2016 Reflections + My Best Advice For Young Coaches
The year of 2016 was definitely a crazy but awesome ride! Last January, our family adjusted to a whole new dynamic with our newborn daughter. What started off as months full of coffee and lacking sleep (imagine lots going on with my wife, two kids, training, and work) became a total game-changer that triggered me to take a better look at my long-term goals.
Long story short, 2016 was the year I took a huge leap into venturing out on my own by opening KP Strength and Performance. Despite the nerves – knowing I’d miss the team atmosphere and the people I’ve mentored under and learned from – doing it scared was worth it! Looking back, I’m most grateful for the journey. I was able to take great lessons and relationships into my business, housed within a great athletic facility (Grunt Performance). This constant learning experience is what makes my journey ENJOYABLE.
As you head into 2017, I want to share my top 10 lessons learned from 2016. For coaches who want to better themselves and their businesses this year, this advice is for you! Here they are (not in any special order):
1 . MEET PEOPLE
Connecting with others helps you and your business grow. The more people you meet and get to know, the more people you can reach out to. It opens up doors to many opportunities. You can start by volunteering as a sports coach in your community and helping young athletes learn. Introduce yourself to local businesses that compliment your services and create a relationship where you build a referral system.
2. DEVELOP YOUR PEOPLE SKILLS
It’s important to have knowledge in training but it’s even more important to be able to connect to with a person and develop a relationship. The best training program won’t mean anything if they don’t want to come back and do it. You have to show people that you care. Ask open-ended questions that aren’t training related and actively listen (make eye-contact, understand, and remember what is being said).
3. DON’T FORGET TO TRAIN YOURSELF
Practice what you preach. At times, it may get busy and stressful but you can always find time to train and improve. The best way is to plan ahead of time. Set reminders in your calendar and schedule hour blocks on training days.
4. BE A GOOD PERSON
Say hi and smile often. Let your clients know that you care about them by sending them thank-you cards/notes or gifts. This can be a big deal to your clients/athletes.
5. GO THE EXTRA MILE
This goes hand-in-hand with being a good person. Take the extra step and over-deliver your services. The value of your service will rise because you will stand out from the rest.
6. READ LOTS
Always be a LIFE-LONG student. Read lots. Spend time getting better at your craft. The more you know, the better you will be at helping people.
7. BE ORGANIZED
Professionalism goes a long way. Being organized makes your job easier. It shows that you’re passionate and care about what you do.
8. SLEEP MORE
Good sleep is essential to a healthy lifestyle. It makes you feel better and boosts your mood which becomes contagious in your workplace. There’s a saying, “If you’re TIRED, you’re not inspired!”
9. EAT BETTER
Like better sleep, healthy eating is a lifestyle choice. It can be challenging at times but it’s worth it in the long run because eating better gives you energy and improves your body’s physiology. Set a day in the week to meal plan. Have a list of healthy food items and don’t go grocery shopping HUNGRY! This will help you to not buy unnecessary junk food.
10. EMBRACE WEARING MANY HATS
When starting your own business, you’re going to have to do a lot of things on your own. You’ll have to train people, promote your business, market your services, create a budget, file your taxes, etc. So, at the start, you may feel like a trainer + accountant + website developer + writer all in one! Embrace the learning experience! This investment of your time and effort will be worth it! Eventually, when things pick up and start going in the right direction, you can allocate these duties to other people.
Happy New Year again! I hope this has encouraged you today! If you liked what you read, don’t forget to show some love and subscribe to my newsletter for more training and nutrition tips to help you with your fitness or performance goals!
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