What is the legacy of your business going to be? As trainers, living day-to-day in your fitness business is essential! But it’s also important to understand where you want to be in a year, two years, five years! Just as your clients set their fitness goals, you need to set your fitness business goals! It’s necessary to set goals for years to come.

Ask yourself this: “Where do I see my fitness business in five years?” As intimidating as that may seem, the longevity and sustainability of your business depend on you being able to see the “big picture.” Commonly, as entrepreneurs we are very focused on the “right here, right now” approach to the success of our businesses, rather than understanding what it is we actually want. You may have faced some setbacks in 2020 due to the pandemic (I definitely had to make some changes to keep my business going!) so it’s a perfect time to think beyond the pandemic and envision how your business will look in the coming years.

Consider your “Why?”

Unfortunately, many fitness businesses fail because they haven’t established the “Why?” for creating their fitness business in the first place. Their internal drive to reach their end goal(s) is lacking. This type of approach can sometimes cause trainers to give up!

“This career path is just not paying the bills!”

“I can’t continue putting in money to my business if I’m not getting an immediate return.”

By diving into the “Where do I see my fitness business in five years?” question, you are able to understand the big picture of your own business. This will help you navigate through the highs and lows of your journey without calling a quits.

Finding the “Why?” to your business model is the first step in understanding what it is you want to get out of your own fitness business. This “Why?” may align with goals such as: a certain revenue marker, a business mission you feel strongly about, or perhaps a way of life you want to fulfill in your personal and professional life. Your established “Why?” will help you understand what your current and future goal aspirations are, as well as drive growth.

Ask yourself some questions

Just as you initially set the blueprint of your fitness business into motion, think about how you want your business to grow. Furthermore, ask yourself questions like:

• Is my preference to work in-person or online?
• Is the end goal to be hands-on or hands-off in my business?
• Do I want to open more locations or build my online platform internationally?
• Am I content with my revenue or do I want to earn more money?

All of these questions will help you map out your fitness business five-year plan while being part of the “big picture” goal.

Establish your goals and dreams

Personally, I started as an in-person trainer. Then, I expanded to a full-time online training platform. This wasn’t just a shot in the dark! It took years of planning, goal setting, and executing my “big picture” goals that have gotten me to where I am today. I continue to plan for the future with my fitness business’s five-year plan. Mine looks something like this:

• Increase my yearly sales revenue by 50% each year by increasing the reach of business worldwide
• Create and execute wellness retreats for women
• Effectively reach a total of seven-figure yearly earnings
• Write and publish my own book that captures the mission of my business in order to impact the lives of women to understand the true meaning of health and wellness

You might be thinking to yourself, “Wow, that’s quite ambitious of her.” That’s fine, but I believe that you must think big in order to drive the success of your business and your personal development.

Every fitness business’s five-year plan looks different but, in order to achieve your goals, you must envision yourself having accomplished them! Instead of simply thinking about where you want your fitness business to be in five years, it’s best you write them down. Write them down and put them somewhere visible,  so they push you every day to accomplish these goals.

The longevity of your business depends on your own internal motivation driven by looking towards the future. I recommend you take a look at your current fitness business and start planning for the future of your personal and professional success for years to come.