I find myself (again) at a point in my life where I am starting again. Although I have been a Personal Trainer for many years, the personal choices I have made in my life have taken me to different places, sometimes different countries, sometimes different cities; and each time, I have had to build a new client base. In fact, in the past 3 years, I have done this 5 times and I am now embarking on the 6th.
That might sound a lot, and in truth it is, and I do find it exhausting. Most of those 6, possibly 4 of them, could have been avoided if I had made different choices, or had more information before making the choice but, what’s done is done.
With so many under my belt, you would be forgiven for thinking that I was an expert in this. I am not. Not by a long shot. And that is what makes it so exhausting to be back to square one yet again, in the midst of a health pandemic that has turned the globe, and its economy, on its head.
The current economic climate does not bode well for starting a business although the business of helping people to get fitter, stronger, more resilient to illness, more able to mentally cope with the knocks of life could be in a more stable position than many others right now.
So as I sit here, on the edge of this mental precipice, trying to figure out how to attract people to give me money for me to guide them on their journey, a client just asked me “what’s your USP?”
What is my Unique Selling Point? And why do I struggle so much to figure this out when I’m so passionate about health and fitness?
First answer that springs to mind is that when I look at the Fitness Industry as a whole, there is so much that I DON’T identify with. I appreciate that every one of us is trying to make a living, trying to succeed. I also appreciate that being good at marketing yourself, in knowing how to tap in to what makes people “click” is extremely helpful. From what I see, not everyone is trying to create a life that they are proud of, some are just out there to make a quick buck; they lack sincerity, they lack authenticity and they lack compassion. Many appear to lack knowledge and some have a “my way or the highway” approach.
Over the past few months, I have been bombarded, daily, through email, facebook and instagram with people trying to sell me exercise programs, courses and training to Lucy, the potential client, and to Lucy, the Personal Trainer. Once you’ve clicked on an ad, you can rest assured that every body out there will find you and irritate you. Yes, I said irritate – that’s how I see the selling and marketing tools that currently exist, and who wants to align them self with that kind of activity? Although maybe I’m just being triggered because I don’t see myself as being a good salesman.
I started to show an interest in health and fitness when I was about 15 years old. At that time, it was purely aesthetic – I wanted to look a certain way. If, at that age, I had been exposed to the kind of advertising and media that exists today, I would have “clicked” on every ad available because I was so desperate for the answer, for the solution, for something to help the discomfort of feeling that I didn’t have what I needed to have in order to fit in, ie the perfect body.
All that advertising, all those tricks, designed to make us feel that we are not enough
I am not a Personal Trainer. I am a Health and Wellness Coach who incorporates Movement, Nutrition and Mindset. I use over 15 years experience of working with clients, and over 30 years of experience of working on myself as the basis for what I do.
I have done the requisite study on anatomy, physiology, exercise prescription, programming, form, technique, muscle activation, coaching.
I have done courses on rehabilitation, nutrition, boxing technique, ViPR training, Kinesis equipment, Strength and Conditioning, becoming a Life Coach, an NLP Trainer, a Wellness Coach.
I spent a month in an ashram gaining a yoga teaching certificate. I have received one-on-one training from a meditation teacher.
I have read countless books on psychology, self development, health and wellness, emotional eating, happiness, positivity and behaviour change.
I’ve listened to many podcasts on all of the above subjects.
I’ve employed trainers to train me. I’ve managed trainers working under me.
And I have done all of these things to increase my knowledge, to deepen my understanding, to help myself gain more wellness and, in turn, to share that with others.
I am not interested in helping people with short term solutions that don’t stick. I’ve been around long enough, I’ve experienced first hand and seen enough to know that the likelihood is that those solutions won’t last, the person will end up being overly focused on beating them-self up for not being able to maintain their “perfect” body.
What I am interested in is in listening to you, with compassion, and empathy, and in finding ways that I can help you to make achievable, lasting, sensible changes in your life. I want to help you identify changes that you are excited by, and engaged in, changes that you chose and know you can achieve.
I am passionate about setting people up for success, helping people understand how much better they can feel, how much more they can get out of their lives, with even small changes to the way they move, the way they eat, the way they think, and the way they talk to themselves.
Nothing you can buy is going to make your life perfect but the choices you make around the way that you care for yourself can give you a sense of wellbeing that leads to a level of happiness unfound in anything you can purchase.
Show yourself compassion and empathy:-
- by putting good food in your body,
- by giving yourself the nutrients you need,
- by moving sufficiently, using both your musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems,
- by taking time to deal with stress, finding ways to calm your nervous system,
- by adopting a positive attitude and being kind to yourself.
If you want to go beyond sets and reps, calories and kilograms, contact me. I am a trainer with a wealth of experience and maturity. I will listen to you and together, we will find the right options and solutions to help you live a healthier and happier life. I can help you in person or on-line to feel better each and every day.
Personal Trainer Lucy B 