Think Twice

In your day, your week, or your month things happen. There are issues, events or actions that brighten your day and make you feel good about yourself or there are other times where certain things/events/actions knock your confidence, make you think twice about something, and/or second guess yourself. But the reality is when these negative things happen at these times, the best solution is to get over it and move on. I feel that sometimes, as human beings, we dwell on the negativity when in fact; life is too short to get hung up on the negative side of life.

I had the privilege to attend the Canucks Place “Lights up the Hospice for the Holidays” event tonight. The children that attend this hospice are those that are fighting for their lives every single moment of the day. The small negative upsets that may occur in our day are nothing to what these children are going through.

The event was a celebration of the start of the holiday season. Filomenia Nalewajek (the CEO of Canucks Pace and a customer of ours) paid tribute to the wonderful volunteers, including the gardeners that spent weeks erecting the lights for the benefit of all. She also thanked the sponsors and the community that constantly help towards running this Hospice. I found this event a very moving occasion, to see the joyful faces of some of the children, being amazed by all the lights while listening to the Bach choir sing Christmas carols. It makes one truly realize how special this organization is. The people who are involved are one of a kind because they care so much about the families and children who are in these difficult situations.

When we get tied up with our day to day problems it really means nothing compared to what these children and their loved ones are going though. It puts reality into life.

Who Is...

...the biggest loser?

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with this show and it's concept. See, on the one hand, it's inspirational to see people push , excel and recreate themselves... but on the other hand, there are some inherent problems with the message it sends out...

1) People think THAT's how they should train - with no concept about what goes on behind the scenes (like progressions, adaptations, medical supervision, diet control, the hours and hours that they actually work out every day).

2) The training itself - I'm sorry, I don't care how you've progressed, 280lbs should not be pounding on your knee joints while you do 8mph sprints on the treadmill, nor should it be jumping onto a plyo box with a bosu, and you definitely shouldn't be doing wheelbarrow walks on a treadmill - in fact, it's frankly irresponsible of the program to show that.

3) Finally, the follow up - how so many of the contestants put all the weight back on once they leave. There are few people who can sustain, long term, that type of dramatic weight loss... the show does nothing in terms of teaching proper habits.

Ultimately, we need to be be willing to stand our ground. Whether we're being told what "looks better" by the producers, or having a customer demand we do something because "they saw it on t.v." - stand by your education and training.

The best analogy I've heard? If there was a documentary on television about brain surgery, do you think the doctor would modify or change his procedure because it make for better television, or because a patient saw a radical technique on "Grey's Anatomy"?

As ridiculous as that sounds, its what happens every time we go against our training and judgement to make others happy.

Remember: you're the professional.

~Guy

Make a new ending

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
- Maria Robinson -

I had a great conversation about a week ago with another coach that wanted to know what it was that affected the change in my perspective regarding 'work' and my professional career. She knew that my early years at IF consisted of drinking, partying and living from pay cheque to pay cheque and so what she wanted to know was, what caused the change? My response to her at the time was that it came about after I had actually left to pursue other opportunities in China, which is something that I've shared and written about before, and how that gave me a chance to distinguish what was really important and what wasn't. Now, I'm not saying that any of that changed but, as I thought about the conversation more and more over the past week I started to realize that there was more to it than just that and it's something that I'm really seeing even more clearly now.

Looking back at all the different goals and personal plans that I've set throughout the years what's quite apparent to me is that the biggest changes I've experienced are when I've really stepped outside of my comfort zone. Conversely, the times that I become stagnant or complacent is when my goals and plans are only slightly modified or changed from what I would normally do. For example, putting my hand up and stating that I wanted to move towards being a manager (which was when I first joined the Kits team) and take on more responsibility was the cause of me actually progressing and developing professionally. The next big jump would've been when I started thinking about actually owning or franchising a facility of my own and told the current manager what I was going to be doing and taking off his plate because that's what would help me to grow. Most recently, I've been trying to focus on becoming more of a driver that seeks opportunities rather than waiting for them, and although it's been somewhat difficult I can tell you that it's slowly becoming easier and easier.

So how does this all tie-in together? I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that we can all try and tell ourselves that we're going to change, or that we're ready for a change but until we're ACTUALLY ready to change what we do in a significant way we can't expect significant results. It's no different than someone that wants to come in and see major changes in their body composition but is only willing to make minor modifications to their lifestyle and the choices they make....we all know that doesn't work so why do we do the same thing? It's not easy, but we all have the ability to start today and make a new ending.

- Paul -

..self, team, operations, customers..

