Personal Fitness Professional - June 2008 - (Page 13)

to empower them, you have to be paid, not for the workout but for your time.” I’m flattered to have been interviewed many times about the “success” that I’ve achieved. I could re-frame each of those interviews, not as questions about success but as questions about failures and insights, as the only real key to my career growth has been my undying willingness to challenge convention, to assess the outcomes and to gather, appreciate and respect the insights that showed up along the way. I applaud learning. I myself am an eternal student with a hunger to know more. My assertion isn’t that learning is limiting but that a quest for knowledge without recognition of how to maximize that which you already possess is not going to suddenly springboard you to higher levels of success. ➤ Do You Need More Education? Assuming you’re already a competent trainer with an adequate knowledge of human performance, anatomy, kinesiology and training protocols, you don’t need anything else to be successful. I’m not suggesting you stop learning, not by any means, but I’ve seen ﬁrst-hand the “one more certiﬁcation” mentality that drives too many trainers to pursue ongoing technical knowledge in quest of a ﬁnancial return. Consider this. You already have all the tools you need (staying with my previous assumption). You now need actions, insights and better actions to propel you to the place you presently dream of. As I’ve shared countless times, the formula is simple: Get clients, train clients, get paid. And, of course, “thrill clients” goes without saying. I’ve heard that in order to grow, I must continue to stay abreast of new developments. I disagree. I believe it’s valuable to stay abreast of new developments, but if a trainer knows how to help a client improve his or her body, new developments simply oﬀer new potential options. They are not a need. Conversely, I’d suggest that even with new information, without insights, growth potential is stiﬂed. Here’s where the contradictors will ﬁnd reasons to criticize my words: “Phil says we shouldn’t learn any more.” I’ll address that with a proverb I adopted as an insight: “To avoid criticism, be nothing, do nothing, say nothing.” I’ll also respond to the not-yet-real-butcertain-to-exist accusation by explaining that JUNE-JULY2008 · WWW.FIT-PRO.COM 13 http://WWW.FIT-PRO.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Personal Fitness Professional - June 2008

Personal Fitness Professional - June 2008 Contents Letter From the Editor, Writers To Franchise Or Not To Franchise? Current Controversies Insuring Success Case Study Exercise Spotlights Raising Rates Through Better Session Design Mark Your Calendar The Perfect Ad The Movement Triad Exercise Spotlights Product Profile New on the Market Spotlight: Brian Boyle

Personal Fitness Professional - June 2008

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