Why I do what I do

The life of a health practitioner/trainer/sports kinesiologist/small business owner is a career filled with many different challenges and obstacles. People often ask me where my drive and determination comes from to be at work from 6 am to 6 pm (or later) and still continuously study, train, eat well and maintain a loving relationship at home and still have energy to give.  Well to be brutally honest there are times when I wonder if it is all worth it, if maybe a regular job with normal hours is better than al the additional responsibility, if maybe this isn’t the right path for me to take and all the other concerns that every other person has when they evaluate their own lives.

I do what I do for a number of reasons. I think of these reasons everyday. This is not just my job or even my career. It is my vocation, my calling my purpose for this life. I don’t think of each new client as a chore or a task; I think of each new client as an opportunity. Everyday I get the opportunity to work with someone on the one thing they will have with them for their rest of their lives – their body. When I first really grasped this concept and its true meaning, it was a revelation. Every minute I am with someone is an opportunity to positively affect them for as long as they are alive. This is a gift.

The nature of my work draws me to study more and more fields and disciplines and relate them to the clients I have the opportunity to treat. This has led me to study (in no particular order) endocrinology, weight training, programming, periodization, rehab, biomechanics, kinesiology, counseling, eastern medicine, acupuncture theory, anatomy, physiology, naturopathic medicine, functional medicine, vibrational medicine and nutrition to name a few. Now the amazing thing about this is this is what I would do if I didn’t have to work! This stuff fascinated me and there is always so much more to learn. Every time you feel you are getting a solid grasp on a concept you will learn something new that will totally shift your viewpoint. According to Dr John Demartini when your vocation and your vacation are matched, you have mastered your life. I dare not say I have mastered my life (still a number of things to work on) but I must be getting close!

The clients I work with bring with them new experiences and perspectives from which I can learn and further grow as a person. I have recently had one of my most challenging clients with a case history  that would make most people give up. Yet this person was strong, determined and optimistic. People like this are a reason to come to work – they can inspire us to be better people and also to appreciate the gifts that we each have. I fell I have learnt so much from my clients that it is nearly unfair to make money from working with them!

I challenge you to look at your life and see if you can identify the reasons why you do what you do. If you look hard enough you will find there is an underlying reason that you are involves you in your work. If you really can’t see a reason maybe this will push you to be accountable, and hold yourself to a higher standard so you too can make your vocation your vacation.