Most of my adult life I’ve worked in IT, and I was stuck in a job I really wasn’t enjoying anymore. When you start dreading going to work, you know it’s time for something new. I wasn’t really sure where my career was going, all I knew was that I needed a sense of purpose and a big change of direction. I’ve always loved going to the gym and keeping fit, but it never occurred to me that I could turn my hobby into an actual career and do something I loved every day.
That’s when I discovered personal trainer courses. Here are my top reasons for packing in the day job and starting to train as a personal trainer.
Independence
When I was working in IT, virtually every aspect of my day to day job was micro-managed and I was always told exactly what to do and when. That style of working didn’t suit me. As a personal trainer, I get far more flexibility and can decide when and how I work. Obviously, that has to fit in around my client’s schedules, but the sense of freedom is incredible.
Career opportunities and pay
We all know that people these days are more overweight than ever, and that’s fuelled a massive uptick in the number of people seeking help from personal trainers. With increased demand comes increased opportunities. When I became a personal trainer, I suddenly found there were all sorts of doors open to me, with the chance to enhance my qualifications and earn considerably more than I had been doing.
Helping people
I have to confess to being a people person, and I love feeling I’m helping others. That’s not something I got when I was working in the corporate world. It’s hard to get that sense of purpose and meaning when you’re sitting at a desk and not really interacting with the people around you. In this job, I feel I’m making a difference to each individual’s life and health. That has had such a positive impact on my own mental wellbeing.
Improving my own fitness
As I said, I was already a gym-goer and interested in fitness and healthy living, but training to become a personal trainer has vastly improved my own fitness levels. It has given me the opportunity to turn my pastime into my full-time career, and I’ve loved every second of the experience. Now I’m doing something I’m passionate about every day, and I’d urge anyone else with the same passion to do likewise.
Training to become a personal trainer has totally changed my life and given me a career I never believed possible. For anyone out there who is hesitating to make the change, my advice is to simply go for it. Believe me when I say you won’t regret the decision.