A Good Example is the Best Sermon

Two weeks ago, the Discover Strength team held our annual, “Shut-down” Meeting (inspired by Howard Shultz and his return to Starbucks in 2008). We close our doors for half the day and focus on staff development with a real emphasis on going back to basics. This event usually includes virtual presentations from strength training or customer experience thought leaders from around the world. This year we were treated to a presentation from Doug McGuff MD. Doug is a full-time emergency room physician in South Carolina and for 20 years, has owned a strength training facility similar to Discover Strength. He is the author of the seminal book, Body by Science.

 

Dr. McGuff’s message was powerful; but his message was really more about our clients than it was about our staff. He told us that in his work as an ER physician, he has probably never really saved a patient’s life and he went on to say that unequivocally, smart strength training plays a larger role in the health and prevention of disease than anything he can do as a physician. McGuff went on to suggest that the one thousand clients we work with may seem like a tiny percentage of the broader population; and this fact may leave us wondering if we are truly making a “difference.”

 

 

Dr. McGuff’s message to us was that the difference we make resides in Ben Franklin’s quote: “A good example is the best sermon.” The difference that we make is actually the difference our clients make. Our clients represent one thousand real-life role models for intelligent, evidence-based resistance exercise. To me, this is profound.

 

Thank you for being our client and thank you for modeling the way. Your sermon matters.