When we walk through the door at the gym we are on. We are on-display and on-show for all who have eyes and or any observation skills whatsoever…teammate or customer…

What does that mean? It means that everything we do will be seen and every action has a reaction.

So basically we (self) need to help each other (team) by following the systems (operations) in order to provide the best service for our…customers.

In order to lead by example, we must all choose efficiency to be able to produce at a high level throughout the day.

If we are personally working out during a busy time, be flexible with the use of equipment and stay out of the way of your team and customers. Allow their experience to be the best it can be. Why not leave your ipod in your bag and interact with the team and customers too. It’s so fun to have coaches jumping in for parts of sessions or providing additional energy during sessions.

If we are open throughout the day, be sure to limit nonworking computer time to a minimum. With a small number of computers, be sure to give first priority to those who need to do their job. By all means, if there is work to do please go right ahead, but don’t wait to be asked to get of facebook so someone can write a log.

Lastly today…if we cook, we need to clean. If you clean as you cook there will never be a mess to deal with or hinder someone else from working on their recipe. Don’t rely on others to consistently clean up after you and be sure not to fight feedback when you are called out for leaving out your gear.

Our little ecosystem is always in a state of controlled chaos. Be sure to do your part and help versus get in the way of the product.

IF you don’t know how that works, please ask ;)

Vision to a Reality

“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.”
Ralph Lauren

Today, I went and visited the brand new Port Moody facility. I had seen it from the outside in June when Kris and MJ first signed the lease, however seeing it all done and in action is a different story. I can truly say how amazing the facility is and how excited I am for not only the PM team but also for the whole of the IF family.

I was truly in awe of the new facility. The location, the big full length windows surrounding the gym, the amazing space to be creative in numerous exercises and agilities, the brand spanking new gym equipment and amenities and finally the great owners/coaches that have poured blood, sweat and tears into making this new facility.

I think after seeing the new gym today, it made me realize that anything is possible. In just less than a year, Kris and MJ have been able to put their vision into a reality. It took hard work, it took planning, it took hours and hours of meetings, signing papers, and proposals and today that hard work has been rewarded. It is a true test, that if you put your mind to something, if you "keep to it" no matter how tough it may seem and how much beyond time you put into it, you will eventually succeed. It takes patience, it takes experience and it takes growth on all counts, but in reality, anything is possible.

Congratulations Kris and MJ!

What motivates you?

What motivates you to do great things, to push yourself, to push others, each and everyday? We are all faced with challenges - sometimes we choose them and sometimes they choose us. Regardless, we all rise to the occasion, but what is it that truly motivates us?

Everyone wants the most out of life – out of every moment. We all want to grow, to develop, to be successful and to happy – what motivates us to achieve these goals? Do we do it for ourselves, do we do it for others, do we do it to gain praise and acknowledgment?

Being aware and conscious of what motivates us is important. Recognizing whether we our being selfish or selfless in various situations is key to understanding more about ourselves and how we face challenges.

Where do you find your motivation to achieve what you’re looking for?


-Nina Mathers

Useless Unless They're Used

Picture if you will, someone who wants to build a house. They go to the local Home Hardware, and pick up the lumbar, the shovels, the saws, the nails, the joists, the concrete for the basement, the drywall, the insulation, the exacto-knives, the hammers, the hardwood, the nailgun, screws, bolts, carpet, paint, shingles... and so on.

Then they head over to their plot of land, and spend an hour digging a hole where they plan to put the basement. After the hour's over, they head back to their crappy little apartment, and forget about the land for a week. The next week, they head back - the hole's almost been filled in by local kids, the weather... whatever. So they spend an hour to re-dig the hole... and go back to the apartment, only to return a week later to find that the hole looks almost exactly the same as the week before. They continue to do this for twelve weeks - and then go back to the Home Hardware, insisting that they deserve a refund... they bought all of this crap, and after three months, they STILL don't have a house.

Well, that's what happens when we people go into a gym, hire a trainer, get the heart rate monitor, get a fitness assessment, get outfitted at the local SportChek, have a program designed for them... and then put in the effort to improve themselves for a single hour a week. Then they come back to their trainer, and say "Why haven't I lost any weight? You must not be doing your job!".

Well, they're right about one thing - the trainer's not doing their job. Not because they haven't given the person all of the right tools - but because they let them believe that the answer lay in those tools.

It never does. The answer lies in only one place - ourselves. And if we fail to recognize that, or to point it out to people - then we aren't doing our jobs.

The formula is simple - but executing it is hard. The sooner people realize that there's no such thing as a free ride... the sooner everyone starts moving ahead.

~Guy