Simon's PTSA Blog!

Cold Turkey on opening my emails...

2008-01-17T07:52:00.000-08:00

Scrap what I just wrote below on cutting back to email opening twice a day...I am addicted and need to deal with it face on!

I am going to go cold turkey and only open them ONCE a day, and spend the extra time reading a few more pages of the current book I'm reading.

(This is going to be more difficult than not having a choccy biscuit for 30 days :)

The Brakes that are holding me back...

2008-01-17T07:28:00.000-08:00

The Brakes that are holding me back...

After going through the 'Stop the bleeding' exercise properly and think on what Dax talked about on Tuesday, I've done a lot of thinking as to what brakes I am aware of (and am not doing much to release), and which I weren't consciously aware of.

As with all the introspective work that needs to be done as part of the mentorship course, I've found it to be very revealing as to why my progress in life & business can seem very slow at times.

These are the three main brakes I am committed to taking on action from today-

1) I admit it. I am addicted to checking my emails FAR too often each and every day. After starting off well after reading the 4-hour work week book, I put an autoresponder on my emails which worked wonders. Unfortunately, I have fallen back into my old behaviours in a bad way. I reckon I waste around 45 mins-1 hr a day checking my emails and getting caught up.

Solution- I am only going to check my emails twice a day- once in the morning, once in the evening.

2) Not using a 'Weekly Worksheet'...I have also let myself down in not completing a Weekly Worksheet over the Xmas period, and have not done one since. As a result, I have been very unproductive recently and have started to fill my days with mostly unproductive 'urgent, but unimportant' tasks.

Solution- Am planning a new worksheet after I come of the call today to get me back on track.

3) Not saying 'NO' to unimportant tasks. Links into the point above. I have recently started a new Magic 100 journey to rectify this. I am taking Dax's advice to the letter, and have a list of three things that MUST get done that day.

As a result, I am keeping my energies (and myself!) focussed on completing the jobs that need to get done to move me forwards in every area of my life.

How I am going to generate an extra £5-10,000 this year?

I have today sent all my clients out a letter explaining that my coaching fees per session have increased by £5. This works out to around an increase in income of approx. £6,600 a year! Still short of the £10,000 figure Dax has set us, but is on the way!

(Note to myself- "Why the f*ck didn't I do this earlier? I am now planning a trip to Florida with the Mrs in Sept/Oct :) )

Will post more on this 'brakes' issue tomorrow as I'm off all day to work 'ON' my business :)

Mastermind group 2 call

2007-11-08T01:37:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys,

Great first call last night! I think we all had some really useful suggestions to our problems...

My homework to be completed by the next call- Write 2 articles and submit them to submityourarticle.com. (not sure if this is the exact URL, but will check!).

Am planning today to complete the tasks from the Gatekeeper Strategy workbook, i.e. ideal client recipe, web page copy etc.

Simon

P.S. Having new Internet connection installed this Monday coming so should be updating my blog everyday :)

How valuable is my time?

2007-11-04T06:30:00.000-08:00

Demand: In the area and gym I currently work in, there are a shortage of passionate, enthusiastic, highly-skilled and highly-trained personal trainers. There is a huge demand for high-quality health and fitness improvement programmes based on the individual client's needs.

Ability: I believe that I am a passionate fitness professional (rather than just a run-of-the-mill 'industry trainer'), who is always looking to learn and educate himself, and, as a result, provide an ever-increasing level of service and solutions to his clients.

Difficulty to replace: To my clients, I would be hard to replace as I truly believe that I provide an excellent service to them. I work very hard at being professional, being a motivator and being caring to their needs. However, I think I would be relatively easy to replace in the gym I work at as I haven't successfully marketed myself as a 'passionate fitness professional'. This is one of my aims on this course...to get my goods in the 'shop window' in a big way!

