It takes more than passion to build a brand.

I remember over a year ago as I mulled over whether or not I should pursue a run coaching certification, I came across this quote: To teach someone, you don’t have to know everything. You just need to know more than the person who asks for the information.

I must admit that I used that quote as a crutch for my own procrastination in terms of me studying for and scheduling to sit my Marathon Running Coach Certification exam. I ordered the books months ago, read the primary manual occasionally, but refused to give this exam the priority that it required.

I remember having a deep discussion with my trainer about the things I wanted to do for myself, my brand and my business in the upcoming year. I asked him for his thoughts and he delivered a response that punched me right in the gut: “Linda, you need to finish what you started.”

It’s amazing how God uses people in your circle to be your conscience. Guilt just flooded my body because my trainer really had no clue how long I had been dragging my feet on this, yet somehow he delivered the kick in the pants that I needed.

So I reached out to NAASFP and scheduled my certification exam. I had one month to get locked in and dedicate time to study the theory for my exam. The more I read, the more I learned and the more excited I got. I was gathering so many concepts that I couldn’t wait to use in my own personal training and subsequently to my clients. It was like reading a novel from my favorite author.

Exam day arrived and I got organized. I got my materials together. I was ready to log on promptly and cover all of my responses. About two hours into the exam, I checked to ensure I was good with time. Then, the unthinkable happened – my entire answer sheet got wiped out and I could not recover my responses. Panic began to overwhelm me. I had less than one hour to input my previous 88 responses along with the final 12 left to answer.

One thing that all of the obstacles in this year has taught me: Panic helps nothing. I took a breath, regrouped and found an alternative method of submitting my answer key. That was a teachable moment for me. There will be moments when my clients will panic, moments when their training or a race will not go as planned.

What will I, as the coach, do in that moment? Melt down or be innovative in my approach?

I realized that building a brand and leading others is about more than knowing more than the next person. It’s about being prepared. Anticipating. Recovering quickly in those moments when your downfall appears imminent.

Being a run coach is about more than having a passion for running. It’s about having the knowledge to demonstrate how to harness that passion to produce results.

My result? I got the email that I passed my exam on Tuesday and I’m now working with a Master Coach for my Phase 2.

Don’t be all about the passion. Study to show yourself approved.

Linda