Over the last several years, the fitness industry has begun to understand how important mindset is to helping people achieve lasting change. We work hard to understand our clients’ motivations, then assist them in overcoming obstacles, real and perceived. We pour our hearts into coaching each one to become the best version of themselves – mind, body and soul. Did you ever think about how we got to this point of realizing that simply knowing how to coach sets and reps became inadequate?
Filling the “mindset gap” in fitness coaching started happening when we realized that even if we write the best training programs, our clients don’t consistently show up. We can craft healthy and balanced nutrition plans and they keep hitting the drive-thru. We can faithfully teach stress reduction techniques and the importance of adequate sleep, only to have our clients drag in the next morning after the latest binge watch.
Until a client changes their mind, it’s hard to change their health and fitness. As fitness professionals, we tend to be exactly the same way, but in a different brain space. We have a serious “mindset gap” when it comes to money, as we often struggle to reconcile our true value in the marketplace with our self-perception of that value.
Problem: We think we don’t deserve money. Because fitness professionals tend to be caring, selfless, generous people, we settle for earning less while giving more. Solution: Accept that you provide one of the most valuable services on earth. You create healthy and happy human beings. Pay yourself first, every month, no exceptions.
Problem: We equate money with greed. We are bombarded with stories of corrupt businessmen and unethical businesses, and we don’t want to be viewed that way. Solution: Conduct your business honestly, every time. If you make a mistake with a client’s billing, fix it right away. The reward is trust.
Problem: We don’t know how to manage money. Even when we see steady sales growth, we have no idea where all our money goes every month. Shouldn’t more sales mean more cash in the bank? Solution: Implement a cash management system. Adopt a structure that allows you to know your cash position at a glance, anytime, anywhere. Be intentional and understand that money is a tool, then use this tool wisely.
Changing your “money mindset” is possible, but just like your clients, you have to put in the work!
