About a week ago I was at my brother’s wedding. Like any family wedding, I inevitably spent a good majority of the evening catching up with family and friends – especially since I try to avoid the dance-floor like it’s steady-state cardio; which I guess it kind of is.
Anyway, I was making the rounds, enjoying my vodka & sodas, and popping in and out of different conversations.
Being the recluse and introvert-who-occasionally-acts-like-an-extrovert that I am, I had a lot of people to catch up with.
And, as with any conversation with someone whom you haven’t seen in awhile at a wedding goes, the typical questions came up:
“How’s the family?”
They’re good.
“When’s your turn to get married?”
Not anytime soon, it would appear.
“How’s life?”
Fan-fucking-tastic.
“What are you doing nowadays?”
Well…
It’s this last question that before, I didn’t really feel like I had a good answer for.
So many times I would say, “Oh, I’m a fitness coach and personal trainer.”
And as they perked up with intrigue – either real or forced – their follow up would often be something along the lines of, “Oh, that’s cool. Where at?”
To which I would respond, “Online, mostly.”
And, as that look of intrigue would usually turn to what I can only describe as a mix of confusion, disbelieve, and judgement, I would almost always follow-up with: “But, I also train clients at so-and-so gym.”
To which they would respond, “Oh, okay.” – as if I had somehow just validated that my career choice was actually real – and the conversation would usually end there.
Having lost over 80 pounds and my life changed by fitness, I knew that experience and feeling was something I wanted to help bring to the lives of other people as well; not just as a hobby, but as a career that brought me enjoyment, freedom, and of course, money as well.
When I first got into fitness – following guys like John Romaniello, Adam Bornstein, Martin Berkhan, Andy Morgan, and others – my dream was always to coach clients online.
Not only did it fit my introvert lifestyle, but more importantly, I saw it as a way to help a larger number of people, while also building the life I wanted.
So in 2014 I launched Jorden Pagel Fitness, and started pursuing my dream of being an online fitness coach.
I’ll spare you the ups-and-downs of the last 3+ years. Like anyone starting a small business, there were struggles.
I struggled to get my name out there and struggled to get clients; all the while, working with clients in-person to help supplement my income.
Back then, and even now, online fitness coaching was a relatively foreign concept to the general population.
So, anytime someone asked me what I did – and that mixed look of “What the fuck are you talking about?” came across their face – I felt like I had to legitimize my dream by adding that I also coached clients in-person as well.
I did this for two reasons:
First, I didn’t feel like most people really understood what online coaching was. And to an extent I was right. But after a brief explanation, people usually “got it;” for the most part.
But second, I felt that I needed to validate myself. I felt that because, while I was doing something that I loved, I wasn’t as successful as I wanted to be, and I needed to validate what I was doing to people by saying, “But oh yeah, I have something that people recognize as a real job too.”
Anyone who’s ever pursued a dream, and struggled to make that dream a reality, probably knows that feeling. Maybe you’ve felt it. Maybe you’ve felt what it’s like to have friends, family, or a significant other gently suggest you should “get a real job.”
Maybe you’ve struggled with Imposter Syndrome, where no matter how many people compliment you for what you do, you have that doubt in your mind of whether or not what you’re doing is, in fact, real.
For the first three years of my business, whenever someone asked me what I did, I told them; with a disclaimer. Because I thought they wouldn’t believe it was real; because part of me didn’t believe it was real.
Coaching clients in person was never something I really wanted to do long-term.
I didn’t want to have to live a life scheduled hour-by-hour.
I didn’t want to have to get up at 5am every morning to train clients.
I didn’t want to have be in a good writing flow, and then have to take a break to go train someone.
I didn’t want to have to stop making money, if I wanted to go away for the weekend.
But probably most important to me, I didn’t want to have to be limited in the number of people I could help.
That’s why I wanted to coach clients online. That was my dream.
I say “was” because, the other night at the wedding, I realized something…
As friends and family were coming up to me, and they inevitably asked me what I was doing, without even thinking about it I replied, “I’m an online fitness and nutrition coach.”
No disclaimer. No hesitation.
And that’s when I realized that everything I had put into this business over the last three years had started paying off. Instead of people saying, “What’s that?” I’d get responses like, “Oh yeah, I see your stuff on Facebook!” or “That’s really cool!”
It’s at that point when I realized that my dream wasn’t a dream anymore; it was a reality.
And I realized I had been living that reality for a while. I just didn’t realize I was living it until I said it aloud enough times that my mind made the connection.
No longer did I have to do something that I didn’t want to do, just to be able to do something that I wanted to do.
No longer did I need to take on in-person clients just to support my dream of helping more people with online coaching.
Not that there’s anything wrong with coaching clients in-person. I know a lot of great trainers who do a fantastic job. But that’s not my dream. That’s not how I want to build my freedom. That’s not the way I feel I’m best-served to help people.
So yes, I’m an online fitness and nutrition coach. That’s what I do.
I don’t coach clients in person anymore. If that’s what you want, I know a few great trainers who can help you.
But, if you want to work with me – if you want to transform your body and your life – all while giving yourself more time in your day, I will help you do that.
I will get you results.
How do I know that; besides the fact that I’ve done it?
Because my dream is to help you accomplish your dream. And as I’ve just spent the last few minutes illustrating to you, I don’t stop until my dream (and yours) is accomplished.
So, maybe you tired of spinning your wheels and losing the same few pounds over and over again – or not seeing any results at all.
Maybe your sick of wondering if you’re doing the right things in the gym.
Maybe you just want to know how you’re supposed to eat to lose weight.
Or maybe you’re just like, “Hey, this internet coach guy seems cool. Maybe we could be friends.”
If any of that sounds like you – if you just want to know more about all this – here’s what I want you to do: Go to the bottom of this page, fill out the application, tell me about yourself, and why you want to be one of the next five people who spend the next four months turning their dreams into reality.
Apply for one of the five open spots in my online coaching program now, and find out how you can accomplish your fitness dreams.