You can’t reach your full potential selling CHEESE PUFFS – I’ll tell you what I mean by that in a second …. But when I’m talking about reaching your full potential, I mean TRANSFORMATION: going from who you are now to the person you want to be. Personal Training is unique because it can be the vehicle – I just recorded a little video explaining this idea:

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In the video you’ll notice I used the word “passion” about 117 times; and if you read the Whistleblower you know why. You read my story of transformation in this career, and more important than that – in LIFE in general.

That’s what we’re talking about here – it’s SO far beyond Personal Training, or any career, work, or business in general. We’re talking about fundamental issues in life. I’m sorry if I’m overstepping my boundaries getting into all of this, but I’m talking from experience, and like I said I’m very passionate about it (that makes 118) –

What does that have to do with Personal Training? It’s all about having a GAME WORTH PLAYING …

That’s what Michael Gerber called it in his book the E-myth. He said that as human beings we need to have “a game worth playing”. Personal Training is just that type of game. This isn’t some cute idea that you should think about getting around to one day – it’s ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

Most people don’t have this “thing” worth doing in their lives – at the risk of a bad metaphor, they’re just farm fed sheep. They do the same things every day, with the same boring people, and with no end in site.

They have nothing their passionate about in life – nothing to challenge them. Nothing that gives back as much as they put in. They have nothing in their life that has the potential to pay off with success (except for the occasional lottery ticket). They risk nothing and get nothing.

What’s the reason they stay stuck in place? I believe it’s because they lack this “game worth playing”. That’s why you see the majority of people in our society end up over-weight, needing prescription medication or self-medication to get by, and with tons of self-destructive habits. If you don’t believe me, watch the news.

But for some people things are different …

Some people are lucky enough to have something their passionate about in their lives. Something that comes easy to them. Something that if they give to, it gives them back. Something that doesn’t only bring money, but also brings change, fulfillment, personal growth, YEEAAAHHHH …. all that good stuff!

You see these people on TV – some are professional athletes, entertainers, or people that found the right businesses for them. Inside of them is a part just like you and me. But around that is a body of experience and achievement that makes them special.

Sure they put in tremendous hours perfecting their craft. But does it look like they’re working? They may have sacrificed at times, but it’s never “work”. When you have a game worth playing, it’s never just “work”.

Not only do they achieve outward success, but this game becomes their vehicle to push outside of their comfort zones. It becomes the bus that carries them from stop to stop all the way to places that would be impossible to reach if you didn’t have the structure of a game to take you there. They become what can only be called astonishing people – that’s what we mean by TRANSFORMATION.

Entertainers like this were only a loose example I used to make a point. If you have any kind of social life at all and get around a little bit, you know that in our every day their are people that also get this idea. Whether it was conscious or not, they have this type of vehicle – whether it’s their work, social circle, or personal activities that help them reach these personal heights. I have met major celebrities, and I also have met some amazing regularthe celebs have got NOTHING on them! people –

That’s exactly what Personal Training allows you – it’s a vehicle you can use to get to that place. It’s one of those games worth playing. The way Gerber talks about it is you can’t reach self-fulfillment “selling cheese puffs”. You’ve got to be doing something that’s meaningful to you and the world. That’s important to other people. That you can proud of. That you can achieve mastery in. Something you can pour your heart into.

If you’ve got the wrong game, the more effort you put in, the deeper a rut you get into. If you’ve got the right game, the more you put in, the more you become as a person. And the more you subsequently want to give. It’s like a snowball that just keeps picking up steam. That’s what Personal Training is.

I’m getting the question a lot on the blog from trainers of “can I do this”? “Am I ready to be a Top-Level Trainer?” “What’s my next step?” “Is it possible?”

It may not be clear to you yet for a simple reason – it’s a work in progress. That’s what it always is, and in no other career more so than this one. The progression is a gradual one that’s happening to you all the time – you’re always learning and growing:

• you’re learning self-management: since there’s no boss, punctuality, quality control, and personal marketing are all up to you.
• you learn people skills: you learn to deal with people, and all of the good and bad associated with that. Having skills interacting with others (which only comes from practice) in itself can guarantee success.
• how to handle social pressure: people are looking to you to as an example. They’re always forming an opinion of you. You learn to become comfortable with this, and not fear making mistakes.
• how to make deals and form business relationships: in looking for the best places to base your practice out of, you end up dealing with many business people – this soon becomes second nature.
• gain a high-level social circle: independent trainers get the best clients. They get the smart, successful people that don’t get suckered into rent-a-buddies at the major health clubs. When you have a roster of high-earning, high-level clients that you’re lucky enough to also call your friends, you can’t help but pick up lots of good habits and a positive mind-set. These are people you simply couldn’t meet in any other work situation.
• how to manage employees: when you get very busy, at a certain point you may need to hire assistants, especially if you open a studio. Learning to truly manage and lead even one other dynamic human being is much harder than you think, but is something this job will teach you.
• how to give value to people in an almost completely intangible sense: you’ll learn the critical skill of what constitutes value in the mind of the customer. What are the credibility indicators they’re looking for? What kills a sale? These are skills you’ll carry the rest of your life.
• how to really get serious about your own personal goals and desires: training is mentorship. It forces you to become a better person. You have the opportunity that hardly anyone does in our society – to analyze your values. You can then structure your life around them.
• achieve your own immediate financial goals: simply by nature of being a high-priced, highly consumed commodity, Personal Training allows you to reach your immediate financial goals (100K income) more quickly. You won’t believe how much higher quality your thinking becomes when you’ve got money in the bank.
• achieve mastery at a real profession: unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you know that Personal Training as an industry keeps getting bigger.When I first got into it, I used to think “do people really buy this service?” Now I think “damn, is there anyone who doesn’t have a trainer?!? ” The answer is rapidly becoming no – nearly every physique conscious individual is paying for some form of coaching. Personal Training is easy to master, yet few trainer hang in long enough or get committed enough to get it.
• learn communication skills: through the process of creating training materials, writing ads, dealing with new leads, writing a blog, maintaining a website, and dealing with the media, you’ll learn to become a tremendous communicator.
• learn to deal with business owners: when you’re the owner of your own business, even if it’s a business of one (just you), you’re in a brotherhood with every other business owner out there. No matter what businesses I frequent, I immediately form a connection and rapport with the owner.
• make connections with many of the major people in your area: when you’re an independent trainer, the connections you make are astonishing. Through my work and networking I’ve met the owners of the lounges and restaurants, and a lot of the bouncers and such through some type of connection. It feels good when you you’re on a date and can walk up to a crowded lounge and the owner walks up and shakes your hand and quickly gets you a table.

Ha – had to sneak some lifestyle stuff in there – that’s my number one benefit and favorite part. But you know what’s really the best part about training? There’s no barrier to entry. NONE. You can just get started, no matter who you are, where you are, or what you’re doing now. Of course that doesn’t mean you’ll be successful, but yeah, you can just go ahead and get started.

I heard this concept was just written about in a new book, Ready Fire Aim. I haven’t read it yet, but the point is that in looking to reach customers, you don’t need to wait. The best move is to get started, and then course correct along the way. This is the ABSOLUTE fastest way to get real-time feedback. This is how TRANSFORMATION occurrs.

Yeah, that’s the message – you just can’t wait – life if is too freaking short. I’m done talking – it’s time to begin your own transformation story …