Why I Do What I Do
Hey there, hope you're awesome… I wanna talk about why you do what you do… and I really wanna know WHY you do it…
Lemme explain…
You see, lately I've been feeling pretty fortunate to be in the businesses I'm in…
I own a personal training business with about 15 trainers doing all the training for me ( I just market on the internet and the damn business runs itself… I gotta admit, I'm pretty impressed with this one)
I'm a blogger ( Blogging is one of my favorite things to do in the world… it's my platform to the world and serves many purposes personally and in business)
I'm an information marketer ( I sell "how to" info products… a business I love and am absolutely fascinated with… along with the 'publishing model' it probably offers more freedom than any other business model I can think of)
I'm a coach/mentor ( I work one-on-one with a few select trainers in my coaching program to build their businesses to the six and seven figure marks… helping others achieve success in one-on-one environment is one of the most rewarding things in the world to me)
And on top of the businesses I'm a husband and father of two little girls ( 2 and 3 years old)… the youngest one I'm convinced is completely insane
I feel very blessed in business and life… and part of it is because I'm very clear on why I do what I do…
And I'm curious, why do you do what you do? ( Why do you get people into shape for a living?)
I mean, why is it you are a fitness trainer / fitness professional?
What do you love about it?
What's the end result you're looking for?
In you're business, you should be able to find a balance of satisfaction in all of the following…
- Purpose
- Passion
- Lifestyle
- Wealth
- Contribution
Let's use my businesses as an example…
1. Purpose - My purpose is to help others make more money and work less hours… I do this through my coaching and information products - to me this is EXTREMELY rewarding… I personally look at money and business as a vehicle to freedom and couldn't stand working a normal job-type-job… it drove me friggin nuts… and I felt lost and without purpose when I was working a normal job… so helping people get out of the rut of trading hours for dollars and helping them create systems in their businesses that makes the money for them really makes me feel fulfilled.
2. Passion - I'm very passionate about what I do… I'll be honest, a lot of things bore me… but the businesses I own excite the livin' hell out of me
I'm like the A.D.D kid who can't focus for 2 minutes in class but can play video games for 14 hours straight… the kid is passionate about video games because that's what he values… he could care less about school
I'm passionate about my businesses.. just like that kid is about video games
3. Lifestyle - My businesses are set up to give me a lot of free time and allow me to pretty much do what I want when I want
It allows me to work from home and be near my family
It allows to pretty much take months off at a time with zero notice
It allows me to sleep in late, hit the gym and typically work from about noon to 3:30 or 4… which is mostly what I've been doing these days… with the exception of when I'm off with Bedros shooting footage for the documentary… but it's my businesses that have given me the freedom to go off and make the documentary in the first place ( which is really a passion project of mine)
4. Wealth / Financial Freedom - The money is damn good, in fact I can't think of one *serious* information marketing friend who isn't killing it right now regardless of the economy… it's a recession proof business
It allows you to have multiple streams of income ( I'm up to about eleven) and the amount of money made for the amount of work you need to do is as good as it gets
For example, on top of the eleven streams of income, I spent about three or four hours writing an email sequence last month for an affiliate promotion I was doing for a friend… that email sequence made me over $87,000.00 personal profit … not bad for a few hours work… and remember, I'm a dude with severe A.D.D., did HORRIBLE in school, and I'm completely unemployable.
And even my first product launch, which only took me six weeks to do EVERYTHING, brought in over $50,000.00 up-front in less than a week and another almost $300,000.00 in billable monthly recurring payments for the following 12 months… again, that was for only six weeks of work… that I did at home.
Now I'm not saying this to impress you… I mean, damn, I have readers of this blog who make over 10 Million Dollars a Year… MUCH more than I make… I'm just showing you what to me is an ideal set-up and what's possible in terms of maximum profits for minimal time.
( If you'd like to become an information marketer yourself, then I hope you're going to the Fitness Info Summit this October… the thing is gonna rock )
5. Contribution - My businesses allow me to help others… when I used to work in a warehouse… when I was bouncer… when I sold weed… I wasn't helping people ( at least not in a way that was fulfilling)
But all my income streams today are ones where I get to help other people… and that's what makes them ultimately so rewarding
If you want to be happy in life, and enjoy abundance in your business… focus on helping others
And one more reason I do what I do is to provide a nice life for my wife and daughters and so I can spend lots of time with them… my family is a HUGE priority in my life.
Now, like I said.. I'm curious, why do you what you do for a living?
