I can remember it like it was yesterday.

When the time came for me to decide on what career I wanted, my choice was an easy one. I became a carpenter as this is what my father did. Also, I liked to build things, so carpentry was the perfect career path for me.

Or so I thought….

A few years ago, I was working for a building company as a site foreman with a very healthy pay cheque – and was developing my skills quickly. As a result, I was becoming well known for doing really good quality work and was being promoted regularly. So it was fair to say that my job was quite secure. At the same time we were going through a recession, so job security was top of mind for the people in the work place.

It was 2009 and I told my father that I was going to commence my fitness diploma. I wanted to start my own business in personal training. He looked at me with a confused look and said, “Why do you want to do that?”

My answer was, “It’s what I want to be;” a personal trainer, that is. He looked at me in disbelief and shook his head. My father has been a carpenter for over 40 years and is a good one at that, and he could see me following in his footsteps. So, you can now imagine what he said when I wanted to quit my job and open a PT Studio?

He said, and I quote, “It’s not a career and it’s not secure! Who wants to pay someone to put you through pain? That will never work!”

Well at the time, to say I was shattered is an understatement. I think I was just upset that he didn’t support me. But deep in my mind I wanted to prove him wrong and show him that I could do it.

Has this ever happened to you, in some way or another? You share one of your biggest goals with someone close to you and they shut you down?

I imagine it has. Looking back in hind site and now having a daughter of my own, I know my Dad was just trying to protect me from failure, as there were a lot of factors against me.

I don’t think he realised how much that changing my own lifestyle had empowered me to help others change theirs. And this was not just a job; it was my passion and what I felt I had to do.

To go against my father’s opinion was a massive step as it made me realise how badly I wanted it! So in a way, he helped to solidify my decision to follow my passion and I’m really grateful for that!

So next time you share something with someone and they shut you down, ask your self some questions:

Does this person have experience in what I want to do?

Are they just trying to protect me?

Are they going to support me?

Who else can I ask to support me?

It would have been really easy for me to listen to my dad’s comments and decide against following my heart into the fitness industry, especially because I look up to him so much. But instead, I chose to back myself and tune in to the encouragement I was receiving from other people around me. I chose to hear what I wanted to hear!

Even though people closest to us can often be our toughest critics, I believe they do have our best interests in mind. And, there are always other people out there who can provide the immediate help and encouragement we need. Think about all of the friends/family members, gym buddies and online communities of like-minded people we have access to – you are never alone and you can achieve anything you want to!