Outcome: At the moment, I think I am underselling my potential. I need to put together a systematised business that offers the same excellent service and reproducible results to everyone that decides to hire me. I earn a respectable wage from my job (I know it's truly not a business yet...I'm not going to kid myself until I have an Operations Manual bursting at the seams, and one that could work if I wasn't there!!), but am still very much in the 'infancy' stage and need to move to the next level.

What Do I Want?

2007-11-04T06:07:00.000-08:00

Another thought provoking question Dax...

When I look back at the last few years ,with hindsight, I can't believe how I started my company with little or no long-term primary aim or strategic planning...doh!

One big reason why I think I've had limited success so far.

What I want... From this program:

I want to learn to take action on everything I learn in the next six months and from being mentored by Dax.

I got a HUGE amount from the last 6 month mentorship with Dax, but failed to take action on EVERYTHING we covered, or failed to take action on things until a later date.

I want to learn the success 'mindset' of people who are successful & passionate at what they do.

I want to learn not to wait for 'the right time' or for perfection, but to take risks and put 'stuff' out there. Carpe Diem!

I want to learn how I can make a successful and exciting life for my family and I whilst doing something I love to do...

What do I want. From my business in the next 6 months:

I want to have a business run by systems, not a job run by me.

I want to have a business that knows where it is going.

I want to have a business that is separate from me (you can tell I've just finished reading the 'E-Myth today :)

I want a business that allows me the freedom to travel when I want to with my family

I want an 'excellent business, that gives excellent service to excellent clients...'

I want to earn what I truly think I am worth, (not what the average of the industry pays.)

I want to go to sleep every night knowing that I have done my best to help the people I come into contact with to achieve their health and fitness potential.

You really do get what you pay for...

2007-11-04T05:41:00.000-08:00

(the following post is 2 minutes of ranting...just thought I'd warn you!!)

I'm a little bit pissed off today...specifically at Tesco's.

Why?

Well, for the past three days I've had zero internet connection. Not a sausage.

After thinking it was a problem with the modem, to maybe the phone line etc, I've been scratching my head.

I really rely heavily on having internet, especially with doing the mentorship again with Dax...

So, I decide to call Tesco's internet help-line to see if they could help me. (charged at a premium rate, 50p/minute number--cheeky b*stards).

After being put on hold, then told to I would be put onto another department etc etc, I started to get a little bit pissed off, to say the least!

Eventually I was told there had been a problem/misunderstanding with my direct debit payment.

They had sent me an email yesterday morning to tell me that they were going to permenantly cut me off if I didn't call them by last night.

(Now this to me is f*cking stupid...how can I pick up an email from them when I have no internet connection!?)

Apparently, this is the 'system' they use at Tesco's internet. They email you reminders that they've cut off your internet..mmm

So, to today...

I have had to travel 5 miles to use my mother-in-laws computer/internet to set up a new broadband service with Demon.net, who have been voted the best internet provider for the past 2 years running...and to look at stuff like the excellence module videos etc

But, it will probably take around 10 days before I have internet at home again.

This, however, is quicker than the Tesco's offer of around 14 days (as if I would use those baboons again...)

Anyway, after this rant I believe I have learnt:

1. You really do get what you pay for. Cheap price often means shit quality service.
(I think this applies to 90% of the PT's I know in my area who charge low prices/offer shit service)

2. Even though some of the big companies say they offer 'quality service', their 'customer service' systems are shit...

3. I will make sure that the 'customer service' systems I use with my company, such as payment policies etc are well thought out and are not as dumb as Tesco's.

4. Don't ever use Tesco's 'Finest' (definately not f*cking finest in my opinion!) products ever again!

5. Am going to sit for 5 minutes and try and work out what I can learn from this experience...

Happy days!

Simon :)

P.S. I am going to do my best to post blogs/answer emails back to my mastermind group, but don't think I'm being lazy if I take a little while to respond...hope to have new super-duper internet connection in the next 10 days...

Time to get back on track...

2007-11-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

I've decided today to do something I really regretted I didn't do last time round on this mentorship...

