And when I say you can be weak or you can be strong, I’m not referring to physical strength.

Listen, I don’t care how big your biceps are or how much you bench. I’ve seen the biggest guys cower like frightened children when it came to facing their fears.

The strength of your mind is real power and it’s something you can’t hide from (even behind diesel arms).

Now before you think I’m going to overload you with some “Law of Attraction” hugs and kisses, think again.

What I want to share with you right now are 7 principles I’ve picked up over the last 15 years. These principles have helped keep my mind strong while squashing the fear that comes from growing and breaking new ground.

[font family=”Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif” size=”22″ color=”DE0202″ textshadow=”3″ alignment=”left” weight=”bold” style=”normal” lineheight=”110″]Principle 1: Feel the Fear[/font]

Taking risks and pushing your potential is scary. It’s that way for everybody. Simply put, it’s a built in mechanism we all possess to keep us safe with where we are in life. It’s your job to assess new growth opportunities and if they make sense then seize them regardless of your fear. Now let’s not get this twisted… Many people should have listened to the fear because their numbers didn’t make sense. Remember, your goal is to squash the fear AFTER you’ve made sure your financials add up and that this growth opportunity will actually allow you to grow.

[font family=”Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif” size=”22″ color=”DE0202″ textshadow=”3″ alignment=”left” weight=”bold” style=”normal” lineheight=”110″]Principle 2: Set Real Goals[/font]

Sure you’d like to make a million dollars, but is that realistic right now? I mean do you provide a million dollar service? Can you really picture yourself making a million dollars or see yourself making 84,000 a month? If not, it makes more sense to create a realistic “reach goal” that may be making another 10-50% on top of what you made last year. Shoot for the stars, but at the end if the year saving more than you did last year should be a must have goal.

[font family=”Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif” size=”22″ color=”DE0202″ textshadow=”3″ alignment=”left” weight=”bold” style=”normal” lineheight=”110″]Principle 3: Run the Numbers[/font]

You can’t run or open a business without knowing what you need to break even and what your max potential is. For example, if you want to open up an indoor bootcamp and your overhead is $4,000 a month and you plan on getting 100 members, then you would need to be charging $400 a month per member. Is that realistic? You also have to keep in mind that you have to pay yourself and account for all other employee and overhead expenses that have a way of creeping into a budget.

[font family=”Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif” size=”22″ color=”DE0202″ textshadow=”3″ alignment=”left” weight=”bold” style=”normal” lineheight=”110″]Principle 4: Stretch Yourself[/font]

As I said before, you need to focus on beating your previous year’s best, but at the same time you really should set a reach goal. Your reach goal is what you really want to be making if all the stars align. You still need a plan to implement it, but this goal CAN be achieved if everything goes perfectly.

[font family=”Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif” size=”22″ color=”DE0202″ textshadow=”3″ alignment=”left” weight=”bold” style=”normal” lineheight=”110″]Principle 5: Recognize Who Your Are[/font]

I personally don’t believe in working on my weaknesses all that much. To some extent, yes, but I don’t go out of my way to be someone I’m not, or would not choose to be. Instead, what I do is delegate what I’m not “a natural” at and play to my strength. So basically, what I do is let others do what they do best and then I stick with what I excel at. Makes sense, right?

[font family=”Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif” size=”22″ color=”DE0202″ textshadow=”3″ alignment=”left” weight=”bold” style=”normal” lineheight=”110″]Principle 6: Surround yourself with A players[/font]

At my studio we take our time hiring each new fitness professional. They not only have to be a great “trainer,” but they must also fit our philosophy. That means even if they have a masters degree and are technically sound, I still will not hire them if they do not share our studio philosophy. My recommendation is to develop your mission statement, or what you feel is what you business stands for an then hire A Players that compliment that.

[font family=”Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif” size=”22″ color=”DE0202″ textshadow=”3″ alignment=”left” weight=”bold” style=”normal” lineheight=”110″]Principle 7: Stay Hungry[/font]

Sometimes when a company becomes successful they lose their hunger, or drive that made them great. When I was first opening my studio there was no limit to the hours I would work, or the passion I would bring to my sessions. To this day, I can honestly say that I ask myself every week if I am doing everything I can to stay on top… I personally feel this is one of the big secrets to success and why we have a waiting list at our studio to train with us. I refuse to be satisfied with where we’re at, but at the same time I take time to enjoy and be grateful for how far my team has come.

The last point to keep in mind is that you never actually “Master” these principles. It’s a constant work in progress, where you are continuing to tweak your business systems and marketing in order to grow. The great thing is that once you apply all of these principles your self-confidence grows and you begin to become more at ease with taking yourself to that next level.

This confidence eventually allows you to squash the fear of moving out of your comfort zone, and that’s when the magic happens…

I wish you all the best this year and I look forward to personally speaking with you at the “Weekend with Sam” event coming up soon!

Stephen Cabral, CSCS, CPT, NS is the founder of Smart Studio Systems. SmartStudioSystems.com allows serious fitness professionals to use the exact materials that have helped Stephen’s 700ft studio to grow to over 1,000 sessions and 7-Figures a month.