Are You Ready to Play to Win in 2020?

I was talking to a friend a few months back during baseball season and something intriguing came up. Baseball players play 162 games a year, and get between 300 and 400 at bats during the season and playing time. 

What’s interesting is a batter who bats, say 250, is considered an average hitter — not great and not horrible. However, a player who bats over 300 is great and a future Hall of Famer. 

Digging deeper, the difference may be as simple as one more hit every three or four at bats. That’s it. One ball goes their way here and there, and they are a 300 batter and future Hall of Famer.  

So how do we in the fitness industry get one more hit with our members and guests? If someone is doing better than us, is it because we are not as talented? Is it because we don’t have the playing time someone else does? Who knows. However, when I was playing ball, it really came down to a few basic things.  

First, don’t dwell on the mistakes or strikeouts. Just go back out there and play. It is amazing what one’s mindset does to their success. Your attitude truly does determine your altitude.

Second, you must get better. You must practice. The more swings you take, the better and “luckier” you get. Think of how you practice in our field. What can you do every day to master the basics? Think of the things that impact sales and retention, including smiling, communicating, executing, and being out front with members and teams. 

Lastly, you need to play. In sports, there is a choice: You either play to win or you play not to lose. I believe this happens in our industry as well. Do you create the experience your members want and need, or are they there because it’s just convenient? The latter does not lead to retention or referring new sales. Members must want to be at our clubs, versus having to be.  

So, how do we get our teams to Hall of Fame status? First, we must have a clear vision, we must have plays that are executed, we need to train and develop our teams, and we need to ensure we have the right players and they are in the right positions. 

You get these last two months, November and December, to practice and get ready for the new season — the January rush. Imagine what the impact will be when you’re set up to win.  

Mark Miller is the COO of Merritt Clubs.