Does this Motivate or Intimidate?

When we bring on a new member to our team we want to ensure we're on the same page when it comes all aspects of training, nutrition, recovery, mindset and everything else related to attaining a goal for a client.

And typically I'll quiz them as to 'what is most important?'

Many of them will say nutrition is the most important. Others will reply that when the nutrition is already dialed in, as it is for many athletes, than the training is most important.

We also get a variety of other responses such as coaching, programming, recovery and other things that influence the types of results we may see when working with someone.

But none of these are the most important.

Don't get me wrong. They are hugely important and depending on the individual, their level of training and the goal(s) they are working towards, all of the elements they mentioned are crucial to success.

But where somebody's head is at is the most important. If they believe in the process good things will happen. If they are prepared to give their best good things will happen. If they are prepared to do whatever it takes than the outcome is generally positive.

[caption id="attachment_3739" align="alignleft" width="207"] Does this motivate or intimidate?


So knowing this I'm curious as to how people respond when fitness professionals post ads with pictures of lean, athletic models with bullet point notes about the person's situation in life. The whole ad is then framed around the statement 'What's your excuse?'.

Since ads of this type have started appearing I am becoming more aware of new terminology. Or terminology that's new to me anyways. I'm referring to terms such as:

fat-shaming

hate-speech (not really new, but new to fitness blogs)

bullying (again, not new but new as it applies to fitness headlines)

C'mon! Really? Have we as a society gotten this insecure that we need to take a serious issue where school kids are intimidated, harassed and beaten and put this on the same level as someone questioning another's inability and refusal to get in to shape?

If I were the parent of a child that actually was the victim of bullying I'd think 'are you kidding me?'. You minimize the seriousness of a real bully episode by calling a picture that you bothers you bullying.

But I'm curious how everyone feels about this?

I get that the intent of the ad was meant to cause others to look at their own lives and see if maybe they could do more. But for many it has missed the mark.

A number of people are not inspired by this ad. A number do feel worse about themselves. And a number will not be motivated to take control of their health as a result.

What do you say?

Is this ad too much? Does it motivate? Or does it have the opposite effect?

And do you agree that maybe when we need to create new language to describe these types of ads that maybe this is just a defense mechanism to protect our fragile psyches? Rather than be honest with ourselves and take some to answer the question it's easier to go on the offensive and call the offender a bully, fat-shamer or hateful.

Let me know what you think. Especially if you don't agree with me. I'm especially curious to hear what the women and mom's think about all this.

Chris [fb-like]