Ditching my job in The City and becoming a Personal Trainer was definitely the biggest decision of my life, I’m glad to say one I haven’t regretted since and one which has led to 4 years full of Yes moments.
Saying No…..
Before I could start saying yes however, I had to say no…...
I had to say no to the generous salary, pension contribution and annual leave.
I had to say no to the security of a monthly pay check and clear career path.
Alternatively….
I had to say no to the job that gave me nothing but a salary, pension contribution and annual leave.
I had to say no to working in an office and sitting down all day whilst my back hurt and my neck got stiff hunched over a laptop.
I had to say no to the growing sense that it was OK if I was bored in my job and bored in life. That’s what work is like, everyone feels the same, it’s just how it is, that’s why you have holidays.
So, in 2014 I said no to the job in The City, working for The Man, playing on spreadsheets and watching the clock.
Saying Yes…..
Instead I decided to say yes to that little voice inside my head to follow my passion, to take the risk and see if I could make something on my own rather than follow the breadcrumbs from school to university, to graduate programme, to job to better paid job and onwards.
So…….
I said yes to a big pay drop, unpredictable income and unpaid holiday.
I said yes to a 5am alarm each morning.
I said yes to a regular sense of unease and uncertainty about what the future holds.
It turns out I was also saying yes to spending hours outside come rain, sun or snow, afternoon naps, wearing sports gear 99% of the time, making new friends, working with a national charity, being featured in Grazia magazine and The Daily Telegraph and being told I can’t have a kiss by my wife because I smell of a rubbery gym floor!!!!
What I knew at the time was that I enjoyed sport and exercise, I was a big believer in the benefits of an active lifestyle and how much regular exercise can make a difference to your mental health as well as physical.
What I didn’t know was that I also loved helping people. Helping people to achieve things they didn’t think they could do. Helping people to find ways to make small changes that have a big impact on their lives. Helping people realise that there are hundreds of ways to “work out” and that they don’t have to be a chore and sometimes might even be fun!!!!
The happiness and sense of pride when clients not just meet but smash their targets, whether that’s rehabbing an injury, losing weight, completing their first chin-up or simply building lasting habits that make their lives better is immense and safely far outweighs any of the joys I felt in my career in The City.
In saying yes to becoming a PT I’ve also said yes to learning what makes me truly happy, to better relationships with friends and family, to a new love of cold showers and ice baths, to better sleep and less stress amongst a long list of things I would never have guessed would have come my way.
The next Yes….
Having said yes to Personal Training and stepping out of my comfort zone I am now saying Yes to a new adventure.
I have founded a company called Do More Movement to work with health and fitness retreats from around the world, to help spread our joint beliefs in the benefits and fun to be had with an active lifestyle.
From surfing camps in Portugal, yoga retreats in Sri Lanka, trail running in the Alps or triathlon training in Spain, the aim of Do More Movement is to let people know that there is more to being fit and active than plodding along on a treadmill or reluctantly getting shouted at by an angry bootcamp instructor.
It’s early days and that familiar sense of unease and uncertainty is back. The feeling that I’m not entirely sure what I’m doing is a regular companion again.
However, whatever happens I’m confident by saying Yes I’ll learn more about myself and have more fun along the way than I ever would have if I had never said Yes and embraced the unknown in 2014.
If you are looking for an adventure or simply would like to know more about Do More Movement check it out at www.DoMoreMovement.com and you should be able to find something to inspire you.
Alternatively, if you’re based in South London and looking for some Personal Training check me out at www.jeremyjohnstonpersonaltraining.co.uk
If social media is your thing, take your pick:
Instagram: @jeremyjohnstonpt & @do.more.movement
Twitter: @PTjeremyJ & @DoMoreMovement
