
Epic wisdom in post right here
Thank you Sam, The advice I’ve received from you and responses on your blog are very valuable to me. I’ll be working hard and doing my best to implement what I’ve been told. I’ve already read samples from The
Compound Effect, Start With Why, The Go-Giver and Go-Givers Sell More(I can’t afford full copies, I’ll be checking the library very soon for rentable copies). I’ve found them very inspiring and hope to learn even more once I can finish them.
Can you tell me where to find the E-Myth and Business Blueprint that you mentioned in your response? It would be much appreciated. Thanks again and in advance.
-Brian