When I attend seminars I rarely write down notes on the content the presenter is talking about.

Sounds weird, right? 

Content is only as good as your ability to synthesize it. Someone else’s training system and tactics might not work for me and my facility. However the presenter’s analogies, metaphors, and stories bridge that gap between their content and my ability to apply. These tid bits get written down and then become the action items that I take home and look to implement in to my day to day.

After attending the Strength Faction Philly Seminar, Faction Co-Founder Todd Bumgardner dropped so many quotes I had to give him his own edition of “quotes from my notes”.

What stood out about Todd’s (two) presentations is that they both were about some aspect of human behavior. Specifically learning strategies and coaching development. To many, these topics may seem “non traditional” for a Fitness workshop, however, I feel that these are some of the most important topics that industry pro’s need more of.

Without further adiu, the 3 things Todd melted my brain with...

1) “Our future self is depending on our current self to be better”

I really love this quote. Todd was giving his presentation "The Art of Coaching Development" and made this statement in relation to how we much constantly be striving to better ourselves now, in this moment, to make sure that our future self is even better. 

So many times we get caught saying to ourselves "I'll do this tomorrow" or "Man, if I had ____ then I would be able to do that". 

Whack. 

Small consistent steps every day will allow our future self to be better than our current self. What's the most important is that we stick to the plan and keep going. Todd gave a great example of how his staff development took a year to implement and get everyone on the same page. His best advice? If after three months (something) isn't where it needs to be...keep going! 

2) “We need to light the torch for others”  and closely related “We are not the hero”

The first quote was said over the weekend, and the latter was said the week before on a Strength Faction QnA webinar. Both hold similar meaning. As fitness/health/rehab/wellness professionals (this applies to most service based industries) we have a platform to help others. Far too many times Fitness professionals think that we are the hero. 

"Look, I've helped someone lose 40 pounds!" Or "I helped so-and-so get those abs!"

Wrong. 

We are the guide. We light the torch for others, We help illuminate the darkness that overshadows far too many people from achieving their goals or how to access their true happiness. 

This quote is so important I want to say it again. We are not the hero. We are the guide. We help light torches for others to succeed. 

3)  “There’s a difference between being nice and being a friend”

I have to be honest, I wrote this quote down and didn't really know what it meant. After listening to Todd explain this further, he brought it full circle. 

Far too often we play the nice-guy role with our clients or those we hold close. We tell them it's okay that (insert something here) happened and that time will help them get over it. 

We need to be able to have hard conversations in a constructive manor. Being a friend is doing just that. Be the person who cares for the other person and holds them accountable. This doesn't mean that you need to start being a major a-hole and questioning everyone's actions. What it DOES mean is to have the tough conversations with people you love and care about. Help them, but in the process, give them your honest truth.