We’ve mentioned before that the usual assumption as Personal Trainers is that we are ‘different’ to normal people.
That somehow being healthy and happy comes easier to us.
That we’re “machines” that don’t face the normal challenges of life.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
We have the usual stresses and strains that everyone faces.
Life is rarely easy.
Most of you will know that I separated from the mother of my sons a few years ago.
Whilst I get to see them more then a lot of Dads do, missing out on over half their lives is a cause of constant heart ache and probably will be for the rest of my life.
Although I love the boys dearly, they can be really hard work.
Both are in the middle of a “whingey” phase and it saddens me to say I’m not particularly enjoying my time with them at the moment.
And there’s the general stresses and strains of running the business.
But the thing Matt and I have had to get used to is really the point of this post.
It’s the shit that other people throw at us.
“To avoid criticism say nothing, do nothing, be nothing.”
Aristotle
Since ‘sticking our heads above the parapet’ by starting RISE we’ve had a pretty much constant stream of pot shots thrown at us.
The latest one is is more of the same from a regular source of these criticisms.
It’s the same point ‘they’ have made before.
Matt and I sit at home “raking it in” and only bother working at Macclesfield.
The truth, as we’re sure you know, is that we’re still a long way off breaking even and have re-invested every penny into growing and improving what we offer.
Meaning we’ve worked 60 hour weeks for 18 months for zero income.
We’re at Macc more as that’s where our 1:1 and eBay businesses are and that’s what’s funded the Group model to get to where it is.
Long term it will become a profitable business, but if anyone has a problem with me trying to create something that changes people’s lives while putting food on my children’s plates, I’d love for them to say that to my face.
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”
Winston Churchill
But, anyway, this isn’t about us.
It’s about you.
Our goal with RISE has never just been to get people to lose weight.
We want to help transform peoples bodies AND lives.
We want to make you happier with your life in general.
Over the years, we’ve encouraged many clients and members to make huge, whole-sale changes to their lives.
Change jobs, start their own businesses, start or end relationships.
If you’re not happy, you need to do what you need to to make yourself happy.
Pardon the language, but fuck whatever anyone else thinks.
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
Dr. Seuss
But we’ve come to realise that these people are only criticising us because of their own inadequacies.
Their frustration at their own inability to do something that really matters.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
Franklin D Roosevelt
If there is something in your life that you want to do – please, just do it!
The only person who’s approval you need in this life is your own.
You WILL get criticism if you do something important.
But it WILL be worth it.
We know we’re doing the right thing with what we’re doing at RISE.
The feedback I got from some of our members last weekend and the BBQ re-confirmed this for me.
Hearing about all the lives we’ve helped improve makes the crap from those who have nothing to do with us pale into insignificance.
“I learned a long time ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.”
George Bernard Shaw
Hearing about all the lives we’ve helped improve makes the crap from those who have nothing to do with us pale into insignificance.
In much the same way that, if you were to do whatever it is that you really want to and make it a success, the opinion of those that might try and hold you back will matter less and less.
This morning while driving over to Buxton for and early session all this was swilling around in my head.
I put ‘Read All About It Part III’ by Emeli Sande on and it immediately lifted my mood.
I’d love you to either have a listen (click here) or read the lyrics (click here).
Matt and I know we “have the words to change a nation”.
And we’re done “biting out tongues”.
We know deep in our hearts that the path we are on is a good one and we are very proud of what we have a achieved.
We’d love to hear back from you guys what you’d like to do that you never have, because, in part at least, of what others would say and think.
Do you want to run your own businesses, travel, move, end or start a relationship, change jobs, get healthier, etc.
Please email us on contact@myrise.co.uk and let us know and we’ll do whatever we can to help this.
Much love,
Jon and Matt 🙂
