If you would of told me 5 years ago that I'd be an owner of a fitness company I would of said you were crazy. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I'd be were I am today. Thus begins the story, 5 years ago.....
A good friend of mine lost his sister to cancer and asked me to go to a Team in Training meeting and I told him I would be happy, but made no promises to commit. After listening to the pitch I was sold! It was a great opportunity to help people with blood cancer disease and get an expenses paid trip for a race. After pondering my options of doing a marathon, half-marathon, or triathlon, I decided on doing a triathlon. I think my decision was based on what would be most challenging, get me out of my comfort zone, and get my competitive juices flowing - triathlon took the cake. That year I trained on my own and finished the race in 3:25 at 190 pounds. Not a great time, but I was hooked.
Fast forward to 2007 - this was the year I had my eyes set on doing an Ironman. My schedule called for a Oly, Half IM, and Ironman. This was the year I really engulfed myself in learning everything I could about triathlon and fitness in general by reading blogs, forums, etc. My training was going pretty good for my limited experience and overall knowledge. This was a point I allowed bad habits to take priority over my training which had negative implications on my training. In hindsight, if I had to do it over again there would be many things I would of changed. At the same time, I've learned from those mistakes and became a better person because of it. I managed to make it through my 70.3 in August, and finished my Ironman. Finishing an Ironman is truly one of the best feelings in the world - can't explain the range of emotion I went through crossing that finish line. I can't wait to do it again.
In 2008 I continued my journey in triathlons as well as ramping up my knowledge. I became a Certified Level 1 Triathlon Coach in late August and that was the first step in chasing my dream. I completed a few more triathlons that year and met some great people that enriched my learning experience.
In 2009 I began my first year as a triathlon coach and personal trainer at a local health club. I absolutely loved it and knew that I found what I was meant to do. What a great opportunity; to help people get healthy, improve their lives, and to share my knowledge and passion for endurance sports and overall health. During the day I continued my 8-5 in cubeland dreaming about the day when I'd break loose and began training full-time - I made that break in May 2009 and worked at a local club full time for 6 months. Though I liked working at the local fitness club I have always dreamed of being more of an entrepreneur, so I officially ended my career at the health club in late 2009 and began GettingFitness.
The point that I am driving home is that I went from an overweight, unhappy, lazy person with a lot of negative life issues to a very fit, happy, and healthy person with high aspirations and an abundance of energy. I attribute my changes to exercise and living a healthy life. My goal is to be able to share my experiences, knowledge, and skills with people. I want to share my success with others, and a facilitate that opportunity with them. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my clients succeed and see their excitement when their fitness has a positive impact on their lives.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Getting Started
Getting started in any new endeavor is a challenge because we just don't know how to start, where to start, and what we need to do to get going, whether you're writing a novel, starting a business, or beginning a new workout program.
We often dive into something with a lot of vigor and excitement but that fire burns out within 3-4 weeks once the 'honeymoom' is over. We come across hurdles, challenges, and the realization of the amount of work it's going to take and begin to have doubts on the likelihood of our success. Below are some things that will increase your chances of reaching success.
Set Goals - Goals are the pathway to your success. Set the 'big picture' goals and then milestone goals, and then smaller goals to reach the milestones. Keep your goals realistic, but set the bar high enough where it's a challenge. Post these goals on your bathroom mirror and read them every day to keep your focus.
Find a Mentor/Coach - It is so helpful to have someone who has been down the road you want to go to give insight on the path of least resistance and tips and tricks of the trade. You may have to pay for services, but realize that it is an investment, not an expense.
Enlist Support from Family/Friends - If your support system is behind you and gives you that needed encouragement it will give you that needed boost to make your dream a reality. Make sure you keep them in the loop of your progress and get them involved. Someone who has vested interest in your goal is more likley to hold you accountable.
Have a Plan - the reason only 10% succeed is because they have a plan. A plan helps clear up the unknown and sets you on a path with outlined expectations. The plan will hold you accountable and is aligned with your goals to keep you in sync with your pre-determined timeline.
Prioritize - the reality of life is there are many things to juggle. How important is your goal in comparison to other things in your life? Family takes priority, but what about a night out with the guys vs working on your dream? These are not easy choices to make, but getting past the instant gratification of a night out and staying in and working on your dream will pay dividends in the future.
If you want your fitness dream to come to fruition and become a reality, contact me. I will give you the what, where, and the how to reach your goal.
We often dive into something with a lot of vigor and excitement but that fire burns out within 3-4 weeks once the 'honeymoom' is over. We come across hurdles, challenges, and the realization of the amount of work it's going to take and begin to have doubts on the likelihood of our success. Below are some things that will increase your chances of reaching success.
Set Goals - Goals are the pathway to your success. Set the 'big picture' goals and then milestone goals, and then smaller goals to reach the milestones. Keep your goals realistic, but set the bar high enough where it's a challenge. Post these goals on your bathroom mirror and read them every day to keep your focus.
Find a Mentor/Coach - It is so helpful to have someone who has been down the road you want to go to give insight on the path of least resistance and tips and tricks of the trade. You may have to pay for services, but realize that it is an investment, not an expense.
Enlist Support from Family/Friends - If your support system is behind you and gives you that needed encouragement it will give you that needed boost to make your dream a reality. Make sure you keep them in the loop of your progress and get them involved. Someone who has vested interest in your goal is more likley to hold you accountable.
Have a Plan - the reason only 10% succeed is because they have a plan. A plan helps clear up the unknown and sets you on a path with outlined expectations. The plan will hold you accountable and is aligned with your goals to keep you in sync with your pre-determined timeline.
Prioritize - the reality of life is there are many things to juggle. How important is your goal in comparison to other things in your life? Family takes priority, but what about a night out with the guys vs working on your dream? These are not easy choices to make, but getting past the instant gratification of a night out and staying in and working on your dream will pay dividends in the future.
If you want your fitness dream to come to fruition and become a reality, contact me. I will give you the what, where, and the how to reach your goal.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Similarities between Life and Fitness
I've been doing a lot of brainstorming about my new business, GettingFitness, and have come to realize the many similarities between fitness and business. I've listed a few below:
- People that get results are the ones that push themselves beyond what they think they're capable of achieving
- People that show up to win and push through the pain will outlast and outperform those that procrastinate and whine
- Setting S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) goals will outline the the path for getting things accomplished
- Working with others will allow yourself to push others and others to push you
- A coach/mentor will help filter out the clutter and give guidance to what you want to achieve
- Knowledge is a key asset; use it to your advantage
- If you put in the time/dedication you will reap the benefits when it counts
- You perform how you practice
I see and experience a lot of imbalance between the two - I see people who work hard at work, but fizzle when exercising. I also see people who push the limits and rock in fitness/athletics but coast through work. Pushing ourselves in both arenas will make us better in both worlds.
- People that get results are the ones that push themselves beyond what they think they're capable of achieving
- People that show up to win and push through the pain will outlast and outperform those that procrastinate and whine
- Setting S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) goals will outline the the path for getting things accomplished
- Working with others will allow yourself to push others and others to push you
- A coach/mentor will help filter out the clutter and give guidance to what you want to achieve
- Knowledge is a key asset; use it to your advantage
- If you put in the time/dedication you will reap the benefits when it counts
- You perform how you practice
I see and experience a lot of imbalance between the two - I see people who work hard at work, but fizzle when exercising. I also see people who push the limits and rock in fitness/athletics but coast through work. Pushing ourselves in both arenas will make us better in both worlds.
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