Sarah ran a small Pilates studio in the Midlands. On the surface, things looked fine. Her timetable was full, clients turned up to classes, and the numbers ticked over. From the outside, you’d think she had it sorted.
But under the surface, she was drained.
Every week felt like firefighting. One week it was staff sickness, the next it was cancellations. Her marketing felt messy and inconsistent, one week she was pouring energy into Instagram reels, the next she was printing stacks of flyers. She tried everything, but nothing seemed to stick.
The real problem wasn’t her timetable or her marketing plan. It was a lack of clarity.
Sarah’s mindset was stuck in survival mode. She told herself,
“If I just work harder, things will improve.”
So she did, she worked harder than ever. But the harder she pushed, the foggier it became – she couldn’t see the wood for the tress.
Without clarity, she was making reactive decisions. If a client suggested a new class, she added it to the timetable. If she saw another studio doing something flashy, she copied it. If a competitor cut their prices, she felt pressured to do the same.
She wasn’t leading her business, she was chasing it.
The tuning point came for Sarah one morning as she sat in her studio before the 7am class. The place was quiet, mats lined up in rows, music off. For the first time in a long time, she let herself admit: she couldn’t keep going like this.
She wasn’t even sure what success meant to her anymore.
That’s when she reached out for coaching. And here’s the thing: the first work she did wasn’t on her timetable, her prices, or her marketing strategy. It was on her mindset.
Through reflection and honest conversation, she began to see the stories that were clouding her clarity:
- I can’t say no. Clients will leave.
- I need to do everything myself.
- If I don’t keep adding new things, I’ll fall behind.
These weren’t facts. They were beliefs… and once she recognised them, she could begin to challenge them.
With a clearer head, Sarah made practical shifts that transformed her business.
- Instead of running a dozen different classes, she honed in on what she loved most: small group Pilates for women over 40. It was the work that energised her, and it was exactly where her market was.
- She stopped giving vague instructions and instead shared a simple, clear framework. Who they were serving, how to invite clients, and what kind of results they were focusing on. Suddenly her instructors knew what success looked like, and how they could deliver it.
- Sarah let go of the pressure to be everywhere all at once. Instead of jumping between every marketing idea, she chose two channels that worked and gave them her focus. The rest she ignored.
The result wasn’t just a calmer studio. It was a more profitable one.
Sarah’s story makes one thing clear: clarity isn’t something you can get from a spreadsheet. It starts with your mindset.
If you believe you’re not good enough, your clarity will always be blurred by “shoulds.”
If you’re stuck comparing yourself to others, your decisions will get hijacked by their goals instead of your own.
If you’re in scarcity mode, you’ll chase everything, spreading yourself thin and diluting your impact.
A stronger mindset clears the fog. It helps you ask questions that matter:
- What do I actually want?
- What do my clients need from me?
- What will take me closer to my vision, not just keep me busy?
Clarity is never about doing more. It’s about doing the right things for the right reasons.
Every fitness or wellbeing business owner hits a foggy patch at some point. It’s part of the process. The question is whether you stay in it, or whether you do the mindset work that allows you to step out and see clearly again.
Sarah’s story is proof that when you clear the mental clutter, the practical solutions follow.
And, if you want some 1:1 help with this, reach out to me via email philippa@holdmyhandcoaching.com – we can work on this together.
Until next time,
Best wishes
Philippa x