Are you creating a successful fitness business that you’re going to enjoy?
I know it sounds strange to ask if you’re going to enjoy success – but bear with me for a few minutes and you’ll see what I’m getting at.
Over the weekend Nick and I went to Perform Better in Providence, Rhode Island. We got to see lots of friends and colleagues – plus we got to head down to Pembroke, Massachusetts to visit Athletic Revolution franchisees Dave & Andrea Gleason.
Hanging out with guys like Pat Beith, Eric Cressey, Mike Boyle and Alwyn Cosgrove is not only a great time but always thought provoking. These guys know what it takes to create a successful fitness business.
One of the things Alwyn and I were chatting about was how much traveling he was doing and how it was wearing on him a bit. He’s one of the most in demand speakers in the industry (If you’ve ever heard him talk, you know why – he’s awesome) – but his speaking schedule has expanded so much that he’s getting on a plane about every 8 days on average.
He’s basically become so successful at this that so much travel is making it less enjoyable.
So right now Alwyn is developing his plan to make this part of what he does serve him better.
It reminded me of when Nick and I initially planned on opening about a dozen health clubs. We had 2 locations and were about to sign a lease on a third, but knowing how much time and energy each one required it was going to be years and years before we’d ever really be able to enjoy the fruits of our efforts.
Personally, the health club side of our businesses was not what I enjoyed the most – not by a long shot. And the thought of being on the road every day to visit the clubs and being away from my family that much was not the type of success I was looking for.
So instead, we shifted gears and started shifting our business interests to things we loved doing and that are congruent with the lifestyles we want to have.v
Getting to catch up with Eric Cressey just reminded me again of how important this concept is.
Eric is an incredible coach and could probably expand his business to serve any market he wanted to.
He gets opportunities to expand the Cressey Performance brand into other locations.
But Eric has carved out a position as one of, if not the best baseball performance facility in the world and is loving every minute of it.
Sure, he could add a bunch of fat loss offerings – but that’s not what he loves doing. He loves the baseball market and he’s already created a success he’s enjoying –and I guarantee it’s just going to get better from here.
And the example I love the most is Dave Gleason. Dave had a very successful in-home training business but didn’t really love what he was doing.v
He attended the first IYCA Summit and decided then and there that youth fitness was what he was meant to do.
So Dave and his wife Andrea became one of our first Athletic Revolution franchisees and opened their facility last fall.
They’re enjoying great success already and it’s getting better by the day. The atmosphere when we walked into his facility was incredible and you can just see how happy they were with what they’re doing.
Heck, they’re already talking about adding a second location.
To me, that’s what this is all about. Forget all the Four Hour Workweek crap, you’re going to spend a LOT of time working in your fitness business, working on your business and thinking about your business if you’re going to be successful.
That’s the case for all these guys and I know that’s the case for me.
I work a LOT but it rarely feels like work. I absolutely love what I do and love the people I work with.
Not only do I wish the same for you – but I’ll do whatever I can to make sure you can get there.
Because if you sift through all the B.S. some folks would have you believe about never having to really work or put in the time and accept that you’re going to be putting in your share of time and effort – you need to be building toward a success that you’re going to enjoy and one that serves you instead of the other way around.
Dedicated to your success,
Pat Rigsby
Pat Rigsby is a Co-Owner of the International Youth Conditioning Association & the youth fitness franchise Athletic Revolution as well as a fitness industry consultant serving thousands of personal trainers and fitness entrepreneurs. Sign up for his fitness business free newsletter to discover proven marketing, sales and business strategies, along with blog updates, news, and more! While you’re at it, follow him on Twitter.
Facebook comments:
Related posts:
Isn’t it the truth. For a coupe of years I bitched about leaving personal training even though I was doing extremely well.
So with your help I totally changed my direction and have created a lifestyle that is best suited for me… and still generates huge income.
If you know what you want to do for the rest of your life… plan for it!
The last point about the Four Hour Work Week is right on! You may be able to set things up where you are not “at” work (i.e. training clients) all the time, but the fact of the matter is that you WILL be spending A LOT of time working ON the business or thinking about the business! But it is a labor of love and doesn’t seem like work.
Lifestyle is of ultimate importance.
Hard work is great and necessary but not at the expense of everything that you love or enjoy.
Create what is going to work for you.
Following what someone else is doing because it looks shiny and new will put you in an emotional deficit…real quick.
Put new grain on the wood and live YOUR life!
Donovan Owens
…if only I could figure out what my passion is
I couldn’t agree more. I wake up every morning(very early) grateful for what I do and loving it. I have people say to me all the time, you look like your having way too much fun. They’re right….and a little jealous too. Keep up the great work and words of wisodom and advice. It is useful and appriciated.
Jon Bates
Doing what you love, being yourself and making a living from it in such a way that you still have time for yourself, your friends and family
Have way to go and enjoying the journey.
That’s what success means to me.
Am learning a lot from Pat and Rocco this year.
Thanks!
In business the key is to plan ahead to remove yourself from the equation. If you are moving in this direction and understand the principles behind it then you are succeeding in business. It is a simple difference between a business owner and a manager/employee. It is the number one mistake of people who run their own businesses. Success is the opposite of failure and the only true failure is quitting. Start with the end in mind. set and pursue your goals. set up systems to run your business(life, team, career) efficently and then to remove yourself from the equation. Don’t lose sight of your goals. assess and re-assess you progress towards the goals. Don’t quit. Simple.
Success is an illusion, however,and it paradoxically leads us to chase things we do not need. The buddhists believe this is one of three causes for suffering. 80% of people in the U.S. who live below the poverty line have a car. My point is, if we have the luxury to be able to sit at this computer and discuss what success is to us, then we probably don’t realize how good we already have it. Check out some third world countries sometime, then tell me if you have some real problems. I believe true success is becoming a person who can help and serve other people. I believe we were put on this earth to serve others and most people who don’t get this point are lost in life. My dad always says, Life is like a joke, it is really easy to tell when someone gets and someone doesn’t. If you can be so privileged to be a helper and not the helped, you my friend are successful. We are all already in positions of privilege and influence to even have the ability to comment on this topic. If the question of success is of topic and you are worried about your own success, go back to the drawing board.
My idea of success is working part time training athletes while making enough money for my wife to stay home and be a mother.
That is the 1st rung on my success ladder.
Great post Pat. Looking forward to seeing everyone in a couple of weeks at Bootcamp down in Louisville! now there is a great event to supercharge your enthusiasm.
My definition of success is doing exactly what God put you on this earth to do. There is no greater feeling or purpose.
Funny. I covered this same topic as it relates to weight loss and fitness yesterday on my blog:
http://tinyurl.com/HowToMeasureSuccess
We discussed it in greater depth in our Maximize Your Metabolism class. It turned out to be the best class we’ve had so far. Lots of Aha moments!!
What Rocco said. Thanks for connecting me with the best!