One hour into Switch, I'm already recognizing profound implications for both your clients and your CrossFit box.
One of the major problems people have, when making Resolutions or other decisions, is that they focus too hard on the negative. "I'm fat. I'm out of shape. I have no willpower..." we hear this all the time. But Chip and Dan Heath think it's a mistake to start the goal-setting process from that point.
Instead, they're recommending that you identify bright spots first. Chances are, a new client isn't doing EVERYTHING wrong; they're just doing the right things infrequently. Even if they're reading about exercise, but not acting on it, they're doing something. Your first job at the time of intake is to identify a few Bright Spots in the past, and then try to isolate some small bright spots in the future.
Q: What are you doing right now that's working?
Be specific. "Well, I'm walking the dog every day." "I'm trying hard" isn't specific enough. "I really WANT to this time!" is too vague.
Build on that first Bright Spot. "OK, let's keep that going."
Try to duplicate that Bright Spot. "How do you feel while you're walking your dog? What do you think about? What do you enjoy about it? Where do you go? What do you enjoy seeing? What's the best part? Do you prefer to walk your dog at the end of the day, or in the morning? Do you enjoy seeing your dog have fun?" Find out WHY.
THEN do goal-setting. Let's say that the client would like to lose 10lbs. It would be nice if a client came in and said, "I want to improve work capacity across broad time and modal domains." That doesn't happen. So let's go with what's more likely.
Q: How will that goal make you feel when it's attained? What made you choose that number, specifically? How do you think you'll look / feel / act?
You're getting the client to 'try on' the goal, and as anyone in retail knows, if they try it, they'll sell themselves on it.
Q: What will be your first sign that you're succeeding? Let's say that you wake up tomorrow, and 10 pounds have melted off. What's the first thing you'll do that will be different? How willl you come to realize that the weight is gone? What will change in your life? What will you have for breakfast on that day? How will you dress?
At this point, you're trying to establish their first milestone. Be specific. Don't accept, for instance, "I'll know I'm succeeding when I get on the scale and two pounds are gone." Instead, "I'll know because I'll feel lighter when I wake up. I'll know because my husband/wife will comment that I look better. I'll know because my pajamas feel loose." THAT'S your first milestone : loose pajamas drawstring. Write that down for them.
When they've achieved their first milestone, you can revisit the questions and establish their second. This short-circuits the three-month conversation you're likely to face if you don't break down the goal-setting process:
Client: "I feel great. My clothes are loose. I'm stronger and more flexible and my back pain is gone. My wife can't keep her hands off me. My hair is even coming in thicker! I don't drink as much coffee, I'm more alert, I'm not depressed. But I still haven't lost 10lbs!" If you're like me, this is one of the most aggravating conversations you can have.
The small goals, in this case, don't even have to be objective. At the three-month checkup, you can go down their list with them: has your spouse noticed a difference? Are your clothes looser? Do you feel better when you wake up? Check, check, check. Goal attained. On to the next.
Big problems aren't solved with big solutions, but with a bunch of smaller steps. The magnitude of the solution shouldn't try to match the size of the problem. If your new client is 400lbs, they may believe that they require more change than someone who weighs 200lbs. That's not true; in fact, the opposite is true. It's easier to lose 50lbs if you're 400lbs than if you're 200lbs.
(The implications for business are also big here. Tomorrow, I'll use examples for your Box.)
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