AKA your “sneaky mofo”
I was going through some old files recently from a personal training mentoring business I used to run with another personal trainer.
One of the sessions I used to cover with our apprentice personal trainers was ‘How to deal with objections’. This workshop was based around dealing with objections and selling personal training to potential clients.
It occurred to me when reading it that it would be cool to share some of the content with you guys as we all have an inner saboteur or inner SNEAKY MO FO (SMF).
This SMF is the voice inside your head that can and does stop you from doing what you intend to do………in this case moving your ass regularly and exercising.
When dealing with Mo Fo’s of the sneaky kind the most important thing is to try and empathize with them and understand their objections whatever they may be.
If you try and hide an anti exercise SMF or ignore them, it is my experience that their voices get louder and objections stronger. Results include, but are not limited to: lethargy, back pain, high body fat percentage, depression, lack of strength and or couch potato like symptoms.
SMF’s like to talk about themselves and their gripes and they tend to complain and whine a lot. You can listen for a while but you need to find the skill to gently coerce and quiet them down enough so you can get moving regularly and feel great! Results include, but are not limited to:
- A better sex life
- A rockin bod (to have that better sex life with)
- Sex sells right?
- Lower stress levels
etc etc etc etc etc etc etc
(I was so tempted to keep going with this list but didn’t want this blog to become one of those ‘50 reasons for regular physical activity’ blogs. Sneaky Mo Fo’s don’t give a shit about such lists, they read them but don’t listen.
They don’t give a rats about lowering cholesterol, blood pressure or improving posture…… they simply whisper sweet promises of red wine and beers with friends and coerce you away from the run/workout you intended to do after work).
Here are some of the responses I used when converting potential clients into paying customers. I used to teach them to our apprentice personal trainers so they could convert and recruit new clients.
(NB I used these in the early days when I was trying to build my business. These days I am lucky enough to choose whom I work with and don’t have to use such tactics to convert clients. However, I still have to deal with the Sneaky Mo Fo side of my regular clients from time to time and so adopt these strategies when needed).
SMF: ‘I’m too busy’
BOLLOX. This is total and utter BOLLOX and a crap excuse. A person will always find time to do something if they really want to. You know this, they know this and we know this. You have to find out what the real reason is, what is preventing you from exercising regularly and address it. It is possible to fit in exercise slots into a working week if you really want to.
Consider express/quickie workouts: 20/30 mins a day and you are done. Quality not quantity.
SMF: ‘I cannot afford it’
Exercise is FREE!
Erm, I obviously had a whole other spiel for dealing with this objection, a Personal Trainer is not free but this blog is more about dealing with your SMF and not selling you anything and so……..
Exercise is FREE.
I even offer a free body weight workout of the week on my website (no strings), check it out, do one every week and shut up your SMF.
SMF: ‘Exercise is not my no1 priority at the moment I’ve got to do x, y and z……’
You can be soft or harsh here when you respond to your Mo Fo on this one. Either way, make sure you deliver the words in a nice, polite manner so the SMF does not get too offended and take over and win. Think about what your other priorities are and work around them. Regular exercise will give you more energy with the kids/ partner or for that big project at work.
WITHOUT YOUR HEALTH YOU HAVE NOTHING
Did you hear that SMF?
SMF: ‘I’m too tired’
Initially you will be a bit tired after starting a regular exercise prog but if you stick to a routine I promise that your energy levels and zest for life will go up. This is one of the best benefits of training on a regular basis. When I take a few weeks off training (which does not happen too often) I feel that I do not have as much energy during the day and feel much more sluggish and sleepy in the afternoons especially.
The workshop covered lots of other objections; I have made reference to the most common ones for this blog.
Augusten Burroughs wrote:
“I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.”
I agree with Burroughs to a certain extent in the fact that we all have flaws but I wholeheartedly believe we have control and are able to focus on the good stuff by turning down the volume on our Sneaky Mo Fo’s in order to fulfill our best intentions and live our best life.