I once heard on a podcast with Josh Spector and Mark Levy that if you want to sell mushrooms, sell them to mushroom lovers. The very reason one person loves mushrooms is often the same reason another person hates them.
I see this all the time in fitness. The industry is exceptional at selling fitness—to the 15% of people who already love traditional fitness activities. But if we’re talking about getting the majority of people moving, fitness as we know it isn’t the solution. The industry serves those who have already embraced an active lifestyle. The real challenge is reaching those who haven’t.
And that’s not about “better programming” or yet another new workout format. It’s about connection.
The people who can truly help others move more aren’t necessarily the fittest individuals. They’re the ones who can connect on a human level—who listen, empathize, and build trust without an agenda. They’re the ones who can:
Look someone in the eye and make them feel seen.
Introduce people to others like them, so they feel less alone.
Walk alongside someone—literally and figuratively—so they don’t have to do it alone.
Let go of the belief that there is one right way to be healthy.
Accept and respect those who don’t choose to be active, without judgment.
Know when it’s the right time to educate—and when it’s better to just listen.
These are the people who create real behavior change. And they don’t always have kinesiology degrees or multiple certifications behind their name.
In fact, I think we can learn the most not from the people with degrees and certifications in exercise science, but from the individuals who aren’t physically active. It’s about listening to them and understanding their perspective. When I interviewed Martin Pazzani during his time at Bally Total Fitness, he made a point to survey non-members why they didn’t join. What he found was eye-opening—about half of the people he spoke with had zero interest in joining a gym or doing gym-related activities. If that’s the case, then we must address that population in a completely different way—not by selling fitness, but by meeting them where they are.
Prescriptive exercise isn’t the answer. Connection is.
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