Permission to Fail

As a fitness enthusiast and coach, I've learned many valuable lessons to help my clients lose weight, feel great, and ultimately become their best selves. However, one lesson stands out above the rest, and it’s not about exercise program design or advanced nutrition practices. It’s a life lesson that applies to any goal you wish to achieve.

A Little Back Story

Working in the fitness industry for over 15 years, from being a manager at a major retail chain at age 19 to running my own personal training studio for almost 12 years and coaching fitness professionals across the states, I've had the opportunity to observe many successful and aspiring individuals.

This "in the trenches" experience has given me incredible insight into the mindsets of those who "defeated the odds" and those who faded away, often blaming outside circumstances. I've seen incredibly busy single parents lose significant weight, renew their enthusiasm for life, and become role models. Conversely, I've seen individuals with ample resources and few responsibilities fail to take meaningful action towards their fitness goals.

What I’ve Learned About People

A critical factor in achieving any goal is the capacity to work through tough times, chaos, change, and uncertainty. The most successful people deal with these obstacles, sometimes more than others, but they keep pushing forward. They stay the course, even when progress stalls for weeks or months. They don’t jump from one program to another, hoping for a magic solution. This is known as GRIT. Taking action even when you don't want to. Even when the odds are stacked against you.

In contrast, those who fail to make progress often go through the motions or bounce from one program to another, seeking the coach who will tell them what they want to hear. Many of these individuals have the perfect conditions for success, yet they get nowhere. The issue is often not time or money, but the fear of failure.

The Difference Maker

Most people who fail to achieve their goals never truly give themselves permission to fail. They are afraid to try because they fear failing, yet by not trying, they fail by default. It’s a vicious cycle. Taking action and potentially failing is better than not taking action at all. Our brain is tricky here. It wants to protect us. So when we try again, our brain perceives it as a threat and makes it tougher to be successful.

My Personal Experience

I've faced my own demons and fears of failure, but excellent coaching and a good kick in the pants got me moving in the right direction. There have been bumps along the way, but I keep pushing towards my vision, testing my limits, and facing my fears because "on the other side of fear is freedom." All my mentors, those I look up to as heroes, deal with the same insecurities and fears of failure. They just feel the fear and do it anyway. Having a mentor or personal trainer can actually help you to let go of fear. Or to at least have someone there to help you work through it.

How a Personal Trainer Can Help

Time Management

A personal trainer helps you find time in your schedule to work out and ensures you stick with your program long enough to reach your goals. They design efficient and effective workouts and help you incorporate exercise into even the busiest schedules.

Motivation and Determination

A personal trainer provides the motivation to keep going when you might otherwise stop. They help maintain your determination by reminding you why you started, helping you overcome obstacles, and discouraging excuses. They keep you focused and moving forward. It's like built in GRIT.

Expert Guidance

A personal trainer offers step-by-step instructions for building health. They create customized fitness programs, eliminating the need for you to design your own and constantly wonder if you’re doing the right exercises correctly. You just show up.

The Lesson

There comes a time when you simply have to go for it—just do it! Successful clients have doubts and fears. They don’t know all the answers and can't predict the outcome of their programs with certainty. But they take a chance on themselves, are okay with failure, and use any setbacks as information to adjust their plans and keep moving forward. They also have mentors, personal trainers, or coaches. Someone that can help them push when they won't do it themselves. Someone who lays out the roadmap for them. Remember, you only truly fail if you quit.

By giving yourself permission to fail, you open the door to success. Work with a personal trainer to set yourself up for success, and watch fitness and robust health become integral parts of your life.