Cool Movies With Messages For The Fitness Entrepreneur

Being a personal training business owner I'm always looking for ways to improve my biz and my life. I'm reading books, going to seminars, attending mastermind groups, listening to cd's and watching dvd's… you name it I probably do it.

But sometimes the best lessons I get are in the oddest places. It could be something my 20 month old daughter says, something I hear in a song or something in a commercial. I even get a lot of cool ideas and learn a lot of lessons from movies. And I LOVE to watch movies ( unless they suck… which today it seems like most do ). So I thought I'd throw in a few cool little fitness marketing and life lessons here from some of my favorite movies.

Goodfellas - It all catches up with ya. Meaning, if you're screwing people over in your business you're gonna be the one getting screwed over. Treat people fair and keep things and ALWAYS, I mean ALWAYS keep the other persons best interest in mind

Shawshank Redemption - This is my all time favorite flick by the way. Sometimes our greatest freedom comes after we've crawled through a river of shit, just like Andy did. In my life I can look back and see how my greatest challenges led to me greatest liberations

Office Space - Having a job sucks, but of course I already knew this, it just helps to be reminded of why I love to work for myself. As a fitness professional, self-employed is the ONLY way to go, otherwise all you're doing is making some friggin' health club rich

Apocalypse Now - Didn't learn a damn thing from this movie, killer flick though

Knocked Up - You can get pink eye from lying on a pillow someone farted on

Good Will Hunting - Follow your heart, not just your mind. I've done this is my business a number of times and have ALWAYS been glad I did. When I first started my business I had to make a few choices that to most people seemed totally illogical. I had many of my friends and family doubt what I was doing, however in my heart I know it would pay off and it did, BIG TIME

Into The Wild - If you're going to do things you're own way, be willing to pay the price. If you want a successful fitness business, be willing to do the things your competitors aren't and sometimes this will mean you'll have to sacrifice certain things

Escape From New York - Don't  trust anyone named "Brain"

The Lookout - Don't try to bullshit a blind man

Fight Club - Things aren't always as they appear, sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to really see things for what they TRULY are.

The Departed - If I ever see Mark Wahlberg wearing little paper booties I'm getting the hell out of dodge

Boogie Nights - If I ever get into porn, stay away from all the drugs.

Sling Blade - What's right is right and sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands because no one else will. This reminds me of when I started my biz. If I were going to rely on others to help my build it, be it friends, clients or a health club… I'd still be sitting around waiting. I had to do what had to be done to make it happen myself

Cool Hand Luke - There IS such a thing as eating too many hard boiled eggs. Being a trainer I know a lot of big ole' roided out bodybuilders who eat those damn things all day

Glengarry Glen Ross - Third place is your fired. Honestly, if you aren't kickin' ass then you're probably going nowhere and should probably find something else to do with your life. In most gyms there's one trainer who's kickin' ass, another who's doing pretty good and about 15 trainers in 3rd place who are barely getting by

Pulp Fiction - In Paris they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese a 'Royal with Cheese

Heat - Sometimes going back for the girl ain't the best option

Dead Presidents – Never trust a guy named ‘Cowboy’

The Big Lebowski – The ‘Dude’ abides

Jackie Brown – Some people you can’t trust, but you can trust them to be who they are. For example, I know some people are flakes and their word doesn’t mean a thing… so I can’t really trust them, but I CAN trust them to continue to be the dishonest flakes that they are.  Meaning I know where they stand in my life and I won’t put too much weight into what they say or do. Nor will let them into my life to any great extent.

True Romance – If I ever come back to my room and James Gandolfini is sitting there with a shotgun… I’m friggin’ bailin’

Jerry Maguire – A deal isn’t a deal until the paper is signed and in my hand. Kush lash, Kush lash…

Something About Mary – Check you ears man, check your ears

Copland – Even ‘Sly’ gets a little fat once in a while (And Ray Liotta is at his absolute best when he’s coked out and stressed, just like in Goodfellas)

Old School - One beer's all it takes before 'Frank the Tank' comes back

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot - Some people you just can't trust, so don't even try. When I go to hire a new trainer, if the trainer is so much as 2 minutes late there's no way I'm hiring that guy, because that's a sign of things to come and the last thing I need is some trainer who's late to his appointments

Sure these might not of been the kind of wisdom you'd expect to read in the Toa Te Ching… but that doesn't mean they still aren't powerful lessons in your MMA, personal training or health club marketing efforts. And if you haven't seen some of these flicks, you are missing out.

Make More and Work Less,

Chris McCombs

Personal Fitness Training Marketing Specialist