Are You Suffering From Burnout?
Last weekend at the Ryan Lee Bootcamp I talked to at least a dozen fitness pros who are suffering from "trainer burnout" and had no real strategy to escape from it. I suspect what they shared with me was common in our industry. Here are some of the "symptoms" that were common among these trainers:
1. Feeling like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Every day is the same...get up, train 7-8 clients, squeeze in a workout, go home. Repeat.
2. Training clients 6 days per week.
3. Feeling like they were on call...being willing to train clients anytime from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
4. Feeling like they were losing money if they took a vacation, day off or got sick.
5. Making at leasy 80% of their income from personally training clients.
6. Having no "exit strategy." Unless they changed professions, they'd still be training clients when they're 65.
7. Thinking like - or being - an employee. (I have nothing against employees...I rely on them. I just want my employees to think like business owners.)
If you find that you are experiencing some or all of these "symptoms", you may way to start putting a plan into action to avoid experiencing "Trainer Burnout." Here are some simple steps to start with:
1. Start creating systems. Just document everything that you do that relates to your business. Even if you don't have employees (yet) - still do it. Be as detailed as possible so that any random trainer could come step in for you while you were vacationing and your business wouldn't miss a beat.
2. Understand leverage. You can leverage your time by switching to semi-private training or providing group offerings. You can leverage your knowledge by creating information products. You can leverage the success that you've enjoyed by systemizing it and hiring an employee to replicate it.
3. Develop, Write Down and Begin Executing Your Plan. I've mentioned it before - but you have to set specific goals and document them. Start with a 3-5 year goal, then a 1 year goal and finally a 6 month goal. Obviously, the shorter term ones build upon one another to eventually lead to the long term ones. Review your goals daily and take at least one step toward your 6 month goal each and every day. Before you know it your 6 month goals will be realities and you'll be well on your way to achieving the longer term goals.
The next 5 years is going to pass by (quicker than you think) - what you do with it is up to you.
1. Feeling like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Every day is the same...get up, train 7-8 clients, squeeze in a workout, go home. Repeat.
2. Training clients 6 days per week.
3. Feeling like they were on call...being willing to train clients anytime from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
4. Feeling like they were losing money if they took a vacation, day off or got sick.
5. Making at leasy 80% of their income from personally training clients.
6. Having no "exit strategy." Unless they changed professions, they'd still be training clients when they're 65.
7. Thinking like - or being - an employee. (I have nothing against employees...I rely on them. I just want my employees to think like business owners.)
If you find that you are experiencing some or all of these "symptoms", you may way to start putting a plan into action to avoid experiencing "Trainer Burnout." Here are some simple steps to start with:
1. Start creating systems. Just document everything that you do that relates to your business. Even if you don't have employees (yet) - still do it. Be as detailed as possible so that any random trainer could come step in for you while you were vacationing and your business wouldn't miss a beat.
2. Understand leverage. You can leverage your time by switching to semi-private training or providing group offerings. You can leverage your knowledge by creating information products. You can leverage the success that you've enjoyed by systemizing it and hiring an employee to replicate it.
3. Develop, Write Down and Begin Executing Your Plan. I've mentioned it before - but you have to set specific goals and document them. Start with a 3-5 year goal, then a 1 year goal and finally a 6 month goal. Obviously, the shorter term ones build upon one another to eventually lead to the long term ones. Review your goals daily and take at least one step toward your 6 month goal each and every day. Before you know it your 6 month goals will be realities and you'll be well on your way to achieving the longer term goals.
The next 5 years is going to pass by (quicker than you think) - what you do with it is up to you.
posted by Pat Rigsby at 9:28 AM
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