Over the past week the quote "You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with" - Jim Rohn has come up, twice on podcasts and once in a newsfeed.  Okay universe, I'm listening, In my life when something happens three times it is a trend and worth paying attention to.  So today I opened up my blog schedule that I created last December, and went to my "planned" topic for today.  Guess what... I had PLANNED to write about "the 5 closest people to you" or what I like to call, my Fab 5. Isn't that fun! 

Fabulous (FAB) 5! everyone needs a crew, right? yes, but there is so much more to keeping good company than just warm bodies to go for a walk with.  If you evaluate who you spend the most time with, you will be able to see where your influence is coming from. Without even intending to you will model or match them, the people we hang around impacts us.  It has been my experience that a mixture of different "roles" creates a good balance.  I may have more than one of each role at any given time, but the core of the people I am around usually takes on each of the below persona's. 

1. The Mentor- An experienced and trusted adviser, someone to run important decisions by and talk with about the big questions in life. 

2.The Protégé -A person who is guided and supported by you, someone you share your experience with and mentor. The most important part of this role is being of service, and selflessly giving to someone what you have received. 

3. The Love- An intimate relationship, one in which you can truly be yourself with someone you respect and are respected by in return. This does not have to be a romantic relationship, but can be. 

4. The one you Admire- To regard with wonder, the person that is doing what you want to be doing. Maybe you watch them online or they are in your immediate life, but they are a model for where you want to be one day. 

5.The one you Teach - Different from a Protégé, this person is all about giving, this might be a child or someone that really needs your help and you are available to them. 

 The perfect blend for me is the on going outpour of service and incoming appreciation.  I find if I am out of balance and spending all my time giving and being helpful, I do need to pause and schedule time for myself and with my love or mentor to balance out again. 

In your business or at home, this circle might grow or shrink depending on your circumstances, and the five roles above have been a dynamic mixture for me for some time. So, how do the five people you are closest to influence your life? I would love to hear from you!

cheers,

Lindsey 

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Lindsey Rainwater is a consultant and coach to the fitness and wellness industry.  She specializes in business development and leadership. Currently she is working with the Fitmarc Team helping Health Club owners all over the south central region of the united states propel their business forward via group exercise solutions.  For more information about Lindsey, follow her @lindseyrainh2o

Is your phone your friend? 

Do you get the sensation after having cleared your notifications screen that you just had a conversation face to face with a friend?

There's a whole ‘thing’ happening right now with our phones and our connectivity with people.  Based on the virtual nature of our social media platforms we all feel very connected, far more than we used to be when we were writing handwritten letters and making house calls. 

So, is our virtual connectivity adding or taking away from our in person effectiveness and relationship building? 

I am in no way implying that this is a bad thing, I am simply bringing this phenomenon to our awareness as I have recently put myself on a “usage diet”.  

Since I have embarked on the usage diet, I have challenged myself to look my attention, and where I am giving it.  What I am finding is that I am in love with multitasking, I have often said that my phone could take me to the moon and back, it’s that good.  In limiting my time with my beloved device allows me to presence myself with what is in front of me vs. what’s in my screen and complete one thing at a time.  

When I am completely available for what is in front of me, I have a lot better of a chance of being available to what is happening both emotionally and physically.  I am a better connector, listener and can hear what my body is telling me, giving my attention to what is actually happening.

My over arching learning is this; my phone is my number one distracter, and if I tune in to what I am feeling when I reach for it, usually there is a need to be addressed that has nothing to do with what is happening in my phone.

Hmmmm... I would invite you, wonder about how you use your devise.  Does it serve you as a distracter, or have you ever played with the “why’s” around your usage.  

Something to ponder, we have an abundance of beautiful opportunities everyday to be available to our circumstances and the people we interact with, so why do we feel so drawn to the virtual version of life? 

I would love your thoughts!

cheers,

Linds

P90X, TRX, Suspension training, Barre, Spinning, Indo-row, Kettleworx, Piloxing, Turbokick, Bodypump, Freestyle insturcor's, Zumba, Bootcamp, Crossfit, virtual classes... and much much more...

Lindsey Rainwater, Consultant to the Fitness Industry I remember when I started working in health clubs, I was 17 years old, had just graduated from High School and worked in an all women's private health club.  We had a 'full' group fitness studio schedule. Our class offerings were Aerobics, Step, Kick boxing and Guts & Butts.  It was simple, strait forward, and the instructors created their routines and play lists (at the time with cassette tapes, oy vey) for the most part, it was all freestyle choreography. 

