As a general manager or owner of a facility, you are responsible for everything that happens or does not happen within the 4 walls of your facility.
You have no one to blame but yourself so you must take personal responsibility for everything. Does that mean you must do everything?
No, and it’s impossible so please do not try?
What you must learn to become great at managing everything within your 4 walls are 4 things:
John C. Norcross is an internationally recognized expert on behavior change, the author of “Changeology” and an undisputed authority on New Year’s resolutions!
Unlike most self-help books, John’s book “Changeology” has a strong scientific foundation and is best suited to those who want to alter negative habits. It springs from three decades of scientific exploration and uses behavior modification tactics that have worked successfully with tens of thousands of people.
However, that said, before starting, any client should meet these three criteria:
People start an exercise program with good intentions to lose weight, gain energy, or to enjoy better health. Yet many quit soon after they start. Hence, it’s one of the key reasons why people seek out Personal Trainers – to sustain their motivation!
So here’s how to set up an exercise regime around Motivation Expert Michelle Segar’s MAPS [Meaning, Awareness, Permission, Strategy] framework, so clients stay inspired with exercising longer.
1. Meaning
a) The idea here is “when you change the meaning, you change the motivation.”
The meaning you assign to any form of exercise depends entirely on WHY you select it. Hence, if you understand the WHY of something you want to do (the reason you’ve chosen it), you’ll more likely embrace and sustain it.
As fitness professionals, we can create all sorts of wonderful programs for our clients, but they do no good unless we figure out how to inspire them to take action and maintain new habits. One of my favorite quotes from the great yoga guru Paramhansa Yogananda is “Your trials may be great, but the greatest enemy of yourself is yourself!” In order for people to create a new habit that feels recharging, they have to figure out how to get themselves out of the way.
We commonly talk about developing a buddy system where someone or a class holds you accountable. Or we encourage people to push themselves for a small amount of time when beginning new activities which will automatically develop a habit. We set up calendars, competitions, and offer rewards for accomplishing goals. Below are five creative tips which we do not commonly think about on how to develop a recharging habit.
I introduced the key principles behind “Motivational Interviewing” (MI) in my last article: “Getting Clients to Change Their Habits!” and why it can be a valuable tool to add to your skill set.
In this follow-up article, I would like to run through a typical (brief) MI conversation.
A Typical MI Conversation Format:
Start with the usual greetings & introductions
Then set the Agenda and the time you have available together.
If you find yourself in challenging conversations with clients around changing nutritional and lifestyle habits, then “Motivational Interviewing” (MI) can be a valuable tool to add to your skill set.
It has certainly served myself well in training VIP clients who want to retain an element of control (and personal significance) when working out or examining their diet! It’s also a good way to customise exercise, nutritional and lifestyle information to best fit the client and their unique circumstances versus the all too common “one-size fits all” approach.
The problem is that MI can appear quite complicated to apply. However, the principles are simple and knowing these alone can greatly enhance your effectiveness to influence and inspire clients to change.
Thinking positively or simply dreaming about the desired future is not enough. Positive fantasies tend to provide short-term pleasure and relaxation only. By fooling our brains into thinking we have already achieved that success (eg a false sense of reality), we lose the motivational energy to do what it takes to meet inevitable challenges and to achieve our goals.
Most of us are taught to ignore or diminish: “The obstacles that stand in our way”. Yet the obstacles that we think block our deepest wishes can actually lead to their fulfillment. The WOOP Method not only helps people gain greater insight into their dominant wishes but also helps clearly identify the obstacles that stand in the way. By experiencing our dreams in our minds AND facing reality, we can address our fears, make concrete plans and gain the motivational energy to take the necessary action. What’s more, WOOP is not just a popular theory; it’s the result of over 20 years of Scientific research!
With the increasing need of staying healthy and fit in order to survive in this competitive world, online education for health and fitness becomes a boon for people. Moreover, online education helps people in rural and urban areas to select the best educational courses of their choice. Taking online classes help them gain proficiency in a subject at their convenience from any location at any time, even without leaving their present job. It gives them the option to rise in their career while increasing their level of confidence and skill. Overall, online classes help society by nurturing more educated and healthy people all over the world. Education helps in reducing poverty and overcome several causes that in turn help the nation to grow faster towards a flourishing tomorrow.
Life is just one big rollercoaster ride filled with climbs, drops, twists, turns, and moments of fear when you are hanging upside down and don’t know where the next turn is going to take you. Sometimes it is an awesome rollercoaster where you can see everything that is ahead, and sometimes you are hanging out on the Aerosmith Rock ‘n’ RollerCoaster in Disney World, a pitch black indoor coaster where you go from 0 to 60 in 2.8 seconds, never knowing what is ahead. Sometimes these roller coasters can be awesome experiences, other times they can leave you a little nauseous and just wanting the comfort of a warm bed.
No matter how great we are at masking them or imagining they’re not there, rollercoasters are part of life. Many times we are told that it is how we take these challenges, embrace them, and push through to the next door that defines who we are. In most cases, I truly believe this.
One busy fall afternoon, as I sat doing paperwork at the Wisconsin Athletic Club (WAC), I overheard a club member who was spending time directly outside of my office. He was engaging with other club members and our club employees. At one point, he even peeked into my office to say, “Hello.” I looked up and responded, “Hello,” but I kept working on my day-to-day operational tasks.
Thinking for a moment about his extremely high amount of energy and positivity, I couldn’t help but to get up and introduce myself to him. I learned that his name was Joe Torcivia. After talking with him and getting to know him for a few minutes, I praised his high spirits and positive outlook. He then told me quietly that on February 18th, 2012, he had suffered a grand mal seizure. Soon after, he had been diagnosed with stage 3 astrocytoma or terminal brain cancer.
Fitness Professional Online (FPO) is the online hub for fitness professionals, personal trainers, group fitness instructors, and others working in the fitness industry.
We provide information on continuing education, how to be a trainer, training a trainer, and getting a personal training certification.
Fitness Professional Online
529 E. Gutteriez
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
(805) 500-6893
