As a fitness or wellbeing business owner, it wouldn’t surprise me if you’re currently feeling stuck in a constant cycle of go, go, go; hustle, hustle hustle. Every month brings new clients to work with, new programs to create, and more goals to hit. But while it’s tempting to stay in this perpetual “doing” mode, one of the simplest and most effective things you can do to break the hustle habit often gets overlooked, even though it’s absolutely free:
** Reflection **
Now you might dismiss this as too simple. You might assume you already have a pretty good sense of what’s going right or wrong in the business. You might believe you’re making informed decisions without needing to stop and reflect. But without a conscious, structured approach to reflection, many end up repeating the same mistakes over and over, spinning their wheels without making meaningful progress. When we don’t pause to evaluate our actions, it becomes easy to miss critical insights that could transform our businesses.
Remember: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.” – Rita Mae Brown
Why Use Reflection In Your Business?
- See the Bigger Picture
When you’re caught up in the day-to-day tasks of running a business, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. You might be hitting short-term goals but missing long-term trends or shifts in your market. Reflection gives you the opportunity to check in with the bigger picture and to check if you are still on track or veering off course.
- Break Out of Old Habits
Reflection helps you identify patterns of behaviour that may not be serving you. Are you consistently overbooking yourself, underpricing your services, or neglecting your marketing efforts?
These habits often stem from subconscious beliefs, like “I have to work hard to be successful” or “I’m not worth charging more.” When you reflect on your actions, you can pinpoint where these patterns are holding you back and start making intentional changes.
- Improve Your Decision-Making
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of decisions you need to make. By taking the time to reflect, you can identify what’s truly important and make decisions that align with your long-term goals, rather than reacting impulsively to immediate needs.
This not only makes you more efficient but also ensures your actions are strategic and well thought out.
- Boost Your Confidence
One of the most powerful benefits of reflection is the confidence it builds. When you take the time to reflect on what’s going well in your business, you start recognising your own strengths and accomplishments. Even small wins, when acknowledged, can fuel your confidence and reinforce your belief that you’re on the right path. This mindset shift is critical for tackling bigger challenges and aiming for higher levels of success.
- Develop an Abundant Money Mindset
Many fitness and wellbeing professionals have a complicated relationship with money. They might feel uncomfortable charging what they’re worth or have an underlying belief that they can only earn a certain amount. Reflection helps you address these limiting beliefs and start shifting towards a mindset of abundance. By examining where you’re holding back financially, you can begin to make changes that attract more wealth into your business.
How to Incorporate Reflection into Your Routine:
- Set Aside Time: Make reflection a non-negotiable part of your routine. Whether it’s once a week or once a month, schedule time to sit down and review your progress. Think about what’s working, what’s not, and where you want to go next.
- Keep a Journal: Writing down your thoughts can be a powerful tool for reflection. Keep a journal where you can note your successes, challenges, and the lessons you’re learning along the way. This will not only help you gain clarity but also serve as a record of your growth over time.
- Ask the Right Questions: Reflection isn’t just about thinking deeply, it’s about asking yourself the right questions. The main four questions I invite all my clients to consider: What went well? Would I change? What are the lessons? What are the wins? There will be overlap in the answer but that’s ok.
Reflection is more than just an occasional review of your business, it’s a mindset shift that can propel you towards greater success. When you take time to reflect, you’re not just looking at what went right or wrong; you’re gaining valuable insights into what you want to repeat and what you don’t want to repeat in your business.
The true power in the process of reflection lies in its ability for you to become the observer rather than the participant. When reflecting you take a metaphorical step back so you can observe your business instead of being in the thick of it where you can’t see everything from all angles.
Until next time,
Best wishes
Philippa x