Collect experiences, not things!

Since the question came up, lets look into it.
With 6 months of chaos in NYC, why did I not lock the doors and move back to Germany?
1.One, there is pride. Admitting to failure isn’t all that high on my list
2.Then there is responsibility toward family, employees and clients. You don’t just run away when things get a bit difficult. ( I can actually hear my mother saying this as I type it out)
3.Also, as one of my coaches said, if you are really into fitness and helping people, this is not the time to chicken out since they need you more than ever.
But there is more to it. First off, life isn’t meant to be easy at all times.
There will be struggles and those struggles are what shapes us. Just seeking a comfortable life isn’t very fulfilling.
Experiences form part of our identities and the more effort goes into an experience, the more valuable it will be to you.
 If i think back of memorable moments (maybe too strong of a term) in my life, it is always experiences that come to mind, not stuff that I bought. Athletic success, Hall of Fame induction, building and rebuilding a business, the suffering/hunger to look great for pics to be featured in Fitness Magazines, winning the Musclemania,Best Trainer in NYC… none of these successes came with a monetary reward and they required an above average effort.
Same with the current situation. Sure, closing down would minimize the financial risk and moving home would make for an easier life. But I would deprive myself of the experience to seek battle and do my utmost to win. If I still need to close down, then at least I know I did everything humanly possible to avoid said outcome.
There is also the part of being a role model to the kids. ” Yeah, I had a good business in NY but then there were headwinds and I ran away” is not a great lesson for them.
If we pull through this, we will be in a position to dominate the personal training scene in NY since many shops will not make it. And…we will add another experience to our memories which nobody can steal from us!
Stay tuned!
Maik
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