5 characteristics that my most successful clients share
How can I turn this around?
I’ve been thinking a lot about success lately - most likely triggered by the rapid addition of my online business and the regression in my physique and physical skills - how can I turn this around and transform this situation into something with the potential for success?
When it comes to motivation I am lucky that I get a lot of it from my clients. Not only do I want to keep showing up every day to help them but being a part of their success reminds exactly what it takes to achieve a big goal. What should I really be focusing on to create success? What possible mistakes could I make along the way? Am I making mistakes right now? Unfortunately, the road to success can involve a lot of stress and overthinking.
So, I was inspired to write this article. It contains 5 characteristics that are common in my most successful clients and how these characteristics have probably contributed to their success. I suggest you give it a read if you’ve been struggling with the feeling that you’re falling behind and I hope it inspires you to make some small changes that will help you reach your goal and re-set your thinking.
1. They’re active people.
I know they’re generally active people because I have all my clients track their steps and add them to their daily tracker. My most successful and fittest clients consistently get at least 8000 steps a day, however some can reach up to 15,000 or more depending on how active their day job is.
How is daily activity related to success? It could be argued that increasing daily activity boosts mood and concentration levels which contributes to their success; however, I am inclined to suspect it is more a reflection of their day than anything else. These clients usually get up early to get their daily exercise in before work, they’re efficient with their time and save the TV watching and social media scrolling to night-time activities. In general they fit a lot more into their day.
More places to go, people to see = high productivity = greater daily activity.
How can you pack more into your day?
Plan gym sessions with a trainer or friend to make sure you go.
Get up 30 minutes earlier so you have time to do the things you feel you never have time for.
Plan your days out in advance each night with a day planner or note book. Each night ask yourself the question “how could I make tomorrow a perfect day?” then write it all down and do your best to stick to the plan.
Buy a fitness watch, they’re more reliable than using the step calculator on your phone and you can check your progress throughout the day to keep you motivated. I find tracking steps also motivates you to get out and do more.
Motivate yourself with a to-do list and daily goals.
2. They’re consistent.
Consistency is absolutely key to achieving a goal. My most successful clients know what they want to achieve, they know the plan and they stick to it (almost) every day. Their main goal is chopped up into bite sized chunks making it easier to stick to long term, while not losing focus on the prize at the end. The greatest wins come to those who play the long game.
Tackling a big goal, like doing a handstand or attaining your goal physique, take a long time to achieve and will seem monumental when you’re just starting so here are some tips for smashing big goals:
Create mini-goals for yourself. What do you need to get done each week to achieve your goal?
Leave reminders around the house, even if its just a sticky note that says ‘get shit done’, which is totally what I do.
Tell a friend, or even better, jump on the socials and tell the world what you’re working on. Nothing keeps you accountable like living up to expectations.
It sounds lame but visualise yourself at the end. How will achieving this goal improve your life? How happy are you going to be when you finish?
3. They don’t waste time with being unsure, so they value education.
I work in a gym and I have met my fair share of people with goals that have passed their expiry dates. What I mean is they have had these goals for so long they have turned from inspirations to change into clouds of guilt and anxiety every time they think about them. It’s not pretty to see and it’s not a fun place to be. Most of the time people get stuck in these positions because they’re unsure of how to move forward. Nothing changes unless you do.
My clients have already taken the biggest (and probably easiest) steps towards reaching their goals because they’ve hired a coach. Apart from working with me I know they also have other professionals in their lives to help – physios, sport specific coaches, dietitians, psychologists – depending on their goals and what they know their needs and weak areas are.
They know their goal is worth some financial expense. Professionals are out there to help you so why not seek out one that’s right for you? Guidance from the right professional can save you from months or even years of stagnated progress. Once the mental energy of finding solutions and writing programs has been done for you all you need to do is apply it.
Honestly, I think everyone who can afford a coach should have a coach, they don’t cost the earth, you just have to decide that it’s something that is important enough to you that you will spend money on it.
If you’re really not in the position or mindset to be working with a coach right now, then there are a few other options. Join group classes, the more the better. Also, load up your Instagram up with useful pages that will help educate you so you can start working towards your goal on your own. Just make sure the pages are dedicated and qualified fitness professionals and not just ‘fitfluencers’.
Most personal trainers I know will also run ‘private group training’ at least once or twice a week. You still get to work with a trainer, but you share the allotted time with other people, usually up to 6, so the cost for you is cheaper. Check your favourite trainer’s social media page or contact them directly to find out what types of services they offer.
4. They manage their stress.
Do they get stressed? Absolutely. Everybody gets stressed and managing it is a part of life and a huge part of success. Usually when these clients get stressed, they’re pretty quick to acknowledge it and can often speak pretty openly about it. They also usually have a plan to solve it.
Rarely can you immediately eliminate the source of the stress – otherwise, it wouldn’t be so stressful – but there are a few things you can do to manage it better:
Talk about it, whether to a professional, a friend or even just to yourself. Acknowledge that this is happening, its affecting you and you need to deal with it.
Take some time out if possible, take a day off work, off unnecessary obligations.
Plan some social time with friends, you might be helping them as well.
Switch off and do something you know relaxes you. Be really extra about it. Treat yourself to expensive bubble bath, fancy candles and coffee scrub. You deserve it.
5. They’re not usually ‘all or nothing’ thinkers
We have all been guilty of this at least once. We make a new years resolution to do yoga EVERYDAY! Then we get to Jan 4th and we forget to stick to that plan. We say “I’ll get back into it tomorrow” but tomorrow comes and “well I already took one day off, one more won’t hurt” then its “what’s the point, I’ve already messed it up?”. We give up plans entirely because we fell off track for 1 day. This relates back to my point about being consistent.
Successful clients achieve their goals because they consistently chip away at them, they stay consistent because they’re not ‘all or nothing’ thinkers. When my clients fall off track I don’t let them obsess over it, I make sure they get back on track. Eventually they will fall into this pattern without my help.
More importantly, they’re not trying to re-invent the program into something better every 2-3 weeks. Constantly changing the plan does not get you ahead, it just means you’re starting from the start every week. You shouldn’t be looking for ‘the most perfect program the ever lived that will make me toned and strong and flexible’ you should be looking for a good plan that you can adhere to that will help you by the time you get to the end of it. The perfect plan doesn’t exist anyway, there’s more than one way to skin a cat.
The best plan for you usually isn’t a fancy new program, it will be a tried and tested program with lots of vanilla exercises that’s been written by a qualified coach, but even the best program in the world won’t work for you if you don’t finish it. Accept your level of commitment to a program and have one designed that you can realistically adhere to.
The good news? Success is more than luck.
It’s really easy to think that success is just luck, but there is always more to it than that. Next time you see a successful person who just ‘got lucky’ stop and think about what they probably did to get there and what they might not be showing you on social media. Next, take a step back and focus on your own achievements. I know you have done things you should be proud off, so be proud.
I hope some of these points have helped you worked towards achieving your next goal. Be proud of what you’ve achieved and look forward to your future success.
Do you want to discuss success in the fitness industry? Find me over at my instagram atmosphere_training, I would like to hear your thoughts.
About the author
Elizabeth is a certified personal trainer and massage therapist from Melbourne, Australia. She also teaches pole dancing and specialises in safe training and strength gains for beginner aerialists. Outside of the circus community she loves to work with women who are new to the gym and still learning how to love themselves. Her favourite exercise is the chin-up but considers every day to be glute day.
If you want Elizabeth to be your online personal trainer, click here.