What do you love about it?
What's the end result you're looking for?
How does your business model measure up in the following areas ( if you're a fitness trainer and a reader of this blog you probably measure up better than 95% of the population) -
- Purpose?
- Passion?
- Lifestyle?
- Wealth?
- Contribution?
Leave a comment in the section below filling me in… I'd love to hear about it
And before you go… if you want a personal training business like mine where you have websites literally "suck in" new clients from the internet on a weekly or even daily basis… then I strongly suggest the following programs…
Market Annihilator - this will show you exactly how myself and Zach Hunt get our sites to the top of Google and get tons of clients from Google Organic, Google Local, Google Adwords, Facebook Ads and Craigslist… you can learn more about it here
Fitness Website Formula - If you want a highly optimized and highly converting clean looking fitness site 'done for you', then check this out
Private Coaching - If you're an action taker and are committed to reaching you're goals, then there's a chance I'd be willing to work with you in a one-on-one environment… however I don't accept everybody… but if your application is denied I will refund you immediately… here's where you can learn about the coaching program
Talk soon,
Chris
Comments on Why I Do What I Do »
Now this is a post that really hits to the heart Chris!
As I am currently in the process of making the leap from my regular day to day job to following my passion for health and fitness and living the internet lifestyle so I can be in control of my income and my time.
It's the freedom and time that I want so I can be there for my family.
I am glad you show that money is just a vehicle to get you where you want to be in your life…
Good to hear others like Sean are in the same situation I am in, about to make the jump from a "normal" day job to working for yourself full-time, scary situation.
My purpose is to help others, work for myself by my rules and no one else, and to make some money doing what I love so my wife and I can live a decent life.
My passion is very similar to my purpose. I am very passionate about my business, how I run it and also helping people to feel good about themselves.
My lifestyle is somewhat hectic at the moment but I am working to make that go away, but I am the type of person that if I am not just a little stressed and being pushed a little, I'll sit and do nothing, which I hope to do while still making money someday. I enjoy that little bit of stress, it motivates me, hopefully I can learn to live and still progress without it.
Wealth. Who doesn't want wealth? I'm not looking to be insanely rich and if I ever become rich I hope I don't become a super a-hole as I kind of already am one sometimes. I just want to be comfortable and that word mean different things to different people. I don't need to be a millionaire, although it would be nice, but I would like to not ever have to worry about anything and take more vacations and be able to invest.
I help a very small number of people right now and I would like that to grow. I would also like to help my mother do some things she has never been able to do even though she has worked very hard her whole life. I would also like to help homeless people someday.
That's all I've got at 5:32 this morning. Good luck to Sean, you're not alone.
Thanks for making me think Chris!
Doug
http://www.prideconditioning.com
Chris my bruddah, I love ya dude.
Hnaging with you in June and doing some coaching under you definitely helped me make that last step towards my first step of going full time with the business, something I live and breathe.
I do what I do for many reasons, and 1 of which has lately been to help other fitness professionals, especially those with family like you and I, to do what they love and earn a lot of money doing so while giving their customers AWESOME value, in turn, allowing them to spend more time w/their family…like you and I do.
I also believe in following your passion and walking the talk, not just so your customers can see, but as a way to show your kids and represent your family.
I kept having nightmares of my daughter not listening to my advice as she was about to take 1 journey or the next.
I saw a girl with all this amazing talent, and asking me at age 18, "Daddy, what should I do?"
And then I tell her to do something great, dare something worthy, follow your dreams….
My nightmare was she would answer me by saying, "WHY, you never did, you never took a risk, the chance, the BIG leap…."
I wanted to be able to pave the way for her and the MANY in my shoes…..
I think the ball game is slightly different for those looking to do what we do when they have a family to support.
If I was single w/no family, I woulda quit my job back when I was selling a few $19 e books a day!!
I own a gym and break every rule imaginable when it comes to how a "typical business" is run and that's how I always envisioned it, ever since I was 13!
My athletes now see themselves groiwng up and running their very own Underground Strength Gym - the typical 9 - 5 seems dull to them when they see what I do and how awesome it is for me AND for them.
I love getting e mails from lawyers and accountants, fed up of wearing a suit and tie, fed up of working early morning till late night and not seeing their family and they instead ditch their job, attend my USC Cert and begin running their own biz and begin living the life that makes them AND their family happy and healthy!
Time goes waaaay too fast and I believe you gotta make your mark in this world and be different, NOT just different in business but different for your FAMILY.
