This is a repost from Facebook last September.
Fellow Coaches and Trainers:

Loyalty isn’t rare. We all have our OG members. The originals that have been with us from the beginning. It’s likely they’ve seen us progress from continuously shouting about the weight staying in their heels —to us making comments about an early arm bend in olympic movements. Simple to complex. There are also the members that started with us and have become engrained into the culture of our gym/training.

Loyalty isn’t fair. As gyms and trainers move through different points in their careers it’s easy to lean on the loyalty of our community. We tax the relationship by taking more than we have given in the recent training sessions. This can’t happen.

Loyalty isn’t one-sided. Consider this a call to action. Invest in yourself with the aim to better serve your community, build better relationships and deliver specific goals. We can’t reward our loyal members enough. Their interests, goals and personal records must be the focus of how we educate ourselves. Seminars and clinics must be an annual occurrence. Books, videos and online courses must be cycled constantly.

Loyalty isn’t guaranteed. Our relationship with our communities is what sets us apart, but it is one sided. As trainers we must not cling to our communities. We should fear destroying their growth or tainting an opportunity. We must remain dedicated first to our craft, then the community. Understanding it will change over time and we have no control over that. What we do have control over is how the community builds a relationship with their own fitness: no matter their physical location.

Loyalty isn’t questionable. It’s actionable. Now deliver.
-Coach Aaron