When you finish your Certificate Three and Four in Fitness you are so excited to get started, I know I was.

I soon become very overwhelmed. Once I had finished my course, I no longer had access to my constant coaching and tutor who was there to answer all my questions, trust me I had a lot.

As I live in a remote mining town in Western Australia, I became very aware of how isolated I was, how far away I was from further education courses, the price tag that accompanied that, and where all the action seemed to be happening on the East Coast.

It also became very obvious that there are endless training modalities and the thought of trying to be everything to everyone scared me, I had no desire to train people in a traditional manner in a gym for some reason, so I started doing my research around other opportunities for me within the industry.

I made the decision to invest in FILEX in April of the year that I graduated, I had been introduced to the concept of loaded movement training through my best friend and had completed my certification course with John Polley of Be Free in Perth. I felt like I had found my tribe and thought that this could be the way I wanted train my clients. John also advised me to make sure I booked into Ian O’Dwyers sessions at FILEX as he thought I would fall in love with his movement philosophy! He was right, and so the journey began.

Once I attended FILEX I was very clear on the direction I wanted to take within the industry, I was committed to the journey of becoming a leader within my chosen field and was not going to let living in a remote town on the opposite side of Australia to where I probably needed to be, in order to make this dream a reality stop me.

Here are my lessons that I learnt when entering into the industry as a new graduate, and over my time organically finding my purpose within the industry.

Find what sets your soul on fire

Let’s face it the fitness industry is an expensive one to get started in.

I often see new personal trainers think that in order to find what they are really passionate about, and the avenue that they want to pursue within the industry, is to do as many further education courses in different tools as possible, because the more you know the better right?

This is something that I learnt the hard way, in those months between qualifying and and finding both OD on Movement philosophy and Institute of Motion’s loaded movement training.

There becomes a point where you have to start applying what you are learning, make sure the courses that you are investing in are feeding into your bigger vision of what you want to offer and achieve.

I personally see the value in investing in a mentorship where you learn a philosophy to be able to add value to yourself, your business and your clients. In the way of being empowered with the systems and tools to apply.

Then focus on what tools you want to use to enhance your clients experience with you.

My suggestion is do your research. Find trainers within your area that are using training modalities or philosophies that you think is something you might want to pursue. Invest in one or two sessions with them to see if it really is what sets your heart on fire (trust me you will know when this happens). Another way to experience a lot of different modalities and philosophies at once is at conventions like FILEX and WAFIC.

This in the long run, will save you time and money.

Have the courage

Have the courage to reach out to those that you admire in the industry.

Once I had attended Ian O’Dywers session at FILEX in 2013 I knew that his way of moving and coaching others was what spoke to me, I just got it.

After his session that had more than 100 participants, he was swamped by people wanting to talk to him, so I just walked out. I got outside of the Sydney convention center and thought “WHAT AM I DOING?” I am an introvert at heart and I made the split decision to push that to one side and ran my arse back to speak to him. A couple months later I was doing his mentorship in Noosa and my life was transformed! I now feel honored to say he not only my mentor but a close friend.

The best advice my Dad gave me growing up is “if you never ask you will never know”.

If there is someone in the industry that you admire and want to learn from, there is a reason for that reach out, just ask the question the worst thing they can say is no.

You want to learn from the best, have the courage to ask them.

Learn to stand on the shoulders of giants.

When we graduate we do not know everything.

You want to be the best? Learn how to stand on the shoulders of giants. Learn from those who are succeeding in the area of the industry that you also want to be succeeding in!

The best way to do this is to invest in mentoring or a mentorship like PTA Mentorship (there’s one coming up in Sept in BALI), OD on Movement and many other companies offer.

You will not learn to be a copy of your mentor, a good mentor will empower you will the tools you need to apply to your business and your practice as a trainer/coach in order to create success and sustainable business that is both financially and emotionally rewarding.

Invest in doing the inner work

You may be lucky and find a mentor that helps you both with your training modality or movement philosophy, will help you create a sustainable and successful business, AND helps you do that important inner work that you need for true success.

To get really clear with where you want to head with your business and your career, you must be clear on what your bigger vision is, your mission and what is truly important to you, what your values are.

By being clear on your vision, your mission and living in your values will help prevent burn out.

There are many personal development courses, seminars and mentoring in this area.

Remember things will evolve organically.

The best advice I was given by my mentors is to let your business and practice evolve organically. While you may think you will niche down into one area the universe may have other ideas.

Your experiences are unique and this will help shape your future self and business, you can try and be something else, but at the end of the day it will be forced and not authentic to you.

The key to being successful in this industry is being unapologetically and authentically YOU.

I never suspected I would be working with pre and post natal women, but this is what my calling is. Through my experiences I can add massive value and help this special population on a deeper level with the significant changes they are going through.

Don’t give up commit to the journey.

The fitness industry is not one (for most) that is an over night success.

This is an industry where a commitment to the process and love for the journey is paramount.

In my experience it is vital to have a mentor or a mentorship community where you are continually being able to grow, be held accountable, be vulnerable, purge emotion, ask the hard questions, challenge and be challenged and evolve organically.

By doing the inner work and being clear on who you are and what you want to achieve on a deeper level will help you build into your investment and commitment in this industry.

So take it from me, find yourself a mentorship to take yourself and your journey to the next level! It can be truly life transforming – both personally and professionally.

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