Aggressive Small Business Marketing & Advertising

Big thoughts, ideas and how-tos for aggressive, fast-growth businesses and the entrepreneurs who fuel them.

15 Mar

Workouts, pain, growth and Entrepreneurship

For over a year, I spent my Tuesdays and Fridays sweating/grunting/bleeding/puking at Maximum Bob Whelan's gym in Chinatown, Washington D.C. Calling it a gym might be a stretch. It was more a cave-like dwelling devoted to the voluntary infliction of pain and testing of limits. I loved everything about it.

A couple of months in, I wasn't making the progress I wanted.

Bob isn't cheap, I had to drive 45-minutes each way and I didn't want to waste the pain without making progress. So I started tracking. What I ate, when I ate, when I went to sleep, how my energy levels were throughout the day. Stuff like that.

My big "breakthrough" came when I discovered my energy, performance and recovery on workout days was mostly impacted by ... what and when I ate as my last meal the day before. This little bit of information in hand, it only took a couple of weeks to adjust my diet and schedule to have perform at my best. It was an easy and painless change made even better because I could see results the next day in my log. Cool.

Anyway, this is NOT a post about how to work out better or get the most out of a personal trainer.

It's about something all good coaches know and great performers come to understand.

What gets measured, gets improved.

You see, if I wasn't measuring and tracking my diet/energy/performance ... I never would have realized what the key to improving my performance would be. But the moment I started tracking to the moment I "got it" ... was a matter of a few short days. After months of frustration, something clicked when it was "out there" on paper. Truth is like that sometimes, easy to see when you are willing to really look.

Something similar happens in business.

When the things you want improved exist "out there" in the daily hustle and bustle, it's easy to let a day slip without doing something about them. Then another day. Then a week. Pretty soon you find yourself looking back wondering what that thing you wanted to do something about was.

We humans have an amazing ability to tell ourselves stories about why we aren't progressing the way we'd like. It's the boss/parent/spouse/kid/landlord/employee and on. Fact is, when we want to believe the responsibility for less than stellar results rests somewhere else, our minds will latch onto damn near any explanation no matter how silly. Tracking what's happening ... on paper ... brings a bright light into that shady corner of the mind.

Start simple.

  • How many clients do you have today?
  • How many do you want to have 30 days from now?
  • Now track what you do ... every day ... to get it.

I bet you'll enjoy the results...

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22 Comments & Trackbacks

  • I’ve been working out hardcore for about 7 years, ever since I got into college, and honestly, I’ve never recorded or monitored my workouts. And I think this is the same scenario a lot of entrepreneurs go through. They’ve been business with their business for so long that they start to get too far into the forest to see the tress and start thinking they know it all, and they don’t need to evaluate or change.

    The thing is, in the gym I’ve noticed I’ve been slipping lately, because I’m getting content. I’m not trying to push myself everyday, and I’m not trying to best my previous week’s efforts. As a result, I’m getting a little bit of a belly.

    In our business, things are flattening out as well, but luckily we’ve constantly revitalizing our methods and are able to continually innovate—guess it’s time I start tracking my progress at the gym as well smile

    Submitted on Wednesday, June 18, 2008

  • Michael the way you describe is really impressive to me, The way you handle the situation at workout and really a symbol of good marketing personal. Awesome, i appreciate this useful sharing.

    Submitted on Sunday, September 21, 2008

  • I’m really impressed with your article, such great information you mentioned here, thanks for your sharing and waiting to see your future posts.

    Submitted on Wednesday, October 01, 2008

  • hey
    you impress a lot for the visitors
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    you are the hero of blogging
    thanks for your info
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    Submitted on Sunday, November 02, 2008

  • Fantastic post. I think you are one of the best blogger i ever come across.

    Submitted on Sunday, December 07, 2008

  • I strongly believe that if you show the kind of commitent to anything that most crossfitters demonstrate for Crossfit you will e results. So good point both Carli and Machine.

