by John | Sep 22, 2014 | Best Practices, Instructor Training
Found this great graphic at http://cooperandkid.com
We published the first 7 challenges yesterday and thought it would be fun to share my thoughts about each as daily posts.
By the way, you can still join the ICI/PRO 28 day Challenge – click here to request admission to our Facebook Group.
Challenge #1
We all have areas where we know we could improve. Today's challenge is to publicly commit to one tangible improvement at least for the next 27 days of the challenge (e.g.: start your class on time, spend more time helping new students, not be in a hurry to leave, build in more warm-up into your profile, etc..)
I'll often begin my class with this statement:
I walked in here believing all of you are capable of successfully completing everything I throw at you… it will be up to each of you, to prove me wrong.
This challenge is based on the same perception in your capabilities as an Instructor – actually all of the the challenges start from our belief that you can successfully complete all of the challenges. That's not to say that they're easy. Many will be truly challenging, but Lena and I feel you're up to all 28 of them.
We all have areas where we know we could improve. You don't need anyone to tell you; you need to get to class on time, or be better prepared. You already know your own flaws and weaknesses. But for some reason we don't choose to correct them; we're perpetually late, wing the class because we forgot to prepare, etc…
It becomes our little secret; I know. I know. I'm late to my class again.
Maybe no one will notice – they will and they do 🙁
I'll try to do better next week – but you don't…
Keeping your secret is easy, you just don't tell anyone. But something very important happens when you disclose your behavioral flaw to others – you might feel the need to correct it, because there's a chance the person you told may ask you again.
That's the purpose of the public statement. When said aloud; “I will not be late to class this month” you are giving the person/people you say it to permission to hold you accountable. Most of your class doesn't have trouble getting there on time – and they, in turn, believe you are just as capable as they are… now it's up to you to prove them wrong.
by John | Sep 21, 2014 | Latest News
The ICI/PRO 28 Day Challenge started 8 minutes ago!
I'm really stoked to see the results from each challenge as they filter in.
- Who'll be all over this? Drop out – or never start?
- What crazy stories will we read?
- Who's going to win?
Challenge #1 is the longest and for some, will be the most difficult.
There's still time to join the others who've committed to the ICI/PRO 28 Day Challenge.
by John | Sep 11, 2014 | Instructor Training, KEEPING IT FUN, Latest News, Master Instructor Blog, Promote and Build Your Class
During my interview with Instructor Lena Hershey, she explained to us how she made her personal transformation…
I have started this journey on an ordinary day in February 2013. I was in the car with my husband and two step-kids, driving home from somewhere when I said: “I will go and work out at the YMCA every day for a month starting today”. Just like that — out of the blue. I can’t even remember why I said that or what prompted that decision. I just said that and once I did, I had to do it. So I did.
Lena's first step was saying it out loud – where others would hear her.
Making public commitments can be very powerful – especially when told to people who will hold you accountable. Which got me thinking; “wouldn't it be cool to use social media to give Instructors a place to post their commitments to change/growth/improvement and then other Instructors could hold them accountable?”
So I told Lena about my idea. Not only was she excited about developing the concept, she wanted to see it become real. Not wanting to disappoint her forced me into action – which I did by agreeing to collaborate with her until we had completed this task. Here's the result:
ICI/PRO 28 Day Challenge
28 unique challenges, to be completed over 28 days. Are you willing to do the work required to become a better Indoor Cycling Instructor?
Nothing impossible (teach 10 classes back-to-back & non stop) or dangerous (base jumping). Each challenge is designed to help you grow as a person and as an Indoor Cycling Instructor. Some might be easy for you… others you’ll want to skip when you read them – but you won’t because you made the commitment and you're going to keep it.
Here’s how this challenge works:
- Join our private Facebook Group — facebook.com/groups/ICIPROChallenge
- The group's privacy settings are set so your posts and comments are not visible to non-members of the group and none of your comments should show up in your newsfeed.
- Make a public commitment to complete Challenge #1 before you know what it is (or any of the others are) on the post we’ve provided. Don’t ask for more information before 9/21 – our lips are sealed until…
- On the morning of Sunday September 21st we’ll reveal the first seven challenges for you to complete.
- You'll have one week to complete the challenges.
- The next seven challenges will follow on Sunday 28th, October 5th and 12th.
- Four weeks x seven challenges each week = 28 total.
There will be a post for each of the 28 challenges in the FB group where you'll note your completion and leave a comment about what happened/what you learned/what you experienced during that challenge.
We will tell you this much:
- None of the challenges are particularly time consuming, but some may require planning on your part.
- A number of challenges are focused on Teamwork — assisting and supporting other Instructors you work with and participants in the group.
- Other challenges are about stepping out of your comfortable cocoon and doing those things you know you should do, but for whatever reason (fear, insecurity, procrastination, etc..) you choose not to.
Prizes
First of all, the real reward will hopefully be a better you at the end of this ☺
But I love offering prizes so here they are!
Season pass to ICI/PRO – Complete all 28 challenges to the best of your ability and earn a six month subscription to ICI/PRO, a $60.00 value.
The winners of the ICI/PRO challenge – will be the two Instructors we feel best exemplify the spirit and intent of this personal growth exercise. We realize that this is hard to define, but we feel we’ll know who wins when we see it.
If we can't decide we'll be asking the group who they feel should win.
And what do they win? My friends at Fit Bodies Inc are providing the top 2 instructors with vouchers for a free (agent fee is normally $400-
$550) one week fitness vacation for two adults (+ two kids* under 12) at any of 60 Caribbean all-inclusive resorts.
Many of you have heard me talk about my wife Amy and I have taken dozens of these trips — everyone was fabulous. They are the absolute best deal for a fitness Instructor to spend a romantic week at a gorgeous resort in Jamaica, Mexico and other exotic locations.
These are 4/5 star resorts where couples pay $3-5,000 per week + Air. You are treated as a full guest… except that you’re also the 9:30 cycling Instructor.
Travel (air-fare) is not included and some resorts do require a Group Fitness or Mind-Body certification.
More information here http://www.workingfitnessvacation.com/about/
* There are multiple resorts that are kid friendly, but all of them require you to be a Group Fitness instructor.
