Encourage people.
“The idea of starting a fitness program or returning from a hiatus in the gym can be daunting for some folks.
If you’re a “gym person” this is important to understand.
You have an opportunity to be a catalyst for another person’s personal growth.
Encourage the hell out of people.”
-Ray Zingler on X
Strength Training, fitness, whatever you want to call it, is “my thing”.
I’ve been taking part in it weekly for 21 years and I have over 30,000 hours of practice, study, and teaching it to a wide range of others.
While I obviously don’t know it all, and I’m not “perfect” at fitness, I have fed my family with it since I was 18 years old.
I share this because if I changed the word “fitness” to “welding”, I would be a complete newb. I would have 0 hours of experience, and to be honest, outside of knowing what a welding machine looks like, would have no idea where to get started.
But let’s say I wanted to get started welding. I wanted to learn the trade. I wanted to commit myself to it. I would need to take a leap of faith.
And leaps of faith are hard, especially when you know you know nothing and are putting yourself out there to be seen and judged by others.
Imagine the stereotypical blue-collar welder if I walked in trying to learn. I’d probably be scoffed and laughed at.
But then imagine if I found the right welder. Someone with decades of experience and a desire to teach me the right way to do things. Someone who could mentor me. Someone who I could apprentice under.
My entire outlook on welding would improve even further and the likelihood of me staying committed to my “goal” would be much higher.
Now let’s shift back to fitness.
Are you a “gym person”?
Do you know your way around the gym?
Do you have accountability?
Discipline?
Do you know enough to be dangerous?
Great.
Then go be a catalyst for that “new person” reluctantly immersing themselves back into the gym.
If they look confused or ask for help, help them, don’t scoff at them.
Because I promise you this, there is something in their life that they are GREAT at that you know nothing about. They could very well teach you something one day.
What goes around comes around.
Be the reason they stay on their journey, not the reason they quit.
What you have only has value if it can benefit others.
Encourage the hell out of people.
