Thinking

Career Killer #1: Agree to provide a service in which you don’t excel

Fitness is a reputation-driven industry. That means that to the consumer’s eye we are only as good as our last session/class/workout. We therefore need strive towards excellence and continually sharpen our saw.

This includes hard skills such program design, movement patterns, exercise science, equipment and modalities as well as soft skills such as communication, trustworthiness, and empathy.

Instead

I know how tempting it can be to jump at a new opportunity presented, especially is the money is good. Before saying “yes!” I invite you to consider the following:

  • Is this close enough to my wheelhouse that I can quickly upskill and provide an excellent experience?
  • If it’s out of my comfort zone and within a tight timeline, who in my network could I suggest that would nail it?
  • If the opportunity keeps popping up, do I need to reflect on adding this skill to my wheelhouse?

Career Killer #2: Believe it’s your employer’s responsibility to do your marketing

Gone are the days of traditional and expensive advertising that was only in the budgets of large corporations or even small businesses. We now live in a world where, thanks to social media, marketing is incredible affordable and accessible to everyone therefore a must for us all.

Instead

Even part-time fit pros are expected to promote themselves in order to drive awareness to their services and workplaces. You can easily begin establishing your brand based on what you already do phenomenally well:

  • Reconnect with you “why”, the reason you dedicate yourself to helping others in their health and fitness goals. Then have a look at what you’re posting on social media and make sure it reflects who you truly are and what you offer
  • Document what you do and who you impact: take photos and videos after your workouts and classes, show the world the “behind the scenes” of a dedicated fit pro.
  • Share some of your best tips, exercises, and insights on the social media platforms most used by your clients

Career Killer #3: Not paying attention to industry trends

It gets quite lonely on the ivory-tower of thinking only what we do truly serves people. Not knowing what the hottest trends in fitness are creates stagnant careers and is often perceived as ego-driven by potential clients.

Instead

Stay in tuned with trends so you can “ride the waves” and benefit from attention and investment in the marketplace thanks to the right philosophy:

  • Keep an eye out for trends reports from education bodies, influencers, and consumer publications. Differentiate between fads, which can be a great idea for a fun special event, and trends that have staying power therefore could be integrated into your offers.
  • Try it out for yourself! Then you can speak of it from a place of experience and gain an authentic understanding of what makes it so attractive.
  • Speak of trending fitness with positivity: use the phrase “if you enjoy…. then it’s the right workout for you” when asked what you think of it. We ALL win when we have a mindset of abundance and collaboration.

YOUR NEXT STEP: Click here for FREE access to my 4-part video series 4 Steps to Propel Your Fitness Career and let me know which of the 4 will make the biggest impact for you!

Nathalie Lacombe, M. Sc.  Leadership coach, speaker, strategic partner.

Joyfully taking your leadership and business to the next level! Contact Natalie at nathalie@nathalielacombe.com