"Nobody told me I'd Gain Weight Too…"

"Nobody told me I'd gain weight too." That's what I want to call the book I'll write one day about the early days of fatherhood and the months that led to a new part of my life. Yes, as my wife fed both herself and the baby that was growing inside her, I too found myself eating for more than just one. And in the year or two following my son's birth, I found myself much heavier than a man of my sature should boast.

I carried a similar feeling this week while running my fitness business here in Madison, WI. "Nobody told me
running this business would be so challenging and at times outright difficult." Sure, I knew it would be hard work and just like I preach to my clients every day about how hard they must work to achieve results, I knew I would have to work hard too. Long days. Late nights, very early mornings. Hirings and firings. Layoffs. Fights with my wife. Diagreements with clients and business associates. It's all part of the game. And I've tackeled each challenge one down at a time. But it has not been easy. Nothing worth working for is easy. hav eyou heard that before?

This week, I was feeling especially frustrated for a variety of reasons, and I won't bore you with the details.
This piece today is about how you rise above all that and keep going. Like a soldier in the bush. A warrior. A peaceful warrier. A Fitness Nomad.

You keep going because deep down you know you still love it. In the movie, "Field of Dreams" the character that plays Shoeless Joe Jackson talks about "the thrill of the grass." That's what I'm talking about. The thrill of the grass. The feel of it beneath your feet in the months before winter comes, when you know you'll have to wear shoes, get up in the dark freezing, and keep going.

If you watched either of the two video posts from earlier this week, I'm sure you sensed my current state of mind. I hope you did anyway. It's one of the reasons those video posts are so important and why your blog and your written word is so vital to your success. There is no mor real and authentic means of communciation. You need to get personal to succeed in business. Because business success is about building solid relationships with your clients, your colleagues, your family and everyone else you touch every day. And I mean authentic, like a Tony Gwyn rookie card. You need to find that zone.

On a Saturday morning, sitting in my backyard sipping my tea and writing, I've found that zone. In spite of a tough week. A really tough week. I've found it. And I'm here to tell you that it's all worth it, and that I want to share all of it with you. The good. The bad. And the real life story of what it means to succeed in the fitness business and what you can expect at each stage of your growth as a fitness professional. It's not a headline that promises big riches in the next 6 weeks. It's a true and lasting picture of your mission, your pursuit of excellence, and your ultimate success and growth.

My business coach shared a great article with me from The Wall Street Journal earlier this week. The article had to do with a landmark Gallup Pole that determined that business owners outrank 10 other occupational groups in terms of happiness. Even farmers, who tend to have access to less health care and less resources score highest in their emotional health because they're so connected. They are outdoors every day smelling the thrill of the grass.

I included a link directly to the article below. Here are a few of the thoughts that stuck with me as I read it...

"My fate is in my own hands, not that of my manager."

"I'm free to choose the work I do and how I do it."

"I get paid on results."

"The more control I have over my work, no matter how
difficult it might be, the happier I am."

"I'm always in full control, and fully responsible for
the relationships that I'm developing."

"I'm in control of my destiny."

"I still have enough flexibility in my schedule to make
it to a school open house when I want to."

"I'm willing to strike out on my own, and to wait patiently
for my next at bat."

I still have a few spots left for my 30 minute contultation offer. You'd be surprised how helpful it might be to have 30 minutes of "coach time" with me to help you work through to your next steps. You can take advantage of that offer here:

http://www.worklikeanomad.com

Have a Great Weekend!

John

PS Here's the link to the article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203917304574414853397450872.html#

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