Choose yourself for fitness coaches

In Choose Yourself the author James Altucher outlines that after the 2008 financial crises things have changed. You do not get chosen anymore. You have to Choose yourself. This means to take matters into your own hands to form the life you want. Claim control of your aspirations and dreams. To do this, this article summarises the book to stay physically, mentally and emotionally healthy.

James Altucher is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, podcaster, chess master and blogger. He has co-founded more than 20 companies. He regularly contributes articles about technology and investments for TechCrunch, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times and Forbes.

Why you have to choose yourself instead of others

As fitness coaches, we live in a world that is getting increasingly competitive. You might want to give up your dream job as you feel like there is no money in it. In the new era of choosing yourself, you would be wasting your potential this way. Stay positive and honest and make your way. This way you will go on to build what you always wanted. Your own successful team and place under the sun.

What happened when I chose others

My wife and I decided to move to Germany in 2017. She felt like she was missing out in Ireland after she had our children very young. I chose her dreams over mine as I wanted to be a good husband. A year went by and we realized that the move to Germany did not make us happy. If I had chosen what I thought was best we would have stayed in Ireland and saved a lot of resources. I held a grudge for a long time which hurt our marriage. If I had chosen myself and made myself clearer in the process the outcome would have been better for all. Still, it is in the past and it does not matter anymore. If you learn from the next few lines it will save you a lot of pain as a coach.

The end of the American dream

The American dream was a great bonanza. After the second world war, America was able to profit as it got out of the conflict relatively unscathed compared to others. With two people working families had more disposable income than ever before. This meant that their purchase power had significantly increased.

Behind the American dream, there was something more sinister. A marketing strategy to make you spent more money. Since the financial crises of 2008, the American dream has come to an end. Nowadays you need to work harder and smarter to get yourself noticed. You must seize the fewer chances you are given as a coach.

Have you ever stared at someone you thought could be the love of your life? Chances are you did nothing. It is not just you. Most of us would rather wait for the person we desire to come talk to us. Same goes for jobs and other opportunities in life. Here is the thing. In the new economy people who act get rewarded.

Stop worrying about pointless things to advance your career. There is nothing to lose from people that did not want to help you in the first place. The future and past are never happening. The only time you can influence directly is the present. Stop letting others make decisions for you. Success is with the people who are proactive. If you react to others wants and needs you are fulfilling their dreams, not your own. lastly, stop surrounding yourself with the wrong people. Do not let others drag you down into their abyss. Look for people who can lift you up. Someone you can learn from and grow.

To change this you need to build new habits. Changing your life does not begin with changing external circumstances. These changes happen towards the end of the process. You start changing your life by changing yourself. But how? The fear that comes from not knowing what to do is a great source of stress. There is no reason to worry. Some of the world's most successful people did not find their true purpose until much later in life.

Ask honestly and you shall receive

One of the lessons to learn in the new environment is to ask and you shall receive. Stanley Milgram ran a series of experiments at Yale University. One of the experiments he ran was to instruct students to ask people in the subway whether they would give up their seats. 70 percent of passengers did without asking any questions.

Industries have changed through the internet. Social media and smartphones make it possible to pitch your idea as a fitness trainer quicker to a wider audience. Back in the days, if you had written a good play, book or fitness plan, you had to get it past all the gatekeepers. If you created a new diet, publish it yourself online.

Most people are prepared to let others determine their choices for them. This is no way to live your life. You have to make yourself the only person who can control your dreams. To prepare yourself for this you have to have a solid foundation. This means taking care of your four bodies. These are the physical, the mental, the emotional and the spiritual.

Our physical body is an essential part of our life. For that reason, we need to stay healthy and fit. For you as a coach, it also means that you yourself have to stay fit, not just the team you take care of. This is simple enough. Get enough sleep, only eat two meals per day, get regular exercise and fresh air.

The emotional body can be hard to keep in check. Humans have a tendency to overemphasize negative outcomes. Thus remind yourself every day in the mornings and evenings what went well. This way you can program your mind to be more healthy and less stressed. As a result, you will be more productive and focused to get results for your team. Worrying about things you can not control will only lead to burn out.

To take care of your emotional body eradicate negativity. Cut the time spent around people who are negative. Include simple maxims such as "No TV or junk food" or "Think of 10 people you are glad to have as friends". Helping others releases large amounts of the hormone oxytocin. Next time you see a beggar, make a little contribution.

To keep you mentally engaged try to skim certain chapters from four works on a variety of subjects. These can be celebrity memoirs, the newspaper or scientific tomes. Note down at least ten ideas you are getting. The content of these ideas is not important. They can be grand ideas like winning the championship or solving world hunger. You can also take note of the more modest ones, such as a list of ways to please your partner. The main thing is to generate ideas and set them down.

In the choose yourself era the only way to succeed is by being honest. Honesty compounds itself, just keep doing it. A big step forward is to not get angry. Anger comes from wanting others to do what you want them to do. This will only do both parties harm.

Conclusion

Live in the present. Be honest. Choose yourself and avoid that others make decisions for you. Put yourself out there. This era has all the possibilities to run your own company and dream, It has never been easier. What do you have to lose?