Photo courtesy of @michellerootsfit on Instagram

My idea of success 16 years ago is very different than my idea of success now.

Back then, I had just finished university and was starting my career as a fitness professional. Then, my idea of success was having the most clients and working long hours—with back-to-back-to-back clients each day. In my young eyes, success as a fitness professional was being on the cover of a fitness magazine, being on TV, writing for big magazines, or training celebrities and professional athletes.

It’s crazy because I achieved pretty much all of these goals pretty early in my career; however, when I got there, I still didn’t feel like a success.

Why? Because I was so burnt out that I didn’t have time to stop and smell the roses. I didn’t have time to soak it all up because I was so tired and busy being “successful.” To some this might be the dream and the pinnacle of success; however, although I was making great money I had no work-life balance and I was exhausted all the time.

Now here I am, 16 years later and working many fewer hours training in-person clients, but making more monthly revenue and I have a great work-life balance. Just recently, in the last few years, I have considered myself successful (even though as an entrepreneur I never seem to be satisfied and always want more, lol!) because of my work-life balance, control over my schedule, and the amount of lives I have changed through some aspect of my training or nutrition coaching.

What is my definition of success now?

Time with my boys

I am a mom of two young boys and get to plan my work schedule around them so that I am able to spend my days with them and raise them. To me, this is success because it means I have built a business that does not rely on me 24/7 to be successful.

✅ Success!

Charging what I’m worth

I feel confident in my experience and knowledge I have built as a kinesiologist/fitness coach. I KNOW I can help anyone who comes to see me, so I am able to charge a premium for my services (guilt-free) and make more money working less.

✅ Success!

Scaling on my schedule

I feel that Trainerize provides me an unlimited opportunity to continue to grow my online and hybrid coaching business. I feel I am in a position that if I put my mind to it, I can make it happen; however, on my own schedule.

✅ Success!

Work-life balance

I prioritize work-life balance and protect it with everything. I can take days off and know that my business will be ok, I can go on vacation and not have to sacrifice my pay as my business will still be making money, and I can run my online training from anywhere in the world.

✅ Success!

Everyone has a different definition of success! Over the years, as I grew in my personal life, a switch just flipped. I thought, “I can’t keep working these long hours if I ever want to have a family, if I ever want to see my friends, or go on vacation.”

From that day on I began building a sustainable business that could function even if I am not there. Yes, being in magazines, training celebrities and professional athletes is cool; however, as a business owner this is no longer my definition of success as a fitness coach. I understand I had to go through that grind to learn my lessons and get me to where I am today; however, I will never go back, lol!

If I can help a mom learn to get stronger and take time for herself after having a baby so she feels good in her own body again, I feel successful. If I can help someone relieve back pain that has been deeply affecting their life for year, this is success. If I can help a young athlete with dreams of a college scholarship train and get stronger to achieve that goal, this is success. Or If i can help a client learn to drop body fat, get stronger, and feel more confident and comfortable in their own bodies then I have won! Of course doing all this while still taking time for me, my family, and my own mental and physical health.

For me, Success = Balance!