Fast forward to now, oh my goodness! We are so spoiled, the industry has advanced to a place were we are chin deep in options. What a gift!

We have extremely intelligent, scientifically backed choreography and well researched workouts that have been established, tested and tried so that our members get incredible experiences time and time again.

So as an owner of a club, how in the world to you go about deciding what programming to offer?  What will your members enjoy and keep coming back for? where are you going to find instructors? 

I would love to share with you a few of the best practices that club owners and operators have shared with me, from all over the United States.  I am in on average, fifteen different Health clubs a week covering for profit, non profit, ymca and recreation center verticals.  Here is what the collective is saying...

1. Solicit member feedback- don't be afraid to ask them what they would enjoy.  I have heard more than one owner/operator tell me they ask what their members think, I would say this is your most influential tool. You might have the 1 or 2 that use the feedback forum as an opportunity to tell you everything you did not ask to hear about, but don't let that stop you from the other 50 that are going to provide you with valuable insight.  

2. Study your age demographics- closely, pay attention to your time selections and go with the flow of the lifestyles you are attracting.  Know their schedules and accommodate their schedules vs. instructors favorite time to teach.

3. Follow trends, don't try to be ultra unique- as industry leaders, we love the innovative, barefoot, fancy newest trend...If the club across the street from you offers the same class, that's OK- have you ever noticed that there can be 2 starbucks in the same parking lot, and they both have a line... plus the average health seeker that needs to move from the coach to your treadmill, doesn't know the difference. We are the ones that care, they don't. So offer the staples that get them moving, they will gain results and once they are ready for more, advancing them to private training and small group training is a seamless transition, that also stimulates revenue.  

When making programming decisions, remember that ultimately you provide the environment to help support and motivate your members to gain results and meet their goals, what an honor to help facilitate that experience.  

Share with me, Lindsey Rainwater- how are your programming selections going? Having a magical group fitness space combined with incredible programming truly unlocks incredible power for your members!

It’s a beautiful day in your neighborhood! As Mr. Rogers would say!

What a great television show so many of us grew up watching, Mr. Rogers had it right, it is a beautiful day, let’s enjoy our neighbors company. 

I know what you are thinking, where am I going with this?!

Neighborhoods and the community within more specifically is what I have been thinking about.  Each neighborhood has a specific community and culture that comes out of it.  Depending on the geography and who lives there, all different activities are born out of this “neighborhood” concept.

Let’s take for instance the neighborhood that sits on a park. That park generates activities all by itself that people living there engage in.  Walks in the park, getting up early to run the park, Sunday afternoons, at the park.  You see what I mean; the park plays a role in facilitating a community.  So my question to you today is this.  What are you doing to engage your neighborhood in your community? Are you a fitness center in the community that is not tapping into your neighborhood? If your facility is on a park, do you use the park as part of your marketing plan to reach new members?

It is important for us in the fitness industry to think of ways to engage our members and meet them where they are.  And sometimes that means literally, where they are, their park! Come to them, draw them in from their natural setting and show them how great your community is! It does not have to be a park; it serves as a nice example.  But more over, find out about the people, places and things that your members are a part of, and get involved! This way, when that new member is checking you out and sizing you up against your competition, you have already met them outside of your 4 walls in the community, and it is a no brainer for them to join you, after all, we do business with friends more confidently than strangers.  

I would love to hear from you! Tell me, Lindsey Rainwater, what do you do to bring your neighborhood into your Fitness Center?

How do you cultivate culture? 

Does that culture create community?

Within your fitness environment, how do your members engage?

 

Do they meet each other for workouts, grab coffee after and make new friends as a result of your environment? Imagine if they did!

They might even begin to think of your environment as a second home.

The reason I pose these questions is to generate thought and conversation about how we, in the fitness industry, build a community out of our desired culture. What are some of the ways that you have accomplished this? 

One of the proven ways to create community within a culture is to give people a place to gather. One of the ways the fitness industry does this is through group classes, both small and large.

Here is some food for thought.  If you're not in charge of the direction your culture is moving, then who is? And, if you're not in control, then how can you be confident it will move in the direction you want your business to move?

Is your culture one that creates the byproduct of community? 

Tell me, Lindsey Rainwater, what you do to create a culture that cultivates community!