Now, I can have lunch with my kids, or, go in the backyard and play with them whenever I want, or, ditch work for the day and take a family trip to the beach, and having the freedom to do this reminds me of the freedom I had during summer vacation when I was a 10 year old kid.
It's the MOST amazing thing, ecxept even better b/c I share it w/my family.
I'm grateful for your help bruddah.
Those reading my post & on the cuff with deciding to coach under you, well, I took the leap and it got me to where I am now, and it's pretty damn good right here
Peace Bruddah!
–Z–
Fitness Is my passion.
Making fitness other's passion is my purpose.
Fitness allows me the lifestyle of only working "part time" and having plenty of time to do what I want.
And the wealth to do it.
I contribute by making others fit and health so they can live the lifestyle they want free of illness.
Chris,
Powerful stuff. I enjoyed this post and will no-doubt re-read it again and again.
Thanks for all your great content
Brian
Chris, Great post! I have been in the fitness industry for over 10 years. I have had what I thought was a "business" for the past 7.It is the most rewarding job I have ever had. Lately, I am trying to leave my "Job" and make my business more mobile so I can travel more and spend more time with my soon to be wife. That is why I am going to Fitness Info Summit in October. I have some ideas I wat to put into action! Thanks and keep up the awesome, inspiring work!
Hi Chris-I do what I do because I'm great at it, and because of my family-We have 5 kids, and a 7 y.o. and 18 month old,(yup-insane!), at home-that are my responsibility! I am also sick with CFIDS,
chronic-active, anti-biotic resistant. This is why I haven't responded to all your great offers-I just can't take on any more than I'm doing until I have a "normal" year-(like one in which I
don't wonder if I'm gonna survive more than once!)…The good thing is that with my research background, I can fix people-and I'm pretty passionate about that-I have a TMBI client that couldn't get
off a chair, or legpress 35 lb.s; 2 months after working with me he
could leg-press 235#! He's also on 1/2 of his med.s, and still seizure- free.That's the stuff that gets me to the gym!:)Aly
As a customer of just about all the programs and training for a long time…I've had the marriages(4 smile,what can i say,i get bored!), the traveling,little and lots of free time and just about all the addictions a person could have…training around and with hot,hot women motivates this guy!
You have to love it and stay on your "game"(great book for those that haven't read it)
Chris, your products are solid! The Fitness Formula crew and the site they helped create works very well, Kick Back life also stream lines several biz system elements all trainers need help with.
I can honestly say that after the length of time in the biz and still admitting that there's so much to learn, is a clue to the newbies…less than a year, stop dicking around and order all his and Bedros' gear! The hook up will save you years of struggle…I'm just saying
Go Kill it as Zach shouts!
Shout at ya later
E/M2
Yo Zach, Great story. YOu continue to inspire and
take people higher.
I like what you said about the nightmare of your daughter telling you that you never did it, that you never took the big leap.
That resonates with a bunch of people.
I think you and chris are brothers from another mother.
Hello Chris!
This was a very introspective post and you asked some questions that all of us need to answer, much like the success/dream list that Steve Hochman mentions we all must have.
I've been inspired by all the posts and videos from you, Steve and Bedros. Inspired enough to take major action in the last month and a half to turn my mediocre personal training j-o-b (because that's really what I had) of 14 months, into a business that will make me 6-figures and more before my 30th b-day next November. No more BS excuses that "I'm just a new business and it's ok to not make a lot in the first year". I'm waaayyy out of my comfort zone, and you know what? It's not that scary after all. Liberating would be a better word. Exciting.
Once fear goes by the wayside, nothing else matters, except success.
Love your posts.
-Sara
ALbertooooo, yea bruddah, Chris & I ARE bruddahs, we discovered this a few months ago, not sure who is crazier, you would wanna ask our Psychologists
I am here 2 inspire….SON!
–z–
[...] other day my buddy Chris McCombs did killer blog post on “why he does what he does” and I wanted to expand on his post. I just [...]
Hey Chris,
Quick question. Could you tell me about your first try at info-marketing. Was your first try successfull or did it take a couple of tries to get something that actually brought in money?
Thanks,
Rick
It is truly a gift to help others transform their lives and in the process provide a living example for my kids on how to live life to the fullest. My fitness businesses give me the opportunity to share my gifts, and to inspire others to do the same.
In return, my own life is more fulfilling, rewarding, and full of adventure!
Thanks for the post.
John