We were lucky to catch up with Cathy Pierce recently and have shared our conversation below.
Cathy , so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I have been working on overcoming imposter syndrome for over 20 years. As a Personal Trainer I give advice every day on making healthy choices such as moving your body every day or strive for 6-8 hours of sleep each night. As a 50 year old ex-athlete with many nagging injuries I do not move my body every day. I give advice but often struggle to take it for myself. Moving my body every day is a challenge as sometimes my injuries will not allow me to move my body for exercise for weeks or even months. This makes me feel like an imposter. Getting a good night’s sleep is often difficult too as my older teens stay up late. I strive to go to bed but then find myself involved in a television show with my husband or engaged in something with a child. I try to give myself grace as I am only human. I feel as if my clients sometimes view me as a “machine” who has it all figured out. I do not. I feel like an imposter. I am honest with my clients so they know I can relate to the pace of life, family, work and exercise. I feel this is part of why my clients keep coming. They know I understand injuries. They know I understand staying up too late or skipping your workout. Yet I still feel like an imposter. This is part of my life journey and I will continue to work on overcoming it while also embracing the human being I am.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
In my teens I was an elite athlete with a college scholarship and goals. Due to injury I had to leave the pool, give up my scholarship and find a new college. This was devastating and I was wrecked. Thankfully I had my family, great friends and met my future husband in college. Following college I got married and had 4 children within 6 years. While having my children I also was teaching Group Fitness classes at a local gym. I continued to suffer from various nagging injuries over the next 10 years and at one point was in a wheelchair on a family vacation. Throughout this process their were doctor visits, procedures, medications and lots of physical therapy for various issues, Now, 15 years later I have recently had my 6th procedure on my knee and this time it was a replacement. My injuries are from head to toe yet I knew how to workout around them. Teaching those big Group Fitness classes was fine in my 30’s and early 40’s but now that I am entering my 50’s I prefer to train people in a smaller setting so that I can give individualized workouts to each client. This is Small Group Training which has become my specialty. I am now the owner/founder of a Personal Training studio in my hometown, Motion Fitness. My motto is “A body in motion stays in motion.” I have continued to exercise even with my injuries. My goals are simple. I want to get up and down off the floor when I have grandchildren. I want to attend my grandchildren’s sporting events. I want to walk through uneven fields and climb the steps into the bleachers. I am investing in my future. I will not stop moving. My 83 year old father stopped exercising 2 years ago and it has had a huge negative impact on his quality of life. My husband’s grandmother on the other hand is 98 years old and plays Bocci Ball, swims. teaches Tai Chi and still travels via airplane by herself. Her quality of life is better than good. She is active and always has been. I want my clients to stay active. I want to teach my community the value of strength training and continuing to move throughout life.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Perseverance. Persistence. Patience. Perseverance and persistence are very similar attributes. Pursuing a goal means persevering in the face of failure. There are lessons in failure. I don’t mind trying and failing as I can always learn from it. We should not be afraid to fail. If we are afraid to fail we will probably never even try. Keep going. Keep trying. This bleeds into persistence. To be relentless in your efforts is being persistent. We need to go after what we want and not stop until we get it. Keep going. Keep trying. Patience is key in all aspects of life. As I am currently recovering from a knee replacement I am practicing patience. This may be the biggest attribute to my success and yet the hardest quality to nurture. I have been patient for a long time with the goal of owning my own studio. It has taken over 20 years but all those failures, the times I was told “no” or passed over, and my patience brought me to my goal.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal client is someone focused on strength training for their future health. I love to have clients who have never exercised before but now their back aches and they want to feel better. I like clients who are finished with physical therapy and looking to keep their joints healthy. A new grandmother who wants better balance so she can carry her grandbaby confidently would be a great client. I like clients who are investing in their future.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://motionfitnessforlife.com
- Youtube: @CathyintheCar
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