Who are you, and what do you do?
Hi, my name is David Reagan, and I am the founder of David Reagan Atlanta Training. I work with busy executives in Atlanta, GA, helping them find a balance between working 50 hours a week and taking care of their bodies. Many of my clients are family men who think they don’t have time or energy to work out or follow a nutrition plan. We work with them to overcome their mindset blocks and set priorities straight. After, we set up workout routines. I also suggest meal plans to help them achieve their goals. For some people, the goal might be to look better, but most just want to feel good in their own skin. My team and I help them accomplish that and much more.
What has been one insight or lesson that has been most helpful in your career?
I learned early on that fitness for many people seems like a chore. Many body-builders and fitness professionals love getting their bodies moving. But most people, who work sitting at the desk all day or meeting clients, don’t have the energy at the end of the day to work out. They simply don’t want to do it. So the insight I’ve learned that has been the most helpful in my career is that you can not make someone do what they don’t want to do. To help my client achieve their fitness goal, I have to make sure they are motivated and know their “why.” Otherwise, just giving them a workout plan won’t work because they will look at it and not take action.
What has been your favorite mistake? A mistake that in retrospect led to a great lesson and progress.
I make mistakes all the time. I don’t think I have any favorite mistakes because I am very hard on myself when things don’t go how I’ve planned them. But the most impactful mistake I’ve made was when I gave away too much advice for free. It happened a long time ago when I was just starting. One of my friends referred me to someone they knew. Long story short, the guy wasted a lot of my time asking questions and getting free information but never signed up for my services. It was bizarre considering that the person who referred me to him said he was very motivated to change his life. I think he just took advantage of the fact that I wanted to provide a lot of value upfront. I learned my lesson, and even though I still do give a lot of information to my prospects, I have a well-defined line that I don’t cross. Some people are simply not ready to commit.
Project forward ten years. How will your industry or field be fundamentally different then? What opportunities do you see?
The trend of working out from home has been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic. Even after the vaccine is released, I believe that many people will prefer to have at-home gyms. Especially for someone like my clients, it’s a great way to save time commuting to and from the offsite gym. As far as opportunities I see, I believe that more fitness trainers will get specialized within a specific niche. YouTube makes it easy for people to find workouts; however, not all of them work for different age groups or if you’ve had injuries, etc. Most people want to be healthy, but not all can find appropriate advice on the web. I think finding a niche to specialize in within the fitness training industry is the way to go.
What are some bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?
There are many. Most are relative to nutrition and weight loss. We assume that all people are created the same, but it’s not always the case. I believe in the personalization of workout and meal plans and getting to know clients. But if you search for weight loss advice on Google, you will find some controversial information. Always double-check the sources and where this advice comes from.
In the last two years, what have you become better at saying no to?
I used to overwork myself, but recently I learned to say no to my ego. I realized that I don’t have to do everything alone, and I can and should delegate some of my work. It wasn’t easy to do, but it freed up the time to plan and be strategic, educate myself, and deepen my expertise.
What is the one book you recommend most often and why?
I usually recommend “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. Fitness and weight loss are essentially new habits that one has to develop and this book, in particular, explains the process of forming habits in a very comprehensive way. “Miracle Morning” is a good one as well, by Hal Elrod.
What advice would you give a smart and ambitious recent college graduate? What advice should they ignore?
Growing up, I heard older people say that you have to find a job that will pay you well with benefits and stability. Well, as COVID-19 showed, nothing is really permanent and stable. So, one piece of advice I can give to recent graduates is to embrace uncertainty. It requires a state of surrender because uncertainty means you are out of control. But there is something empowering in the acceptance. Once we accept that we can’t control something, we let it go and gain our power to take action where we can make a change. So, embrace uncertainty and take action where you know you can.
What is your favorite quote, one you aim to live by?
“Be the change you want to see in the world” by Gandhi.
Connect
Via my website https://www.davidreaganatlanta.com/.