I failed my personal trainers’ exam…TWICE.

 

I will clarify, there is a positive to this story, so just bear with me…and hopefully, a few of you can learn from my past mistakes! For you that know me, you know that I like sharing my insecurities and faults. I share challenging times in my life but always with a positive twist. I promise I’m never going to leave my posts hanging on a negative note.  That’s the whole reason why I like sharing my struggles and insecurities anyways!

Now back to the story. I have always had a knack for fitness and a passion for helping others. Ever since grade school, I would train my friends for fun. Fitness has just always been something I was naturally good at and LOVED. However, I had so much confidence in my training ability that when I signed up to take my personal trainers exam, I had the mentality that I was entitled – ick! – to be a personal trainer. I was very physically fit and had trained numerous friends countless amounts of times. I truly did not believe I needed to study. I also was in college and studying for my current classes. Was it the best timing? Was I naive? Stupid? Oh my gosh yes.

*Side note confession: I’ve never been the best student. Not because I was stupid, I just did not make studying a priority – EVER! If I thought a class was a waste of my time, I did not put much effort into it and would do the bare minimum to get by. However, I will save this whole topic for a later post*

When I walked into that three-day workshop on a Friday, we started reviewing all the material for the exam that would take place on Sunday. I knew that first day I had messed up big time. I was way in over my head! Sunday came and we first had to do the oral exam, where we trained the instructor of the class. I passed that with flying colors. Then it was on to the written exam and it was a straight up train wreck. I knew all the nutrition (from my college courses), but the anatomy and physiology kicked my butt. I walked out of that workshop with my heart in my stomach. I KNEW I had failed… Later that month, I received a letter confirming what I already knew. I somehow didn’t cry and before I could talk myself out of it, I signed up to take the exam again. This time, I would be ready…. or so I thought.

The second time around, the exam was here in my hometown at a local gym. When you retake the written exam, you only have to attend the Sunday portion to take the exam. The big question running through my head though, “Did I study enough? Probably“. I walked into the room where the other aspiring trainers were and my face turned brighttt red. There I saw three people who I went to school with. I knew that they knew – I had failed… Maybe this doesn’t seem like a big deal to whoever is reading this, but at the time it was to me. I use to care SO much about what people thought of me. Not to mention, I was prideful to the extreme. Showing any sort of weakness was not acceptable in my eyes, so the thought of someone else knowing I had failed my exam made me want to just melt right then and there. It also just made me want to get the heck out of that room. What did I do next? The instructor passed out the exam and I just filled in random bubbles and was the first one gone. Was I struggling with some anxiety? Was that the first time I had a legit anxiety attack? Most likely. But that is no excuse for me to have done that – to not even try. Filling in random bubbles… what the actual heck?! I want to shake this old Rachel and tell her to toughen up!

I left again knowing I had failed and obviously I deserved it. This time it hit me the hardest. What was wrong with me? How could I blow it and not even try?! At this point, I was actually prepared to give up and not get certified. Later, I explained what happened to my mom and she said something along the lines of “suck it up and finish what you started”. Tough love was actually exactly what I needed.

Third times a charm, right? For my final and last exam, I had to retake it at the very same spot I took my FIRST exam. Ohhhh the irony! Wait, it gets even better. The instructor teaching the class was the same instructor that taught my first workshop. When walked in on that third day of the workshop, he gave me a strange look and asked, “Have I met you before?” I am not kidding.

I responded super fast, ” Nope, don’t think so!” Two guys in the class asked why I had skipped the first two days and I casually told them I did not skip anything, I had to retake the exam. Phew, it actually felt great just to be blunt. The instructor passed out the exams and there went nothing. I was the last one to leave the exam room that day. I took my time and triple checked my answers. Before I left, I told the instructor that I took the exam the first time around with him. He told me to keep my head up and that he would personally call me when he got the results.

I left for the third and last time knowing I had FINALLY passed!

 

Three things I learned from taking my personal trainers exam three times before I passed:

1.) I am not entitled to anything. No matter how talented I might naturally be, I still have to put in the work. Don’t expect to be handed anything. EARN IT.

2.) Toughen up, Rachel!  This was kind of a monumental point in my life where I truly became a tougher person. I thought that it should have been easier for me. When it didn’t go my way, I almost gave up and did not get certified. I almost played the victim and I am so glad I did not take that role! Everyone has their struggles. Everyone.

3.) Remember that everyone’s life is a constant “work in progress”. I am not perfect. I have had my fair amount of struggles, but what has always kept me going is knowing no one has it completely figured out. The point of life is not to be perfect. It’s to continue to better oneself every. single. dang. day. Just show up!

4.)  My biggest takeaway is you can still struggle to achieve something you are GOOD AT! It might be what you are destined to do but it could still be a big struggle to get there for a number of reasons.

What I have accomplished because I earned my personal trainers:

1.) Lively Girl Fitness was born…HELLLLLLO!

2.) I was on Beachbody’s reality show “The 20’s: The Search For the Next Super Trainer”. I did not win, but I was able to create and film my first workout programs at 22 years old in Hollywood…that’s pretty dang cool! Not to mention I met other amazing talented trainers.

3.) I make an income all online. I am able to be a stay at with my babies with a solid income and that is priceless.

 

I wanted to share this personal story for several reasons:

First off, this applies to not just an exam, but to life in general. Is there something you really want? Don’t just talk about it actually work for it! I had to learn this the hard way and let me tell you, I wish I wouldn’t have wasted so much time… and money!

Second, usually no one gets things right the first time around! It’s the failure that you learn from, that allows you to see the right path. Yes, I’m where I am now, but I had to fail multiple times to even get to this point in my life.

Finally, social media is a fun way to share your life, but don’t compare yourself to everyone on there. “Stop Comparing Your Behind-The-Scenes With Everyone’s Highlight Reel.” Remember that. People fail at various things in life all the time. No one has a life where things are “Instagram quality” every single day. You never ever know what someone could be going through.

 

In a weird way, sharing my insecurities actually makes me feel more confident and secure. I know some of you are probably wondering why in the world I would share not passing my personal trainers exam twice, especially considering that it is my JOB. We all mess up! I’m a real person. Honestly, failing so many times made me a better trainer.

 

“It’s okay if you fall down and lose your spark. Just make sure that when you get back up, you rise as the whole damn fire.”