Dax really laboured the point, 6 months ago, that we all needed to make the time (i.e. prioritise and chose to!) to work on our businesses rather than just in them.

So...what have I done differently this time?

I've suddenly realised that I have fallen back into my old habits again.

But this time, I'm determined not to make the same mistakes again!

Even though it's only week 1, I've gone through all the work that Dax has thrown over, and am really making some headway with what I personally find the hardest part...changing the way I think and act.

I honestly don't find it that hard to improve my technical skills like coaching, medical knowledge etc (I'm sure we're all super-passionate with what we do-i.e. 'personal training') and love educating myself and learning new knowledge.

But...what I do find hard is to 1) make the time to work ON my business, and 2) Stop looking to make something perfect before I put it into action.

So, I have decided to take action, and live up to my excellence by making each & every Tuesday morning (3 hours) and Friday 'Business Day'.

I have, from this afternoon, cut back from doing 5 sessions on a Friday, getting home mid-afternoon and 'sort of' doing some mentorship work, to doing 1 session (which is 5 minutes from my house) and beginning my Friday 'Business Day' at 9am.

I am also committed to getting everything done and 'put to bed' that should have been done by today...

Deadline-this Saturday night!

Simon :)

P.s. Paul's blog always gives me a good laugh...F*cking brilliant! :0)

Dax's Question...

2007-10-28T08:59:00.000-07:00

'How much do I think I'm Worth?'...

I love the way Dax always ask seemingly simple questions that actually turn out to be very thought-provoking.

I personally find this difficult to answer...

In monetary terms, I charge a 'Weekly Fee' with each of my clients, dependent on how many times I see them that week. It works out to an average of £35 per session.

I believe that, based on all the education that I've invested in in the last few years, my enthuisiasm, and my passion for helping people to achieve their potential, I am worth much more than I currently ask for.

In the past, my whole pricing stategy was based on the 'going rate' of other Personal Trainers at the gym I work out of.

How rubbish is that strategy!!

But, during the last mentorship, I hit upon a strategy which Dax talks about in his 'Scientific Advertising for Fit Pros' ebook.

I went about providing a high-level of service for a slightly lower price than the other trainers at the gym.

After building up my client base and proving that I could bring about the results for my clients that I promised, I have gradually raised my prices. At first, I thought that people would up and leave, but was proved wrong.

At the moment, I'm working really hard to provide a service that again, is worth more than I currently charge, so I can then feel fully confident and justified in raising my coaching fees in the future.

Hope that sort of answers the question...

Hi to everyone...

2007-10-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hi to everyone, old and new, on Dax's six month mentorship!

My name is Simon Jones and I'm a Fitness Professional from Chester, in the North West of England.

Like Tim, Nicky, Paul and some of the other guys, I was lucky enough to complete the last mentorship with Dax earlier this year.

I got an HUGE amount out of the first mentorship, both from a personal and business point of view.

To be honest, I was shocked!

I didn't really know what to expect, but I suppose I sort of expected to learn some marketing 'secrets' and other bits and bobs, but came out of the 'other side' of the six months a completely different person thanks to Dax and his advice.

I learned very quickly from Dax that 90% of success comes from making intrinsic changes and changing your current, limiting paradigms...and taking ACTION.

I pretty much started my entire 'business' again from scratch during and after the course.

I was, before I saw the light with Dax, your stereotypical personal trainer- seeing the way forward to success as simply getting more clients and working more and more hours.

Since completing the course, I took a six-week summer vacation to Florida with my other half, have re-built a business and client base of people who I seriously enjoy training and who are getting the results they deserve...and have the chance to go through the fantastic experience all again!!

Like Nicky, I have had some amazing things happen and finally have a business (and not just a 'job') with the potential to take me where I want to go...

But, my only regret was not taking action on ALL of the things I learned. This time, I aim to really take the bull by the horns...

Simon :)