It’s often difficult to know what it takes to become a ‘top performer’ in the fitness business. But, one of the best ways to find success in any industry is to find a person who has found it, and then copy how she or he did it. However, this can often be problematic approach. Why?
Well, for starters, you aren’t that person. You’re you.
Business strategies aside (which can be copied to a great extent), the art to copying the successful is in identifying the personality traits that got them there. For instance, while you might not necessarily be able to mimic the public speaking talent of Tony Stark, you can still figure out what it is about that Downey Jr. character, which gives him the ability to wow a crowd (hint: self-confidence, most likely).
And with that being said, I give you the five personality traits of the top performers in the fitness business
#5 – They’ve Got a Knack For Seeing Success Through the Rubble
“Success is buried on the other side of rejection” -Tony Robbins
Every one of us will, at some point, face tough times. However, a personality trait that will differentiate a successful fitness trainer from an unsuccessful one, is in the ability to spot the silver lining and see opportunity in the midst of hardship. There’s no shortage of those talk about the difficulties of the fitness business, but let’s face it, there are challenging aspects in every industry. And quite frankly, life itself can be tough. Just ask fitness trainer, David Buer, and he’d tell you about the hardships he endured in his younger years.
At one time in his life, he was bullied in school for being fat and having broken English. Now, the man trains celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and L.L. Cool J. He also endured an auto accident, which obliterated his hopes in competing in the Olympics. So, what did he do? He created workout systems to help people recovering from surgery.
At the end of the day, it really is all about perspective.
#4 – They Enjoy Making People Feel Important
I’ve found that some of the most successful, charismatic fitness trainers happen to have a past history of dealing with weight problems. I believe that this has to do with the fact that they understand what it’s like to be overweight, and how it can be embarrassing and detrimental to a person’s self-image. Thus, their primary driver is that they enjoy empowering others and making their clients feel important -just like those trainers wanted to feel back in the day.
For instance, one reason why Harley Pasternak got his client, Lady Gaga, to do a full workout right before her performance at the Grammy Awards is because he knew that she’d get a massive confidence booster out of it. And so it went, that this strategy was obscenely effective (ie: Gaga owned it.)
#3 – Their Driving Force Comes From Inside Them
Here’s another interesting aspect about the most successful personal trainers: they understand the anatomy of inspiration. This is largely the main reason why so many of us end up becoming motivational speakers, are highly educated, and they even take on other lofty aspirations in sports and nutrition. For instance, Joe DiAngelo of BodyBuilding.com and Inside Fitness Magazine, didn’t just stop at personal training; he explored many career avenues, because he learned how to maximize the driving forces within him.
I’ve found, ironically, that this is a personality trait, which introverts often have. While introverts are often perceived as reclusive -you might actually find that the truth is quite the opposite. In fact, some of the world’s most successful people in Silicon Valley consider themselves to be introverted. These people don’t require the pushing, prodding, and motivating of others, because they derive these drivers from within.
#2 – They Keep Tabs On Their Emotions (and Those of Their Clients)
“The attitude is very important. Because, your behavior radiates how you feel.” -Lou Ferrigno
Speaking of trainers that have taken on motivational speaking careers, fitness trainer Gunnar Peterson (who trains celebrities like Bruce Willis and J Lo) has a reputation for his absolutely magnetic personality and can have a seminar audience crying from laughter within minutes. How does he do it?
For one, he knows how his emotions affect his performance in both the gym and when he’s speaking. When you learn to keep tabs on your emotions, choosing what you’re going to feel in any given moment, then you’ll naturally have the ability to empower others to work through the burn on their last two reps. And if times get tough for the business, then you’ll be able to maintain your charisma and power through to experience success on the other side.
#1 – They Make It a Point to Give Back
What do trainers, such as Bob Greene, Lou Ferrigno (the Hulk), and David Buer have in common? Well, despite being top-performing celebrity trainers, they all have ways that they give back. Greene works with helping combat Type II Diabetes, Ferrigno uses his wealth to fund the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and Buer (as previously stated) helps people recover after going through surgery.
In a way, trainers are already helping others combat health problems and live well, but the difference here is that they go above and beyond. The best way to identify success in life is to determine, not the measure of wealth amassed -but instead to see what that person has given to assist in their respective charitable causes. Whether out of compassion or gratitude, the most successful among us are some of the most generous with the byproducts of their success.
They Were Already Successful Before Their First Dollar Made
I do believe that fitness trainers have an advantage over most other industries -because we are very well acquainted with what it takes to achieve goals. Many of us have become trainers because we overcame our own issues of being out of shape, thus we learned the value in having a stick-to-it mindset and a radiatingly positive attitude.
However, if you remember only one thing from this post, understand this: the top-performers, the highest achievers, had adopted a mindset of success before having ever trained their first celebrity or made their first million. They spent far too much time envisioning their success to waste any of it on doubts and fears of inadequacy.
They had a dream that was so real to them, that they simply believed that it would come true. That’s just how it was going to be -and failure wasn’t even a viable possibility, whether in that moment, they liked it or not.
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