    Submitted on Sunday, December 14, 2008

  • I’m really impressed with your article. Please continue it.
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    Document Storage System on Thursday, January 15, 2009

  • Great article. I think productivity is the most important aspect in the workplace.

    Acai Berry on Tuesday, February 10, 2009

  • very good article, you really have a smooth way to deliver information… 7/10

    free games on Tuesday, March 10, 2009

  • What kind of entrepreneurship business could i start as a student? My groups will be having our practicum for our entrepreneurship concentration in the 3rd yr when school reopens in mid april. Our practicum will last for about 6 months or more, depends whether we could mange a shop earlier in semester 1 but it’s compulsory to start on the 2nd semester. I cant think of any other profitable and manageable small business we could start other than selling snacks at school usgin pushcarts or having the place at bugis village to start a small one.

    ">automotive jobs lover on Friday, March 27, 2009

  • I have no idea what number one is saying as the meaning of entrepreneur; A person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture.
    The why of Diversity is to increase contact for services or goods. I live in South Texas and we can see adds on TV both in English and in Spanish to or for one goal to sell a product or service. Folks do not buy what they do not understand The population of Hispanics in my home town is about 60% Spanish and the about 35 % white. Either group is to large to want to not include them in my campain to sell them a car.note; You have mentioned organizations like “Count Me In” It seems everytime I see one of these organizations they are not as you think on the surface, they profess to be one thing but under it all they often are biasted against someone. All fails for me when someone and I really mean anyone is discriminated against. ...........I am Micmac Indian

    ">motor trade jobs on Friday, March 27, 2009

  • There are various reasons why gym workouts are a turn-off for many of us. The time involved with going to a health club after work, the costs, maybe even an inconvenient location — these are some of the factors cited by people who wish to avoid public facilities.

    Will you enjoy training at home alone? That is a question only you can answer; however, it is true that most people who get hooked on fitness continue to exercise on a regular basis for the rest of their lives. They not only enjoy working out, they appreciate the benefits of better health, and when you enjoy home gym workouts, you get many tangible and intangible returns.

    Kevin from Best Home Gyms Guide on Sunday, March 29, 2009

  • Absolutely agree with you. I suggest to all who enjoyed this article to watch movie called The Secret, in my opinion it is a “must see” film for all small business owners and starters.

    RezV on Monday, March 30, 2009

  • Thanks for the pointers into the marketing world!

    Valerie Bertinelli Weight loss on Thursday, April 02, 2009

  • This really have a smooth way to deliver information. I believe that if you show the kind of commitment to anything that most crossfitters demonstrate for Crossfit you will e results.

    flights to thailand on Saturday, April 18, 2009

  • Tracking is a key to success for sure.

    Max on Sunday, May 10, 2009

  • The way you handle the situation at workout and really a symbol of good marketing personal. Awesome, i appreciate this useful sharing. .....

    tower defense on Friday, May 15, 2009

  • They’ve been business with their business for so long that they start to get too far into the forest to see the tress and start thinking they know it all, and they don’t need to evaluate or change. .

    club penguin on Friday, May 15, 2009

  • I think one of the most important parts of working for yourself is time management and staying on task. It’s all to easy to lose focus and go do other things.

    Acai on Tuesday, May 19, 2009

  • Pure true! Without thorough analysis of daily things you accomplish you gain nothing especially in business. Combination of good measuring plus using different marketing tools like business advertising do an excellent work!

    Alex on Monday, May 25, 2009

  • Set a goal and get it done!  That’s the best advice I have for entrepreneurs

    Cigars on Saturday, May 30, 2009

  • The first step in measuring your work performance is to have a KPI - Key Performance Index, that basically is the best metric that you use to determine how productive you are at the workplace. It could be time, cost, scope, quality or anything else that you think really gauges your job efficiency. Once you have determined that accurately, the next step is to find how how you can improve it by logging your daily activities and monitoring them closely. Soon you will discover where you were lagging and once you remove that roadblock, you are all set!

    ct divorce lawyer on Monday, June 15, 2009
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