Being a personal trainer isn’t easy.
It’s a very tough market to stand out and make a decent living in.
Statistically speaking, over 50% of trainers don’t even make it one year in this industry until they go back to normal society and pick up another job.
I do say normal society because I think we’re all a little crazy for giving it go in this industry — it comes with NO promises and is normally only comprised of those of us who have the passion to stick with this thing through the hard times.
Depending on who you are and what type of niche you want to carve yourself into, my success tips can vary dramatically.
But, these three will ring true no matter what path you choose to go forward with. If you take these to heart, they will take you a long way.
#1: Get Healthy
Just like during the safety demonstration in an airplane you will be told to put your oxygen mask on first before helping anyone else, you need to get healthy first before you can truly help anyone else.
You don’t have to be able to snatch double bodyweight or be able to compete with Arnold during a posedown, but, your body should definitely represent that you practice what you preach.
Paul Chek once had an amazing line that I will never forget:
“If you can’t teach in your underwear, you shouldn’t be talking about health.”
What he’s trying to say is that you should be a walking representation of both your knowledge and passion for this industry. You can’t just know things, you have to do them too.
And since it’s only the doing that is going to get your clients results, you need to have been there and done that in order to properly guide them towards success.
Along with looking good you need to do the things that will give you more energy because to succeed in this industry you need to have a lot of energy and be on top of your game at all times.
This energy comes naturally when you eat and train like a real health professional, so it’s a circle that just keeps feeding itself towards more success.
Eating and training properly leads to more energy, and more energy plus a better looking body leads to more business.
#2: Set Goals and Prepare
Like the old saying goes, if you fail to plan then you’re planning to fail.
You need to write down specific goals for both the short term and the long term. Also, don’t type these on a computer, but make it personal by using a pen and paper.
Then every single night review these goals before you go to bed. You need to internalize them and make them apart of your current state of awareness.
It’s not enough to just work, you need to be working in a focused direction or else you may just be spinning your tires in the mud.
The trainers who just “work” are the ones who stay stuck and remain exactly where they started in this industry even though they have many years of experience at this point.
But, the ones who are working towards their goals are the ones who are truly productive and not just busy. Those are two very different things and the way in which you set your goals determines where you are going to fall.
Taking things a step further, making a grateful log is something else you can benefit from immensely.
Some people write down what they are grateful for everyday, but, I do it once per week. Neither is the best approach, I just think it’s important to get it in in any way you can.
Ideally, you would sit down and write down 10 things you are grateful for. Every sentence should begin with “I am grateful for…” or “Thank you for…”
This simple practice is very calming for the mind and allows you to stop and smell the roses around you. This becomes a major benefit especially when you are dealing with work-related anxiety.
Setting goals but also stopping and being grateful for what you have keeps you calm, grounded, and focused.
#3: Become A Student Of The Game
Our industry us a knowledge-based industry.
We aren’t laying bricks, we are working with the most complex organism in the world — the human body and the human mind.
Because of this, the more you know… the more you can earn.
I personally finish roughly one book per week, I realize some people might think that’s crazy but it’s something I always strive to stick to and usually accomplish.
Whether it’s an eBook, Kindle, paper book, or Audible — I’ll get one of them in, and I would suggest you do too.
I probably average two hours of reading/listening per day. Don’t tell me you don’t have time for this, because you do.
In my travels I have found that the coaches who continue learning the most typically make 70-80% of the money in any single gym.
You will have about 5-10 personal trainers in a private facility, but the top 1-2 make a staggering amount of more money than the rest.
The “gap” between the higher earner and the lower earners is bridged with knowledge.
They have waiting lists and they can also charge much more per hour than their non-learning counterparts. So if you want to expand your business and drive more revenue to your bank account, pick up a book and put down your phone.
Final Thoughts
The above three tips for success aren’t just things that I type about, they are what I live my life by and also what I have observed work the best having travelling the world educating others and educating myself on the art and science of health.
If you put these into action I can guarantee fast and efficient success.
And if you want completely “done for you” blueprints for success then you need to check out the Create Freedom Academy today.
Dan Garner
