How do you care for a sick fish?

Change the water, right?

Change the environment.

I was talking with a client yesterday about how she was "off the wagon" for the last two weeks.

She was busy with family stuff and tried to work out at home, and just could not muster up the motivation.

She even eluded to having a gym at her work, and that she can never find the desire to use it because "it's work."

The environment will always make a difference.

I empathized with her, letting her know, I too struggle with the same thing.

I have a full gym in my garage, everything I need.

I can count on one hand the number of times I've used it in 2019.

Today is not about finding the motivation, or finding your why, it's a reminder of how important a strong environment is.

We wish everyone the best of luck when they say they're going to work out on their own at home, but we usually find about 90% of people (us included), are unsuccessful at that attempt.

Why?

It's your home.

It's family time.

It's where you cook breakfast, play with your kids, and watch TV.

The walls don't bleed with motivation and encouragement to workout.

I give all the credit to those that can muster the motivation to do so, but just know if it doesn't come naturally to you it's going to be a long uphill battle.

The same goes for traditional health clubs or gyms.

Nothing against them, they are right for certain people, but with rows and rows of machines, everybody plugging along like a hamster on a wheel, it doesn't exactly feel like the most motivating atmosphere, nor do we even know what to do once we walk in.

So what does make a strong workout environment?

In my opinion, here is a list of the top three (in no order) things that make a strong workout environment.

1. Non-Traditional Space: Although intimidating at first, when you walk into Spurling it feels like a different space (hopefully). Different equipment, lots of open space, high ceilings, good music (most of the time), quotes on the walls, etc. We don't have rows and rows of machines, and when you walk in, you mentally already feel a little more motivated to get after it.

2. Coaching: This is one of our three pillars (accountability and community are the other two). All clients have a coach at every single workout. So even if you don't quite have the motivation that day, the coach can usually get you to do more than what you would normally do on your own.

3. Clients/Family: When you walk in, you see the same faces. You wave to them, they say hi to you. People know each other. You see people pushing themselves, going on their own journey, but you see them working hard, and that pushes you to work even harder, not in a competitive way, but in a motivating way. People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and you surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed.

So, whether you work with us, or elsewhere, these are the three things that make for a strong workout environment.

This goes for any change too.

Do you ever notice if you work from home, popping into a coffee shop, you instantly feel more productive.

You changed the environment.

You changed your water.

Removing yourself from a toxic relationship, a toxic work culture, you’re changing your water.

Why is this so important?

Change is hard enough.

Getting in the habit of working out on a consistent basis is not easy, and is usually seen as something that is a chore.

By surrounding yourself with like-minded people in a strong environment, it just makes that change a little bit easier.

Just like your pet goldfish, make sure all the “water” in your life is fresh and clean.

1% Better.

Dedicated to Your Success,

Doug Spurling