Why Do You Do What You Do?

First off, before I get into this post, I want to PUBLICLY thank you for all the cool, kind, and awesome comments you left last week when I put up the “I need your opinion” blog post.

I never expected over 175 comments on one blog post… let alone the dozens of supportive calls, text messages, and email I got.

THANK YOU =)

Onward…

I just got an email from a friend who reads my blog often and owns a small business. In his email he asked me how it was that I had so many raving clients and customers

(other than the fact that I’m just one lucky dude who has the coolest clients, customers and subscribers in the world)

… that got me thinking

and right away I knew the answer.

So instead of writing to my friend directly I decided to write to him here, on my blog, since I know this might help you with your fitness business too.

Here’s the deal. There are two types of entrepreneur. The OBSESSION based entrepreneur and the MISSION based entrepreneur.

Both can be ambitious, hard working, and make a lot of money.

However, the obsession based entrepreneur doesn’t look much beyond the superficial things.

Through his obsession he’ll leave his values behind, neglect friends and family, take shortcuts to achieve his goals (which in actuality are someone else’s goals and values that he’s adopted) and will ultimately burn out or become bitter.

*** The above definition of the obsession based entrepreneur was actually told to me by a formerly obsessed entrepreneur that I met in one of the high level mastermind groups I’m in. ***

My answer to my friend who emailed me…

I guess I’m a mission based entrepreneur Sure, do I get obsessed with a project or idea from time to time?

Yeah.

But it typically won’t take long for me to realize that I’m veering off mission and I just kinda recalibrate my bearings and keep on keeping on.

I guess the next question you’ll ask is how do you become a MISSION based entrepreneur?

For me, it boils down to three words… PURPOSE, PASSION and EXPECTATIONS.

At the most basic level you can get a good example of a purpose and passion driven person by looking at an Olympic level athlete.

Take Michael Phelps for example. What greater purpose could the guy have other than representing his country in the world Olympic games?

And clearly the guy is passionate about swimming. You don’t train the way he does your entire life because there’s money to be made in swimming.

When I owned my personal training facilities and later Chino Hills Boot Camp I chose fitness as my business because it changed my life.

I was a fat kid and it didn’t get any better when I got into high school. But when I started exercising my entire life changed… in many ways.

I’m just as passionate about fitness today as I was then. And my purpose was an easy one for me: to help other former “fat kids” achieve what I did through exercising.

Today, I’m a MISSION BASED ENTREPRENEUR. Through the fitness trainers that I help, I reach and help more “individuals” achieve the benefits of fitness then I ever have.

PASSION… check!

But I have a new purpose… to help fitness trainers achieve the financial and lifestyle freedom that they deserve. In the beginning of my personal training career I used to be a fry cook AND a trainer…then I was a bouncer at a bar and a trainer.

At some point I realized that I didn’t want to have a side job just to make ends meet.

I was tired of running out of money, before I ran out of month.

So I did something about it and within 10 months my personal training business was grossing multiple six figures.

These days my purpose is to help other fitness professionals get to multiple six and seven figures.

PURPOSE… check!

And if I make a bunch of money while achieving my passion and purpose then all the better.

I’m a MISSION based entrepreneur. You should be too.

I know what I’m passionate about and I know what my purpose is.

And like all mission based entrepreneurs I have expectations of my business. It’s there to serve me and my lifestyle… not the other way around.

Wanna be a mission based entrepreneur, too?

Grab a pen and paper and write out the following three questions and answer them (the more detailed your answer, the more likely you’ll fulfill your mission).

1. What is my BIG purpose for my business?

2. What am I most passionate about?

3. What do I expect from my business?

Your answers to these three questions will define you’re mission, and that is your TRUE NORTH. You are coming to Fitness Info Summit in Orlando next month, right? Be sure to register now because the price goes up really soon. Learn more here >>