Tag Archives: Economy

What you can learn from “Shamu” the Killer Whale

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Well I am back from a wonderful relaxing vacation with the family. Despite the sweltering heat we had an amazing time visiting San Antonio and Sea World. Now, I would like to be able to say that I did not think about work but unfortunately I can not help but think about how my experiences can help give you an edge or tip to increase your knowledge and business. So, my question for you today is, what can you learn from a killer whale named “Shamu”? 

I am assuming everyone has had the opportunity to visit a Sea World and has seen the Shamu Show. If not, I highly recommend that you visit a location near you and take in the experience. So with that being said, each year Sea Worlds change things up with the themes of their shows and currently the theme of the Shamu show is “Believe”. What a great theme for what we are currently experiencing right now in this economy. I know people are struggling right now and now more than ever it is important to continue to believe in what you are doing and most importantly, believe in yourself.  Beleiving in yourself is an important first step for your success, but the real lesson I want to get across to you today is what you can learn from Shamu the killer whale.

The first and most important lesson to take away is that Shamu is the predator of all predators in the ocean; however, as dominant as this creature is the killer whale and the Sea World trainers have developed a trust that is incomprehensible to think of. Who would ever think that a whale and a trainer could come together and develop a trust that allows a unique relationship to develop and flourish. Building trust is the single most important  trait that you need to develop with your clients. Trust will open up doors that you never thought were possible and once the doors are open then you will be able to help solve the emotional pain that your client is experiencing. I guarantee you that once you have established trust with your client you will create a raving fan. (More on raving fans at a later date)

The second take away from Shamu is the adaptability that exists between him and the environment that exists at Sea World. It is almost unfathomable to think that a killer whale is able to adapt to different elements and ultimately succeed no matter what environment that he is in. This is important for personal trainers if you want to succeed. The best way to become a successful personal trainer is to adapt to your environment and your client. Each client will present a different opportunity and with that you will need to adapt to their personality and their needs if you want to retain them as a client. Listen, if a killer whale can adapt from being the dominant animal in the sea to a trained entertainer then I know that you can adapt to whatever client personality that is presented to you.

If you want to be a successful personal trainer learn two things from Shamu the killer whale. Build trust and learn to adapt to your environment and you will become successful with your business.

It’s not the Recession It’s You

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I am tired of hearing from everyone saying it is the recession that is causing me not  to do as well in my business. Apple, the company that has changed the way we listen to music and use phones today is a prime example of businesses that are prospering during this recession. The company sold 2.6 million Macs, up 4 percent from a year ago, and 5.2 million iPhones, a 626 percent leap from a year ago. Totally Mind Boggling! Those numbers are from the previous business quarter and they tell me one thing and that is if you have a product or service that people want, it does not matter how bad the economy is they will seek it out and buy it.  So, stop blaming the economy and focus in on changing you. People are going to buy from people they like and trust. Pretty simple and the first thing you need to do is start becoming a person who is likable and trustworthy and you will break this bad economic cycle and will start to prosper. See you on the other side.

Coach Dave

Create your own luck

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Do you believe that luck plays a major role in your success? Well, if you think that only lucky people are successful, you need to start thinking differently. People who are successful put themselves into situations to reap opportunities that arise, and once presented with an opportunity their knowledge and skills allow them to make good decisions. In a previous post “Learning Never Ends” I tell new trainers and interns, the best piece of advice I received early in my career, was to never stop learning. I believe that the success I have achieved to this point has been attributed to that discipline. Another key to creating your own luck is to have a great attitude. I recently read a quote by Joe Cirulli, Gainesville Health and Fitness CEO, about what his thoughts on the economy were and how it is going to affect his business. He said, in their company values they preach this quote, ” We are the creators of our own future.” I could not have said it any better and if you want to be successful then you need to create your own luck.

Here are some other approaches to make luck work for you:

Create a mind map 

Have a plan

Learn from your past and your failures

Always believe in yourself and your abilities

Network, Network, Network – I have had three jobs in my career and they have all been because I knew someone that knew the person who was looking to hire a trainer.

Finish – The journey is never over. The biggest mistake people make is that they give up too soon. As I mention in my book “Anatomy of Sales”  I almost gave up on the fitness industry but hanging on has now led me to where I am today.