As fitness pros, it’s easy to assume that you know why every person walks through your doors on January 1 - fat loss and 6-pack abs.

Chances are you’ve been frustrated by clients who have not achieved their goals or stuck with your workout programs.

The bottom line is - everyone is wired differently. That’s where self-awareness comes in.

Self-awareness is the foundation and springboard for reinventing yourself as a trainer. Self-awareness guides you in making wiser decisions. Self-awareness helps you understand your own thoughts and feelings.

Self-awareness teaches you to examine your our own thinking, to reflect on your own approaches and perspectives to training, and to learn from your own mistakes.

Self-awareness begins by asking two simple questions:

1. How do you prefer to plan?

2. How do you prefer to implement that plan?

Some of you like to start planning by first considering the details of the program, product or new idea. Others like to start planning by focusing on the possibilities of the program, product or new idea.

When it comes time to implement your plan, some of you prefer to focus on the process of how things are going to work. Others of you prefer to focus on the people involved in implementing your plan.

By looking at the combination of your preferences, you can quickly figure out what kind of trainer you are (you can also figure out what kind of clients you’re serving).

This kind of clarity gives you the language and insight to make 2016 your best year yet.

Here are the four workout styles we’ve discovered in our work with fitness pros:

DRIVERS – Details + Process

Drivers live by the mantra that ‘the leader is the lesson.’ They hold fast to the belief that the only thing that builds and sustains credibility is how they exemplify their standards of excellence and execution in real time. They literally drive behavior by focusing on the details of the process and striving for the most efficient way to operate.

• Key characteristics: realistic, logical, pragmatic and systematic

DOERS – Details + People

Doers are motivated by the needs of others. They work diligently with a mental checklist of what needs to be accomplished in order to fulfill the commitments they have made. They literally do the heavy lifting and thankless jobs that most times go unnoticed but are critical for the task to be accomplished.

• Key characteristics: responsible, cooperative, tolerant and loyal

DESIGNERS – Possibilities + Process

Designers are fascinated with what could be. They are motivated by the latest theory or strategy for getting work done. They desire competence in those they lead and those they are being led by. They literally design long-range solutions driven by curiosity and effective outcomes.

• Key characteristics: analytical, autonomous, clever and theoretical

DEVELOPERS – Possibilities + People

Developers strive to live an integrated life. They are motivated by a deep sense of compassion and their own personal values. They desire inclusive work environments that are values-driven. They literally develop people, programs and products that will add-value to the world today.

• Key characteristics: flexible, empathetic, original and enthusiastic

Become a great trainer by discovering how you’re wired to train, and appreciate the uniqueness in the clients you serve.

So, how are you wired to train? It all begins with self-awareness.