Hi there! My name is Ilija Jahura, and I am a personal trainer and health/fitness expert.
What has been one insight or lesson that has been most helpful in your career?
Listen: Nothing comes easy. You need to work hard and stay focused in everything you do.
What has been your favorite mistake? A mistake that in retrospect, led to a great lesson and progress.
There have been a lot of mistakes I have made in the past. Maybe the hardest mistake is when you have a client that you could have gotten somewhere faster than you first realized. But I think the most important thing to takeaway is that nothing every goes how you planned it, and you have to keep yourself steady in the pursuit of perfection.
Project forward ten years. How will your industry or field be fundamentally different then? What opportunities do you see?
I see myself growing a lot as a whole — mentally, physically, as well as financially. And more importantly, I see myself finding many more opportunities to help more people achieve their goals.
What are some bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?
I can think of at least two. The first is overtraining — you do not need to push yourself too hard out there. The second bad recommendation is a bit broad, but it is all too common: Diet misconceptions are everywhere.
In the last two years, what have you become better at saying no to?
I’ve learned to always be ready to question misinformation. You really do need to always seek clarity on what is really being said.
What is the one book you recommend most often and why?
I would have to recommend a book called The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson. This book breaks down the simple choices we face every single day, and it really opens your mind to a lot of possibilities for improvement. Something that is easy to do is just as easy ‘not’ to do. Success depends on what you choose to do.
What advice would you give a smart and ambitious recent college graduate? What advice should they ignore?
Keep moving forward with the skills and relationships you have built in the past.
What is your favorite quote, one you aim to live by?
One that I am always using and always say to my clients is this, “Perfect practice makes perfect.”
Connect
That’s easy enough! Go ahead and search for “Ilija Jahura” on LinkedIn or Twitter.