You might feel like the world’s been swept out from under you. You might wonder if you can make it through this crisis.
With world leaders saying “no return to normalcy until there’s a vaccine” in one breath and “there’s no vaccine in sight” in the next, it’s a pretty safe bet that the old normal is gone.
And while other leaders are predicting a return to business as early as May, that doesn’t mean a V-shaped recovery for gyms. Many clients have lost their jobs, and new regulations might limit attendance in your group classes. So we’d be crazy to say, “Don’t worry. It’s all just going to work itself out.”
But there are reasons to be optimistic. Here’s why I am.
6 Reasons to Smile
1. You’re Doing It
While the fitness industry at large took a huge nosedive, owners of microgyms mostly had successful pivots to online coaching. Yeah, F45 is launching its own program. Yeah, you feel overwhelmed and you’re trying to learn a new skill. But your clients love you, and they followed you to this new platform. Look around you: It’s working.
2. You’re One Small Step Away From a Breakthrough
Most people give up way too early. The big return on your current work is trust—and that’s a long-term play. You’re learning all the hard leadership lessons, making all the hard decisions and upgrading your business. These are the same things you’d be doing over the next two years—but now it’s all compressed into a few weeks. The great news? When that work is done, it’s done, and you’ll be set up to sprint later. Read “How COVID Is Making You a Better Gym Owner.”
3. You’ll Emerge With a More Resilient Business
Now that you know the worst-case scenario, you can ask, “Is this what I so feared?” Or if you’re not into Stoic philosophy, you can say, “If I made it through that, I can make it through anything.”
4. You’ve Got the Perfect Excuse to Cut Unnecessary Everything
Maybe you didn’t really need all that space after all. Cut it! Maybe that one coach wasn’t a perfect fit anymore. Blame coronavirus! Hard conversations are actually easy to have in a crisis. “Sorry, but … you know. COVID.”
5. This Crisis Is Actually Making You a Better Trainer
It’s true. Read this article: “How Covid Is Making You a Better Coach.”
6. You’re at Your Best With Your Back to the Wall
I’ve been around gym owners for a long time. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that they will work themselves to death. When given a clear path, they’ll be successful because they’ll grind until they get to the destination. When lost in confusion or overwhelm, they’ll grind themselves into the ground. In times of crisis, when the options are limited and the path forward is clear, I’d bet on a gym owner over any other entrepreneur. Every damn time.
Stay Positive
Maybe you noticed, and maybe you didn’t: You are at the center of my optimism.
I realized long ago that while the fitness industry can be slimy and corrupt, gym owners are always worth it.
I will always bet on you.