Competition

I really like competition. I like to race and compete with myself to get a better time. I like to compete with my HS kids that I train and see if I've "still got it in me". I like to compete with my husband to see who has the closest guess on the exact amount of the grocery bill. I like to compete.

I'd never really experienced competition in the workplace until I became a personal trainer. Before I was a trainer I was a teacher. For the most part, school teachers are pretty friendly and most of the time will share a project with you that they spent hours researching and piecing together. Some don't, but a lot do. If you need an idea on how to teach multiplication better, you run down the hall, grab another teacher and she'll give you her 13 ideas. Even providing you with materials and sometimes burning you a copy of her song CD to learn the multiplication rap. Not really competitive.

Then I became a personal trainer. A little over 2 years ago I became certified through the American Council on Exercise. After reading a 500 pg. book, going to a few seminars, and taking a test, I was now free to become the next Jillian Michaels. My only question was...how do you do that? Sure I knew how to take measurements and figure someone's BMI. But I really didn't get the programming part of it. I really didn't know how to organize my time or my client's time. I had a lot to learn. Then I got a job at Doran Fitness and began meeting other trainers. However, every time I asked someone a logistical question about their training, I got half answers and weird responses. No one wanted to share their "secrets" with me. It was as if I was trying to spy on them and eventually steal their clients. Weird.

Then I met Petita. Petita is a trainer at our gym whom I've known for a little over a year, but never really gotten to have a long conversation with. Today was our day to talk. Today she sat me down and explained everything from liability insurance, to workouts, to at home clients. She is emailing me some websites and forms she uses with her clients and seriously passing on her knowledge! I am so excited that I finally found someone who is great at what they do and who isn't afraid to help a rookie. Petita is a phenomenal trainer and I feel so lucky to know her.

Thanks Petita for not being competitive in a competitive business.