During the pandemic, it became clear to me that I needed to re-evaluate my career options – something I have had to do before – and it was not something I necessarily wanted to do this time around.  

I absolutely love working in the fitness Industry. I have been working with GoodLife Fitness in Toronto for a decade now, and there is nothing I would rather do. I have been a Personal Trainer for seven years now and I have reached GoodLife Level 5 Trainer. I have worked with various companies as a fitness educator as well (Goodlife Personal Training Institute, Exercise Therapy Association) and now I have become a canfitpro PRO TRAINER.  

Why did I not quit in the face of adversity? Why did I not pivot and change careers when, for the last 18 months, what I love to do and the industry that I believe in was irreparably deemed “non-essential” and cast aside? While other businesses and corporations that promote adverse health effects were allowed to prosper, we in the health and wellness field were forgotten and ill spoken of – yet I stayed the course.  

To me the answer became simple. At 34 years old, I know what it feels like to love what you do and making money doing it feels like a privilege. I also know what it is like to hate my job and to survive through each day only thinking of the paycheque as motive.  

My “why” and my purpose are more important than anything, even a paycheque.  

Let me elaborate.  

I went to Canadore College in North Bay, Ontario for Journalism School. Five days after graduation, I was heading to the big city of Toronto to work at the Canadian Press. This being my first desk job ever, I realized I needed to implement fitness as a regimented routine. I signed up at GoodLife Fitness, and eventually started working there part-time. I just loved being there, in that positive environment, around healthy people, just loving life. The newsroom I worked in was miserable and cynical, the dichotomy of both environments was a stark contrast.  

As the classic story goes, after hiring a coach myself, I luckily fell into the field of personal training, and fell in love with the fitness industry. There is nothing else I would rather do than help people live their healthiest and best life, without limitations. 

So, why did I become a canfitpro PRO TRAINER during the biggest valley in a field that has been repeatedly seeing peaks in popularity and lucrativeness over the last few decades? Why during a time where there was nothing but uncertainty for the future of our beloved industry did I double down on my fitness career instead of running to a more secure full-time job that provided for my family?  

I had seen much success in my fitness career and knew it would prosper once again. I knew that I had to bide my time and work in the background establishing new roots while continuing to water and nourish the existing ones I had already created pre-pandemic.  

While continuing to work virtually and remotely with clients and students alike, I was researching and exploring other avenues in which to make inroads to come back stronger than ever.  

Like any goal in life, the thousands of tiny steps you take eventually lead to the right path and they end with you being exactly where you belong. Where I belong is the fitness industry. Trust me when I say I am not going anywhere.  

I returned from the lockdowns with a promotion at Goodlife Fitness (at 137 Yonge Street) to Assistant Fitness Manager of a large team of excellent and diverse personal trainers, I entered a strategic partnership with Lebert Fitness, and will now be delivering Personal Training Specialist certification courses as a canfitpro PRO TRAINER.  

Being passionate about what you do and why you do it is more important than many of the other variables that surround making tough career and life decisions. As a PRO TRAINER my goal is to help not only educate the next generation of passionate fitness enthusiasts who want to take their love of fitness and turn it into a fruitful career, but also help them all find their passion and their niche so they can grow and flourish. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With close to a decade of experience in the fitness industry, Devin Size is not only a passionate and knowledgeable Personal Trainer, but his enthusiasm for sharing that passion with his clients has now transformed into inspiring new up and coming trainers to get the best start they can in this burgeoning field! Devin is a Level 5 Trainer at Goodlife Fitness in downtown Toronto, and an assistant instructor with the Exercise Therapy Association. He understands what clients need, and what trainers need to know to succeed! You are in good hands trusting in your education under Devin Size.