I Need a Trainer!

One of the things I struggle with the most about being a fitness coach is the idea that people NEED a trainer/coach to get results.

I see it all the time, especially on Twitter. People say “I need a trainer” to push me, to motivate me, to tell me what to do.

My favourite is “I need a trainer to follow me around all day and slap bad food out of my hands”.

All of these just scream laziness and dependency to me, which is why I detest them. My entire MO is to empower people to be self sufficient, not to create dependency.

If you really think about the mindset behind those words, can you wonder why people can’t stay successful long term?

If I’m your trainer and you NEED me to be successful, what happens when I’m not around?

This was literally the trigger for me to stop personal training nearly 13 years ago.

Long story short: I had helped a client for 2.5 years to get stronger, healthier, and happier. They were crushing workouts and exercises that people half their age couldn’t do.

Then one day we stopped working together.

He decided to go on his own for a bit to see how he did.

I believe he went to the gym once, maybe twice, and that was the end of it.

Although we had achieved a lot of success, it was built on the foundation of needing me to get there.

When I wasn’t there, he couldn’t do it on his own.

The truth is you don’t need a trainer to be successful. (or happy, but that’s a totally different article)

You only need you.

You need your effort, your willingness to push, your consistency to stick to it and your drive to keep going.

Yes I know, those are a lot easier said than done. Any one of those might be weak at times and getting help from someone else may seem like a good thing to do, but it’s not.

It’s a temporary solution.

It’s a distraction from the real work that needs to be done and it’s delaying the inevitable.

If you truly want to be successful, you’ll have to figure it out yourself.

You’ll learn to create you own motivation.

Do research and try out different things to learn what works best for your body.

Through this you’ll build a strength to be able to push yourself. As well, and acceptance that some days are better than others.

This path is longer. This path is harder. It may even seem lonely at times.

But it’s YOUR path.

And in the end YOU are the strong one standing there on your own.

Successful. By your own hand.

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