Coaching isn’t about promising results. It may feel counterintuitive, but telling clients they’ll definitely improve by a certain date does more harm than good. People hire you for guidance, accountability, and a plan—not a guarantee that the scale or the mirror will look a certain way in a fixed timeframe. When a new client asks, “When will I see results?” the honest reply is this: you can influence what happens, but you can’t control every factor in their life or how they’ll respond.
If goals are left to chance, you’ll end up with a trap. I’ve seen clients come in after someone else guaranteed results, and the follow-through wasn’t there. The truth is you can’t predict every factor—work ethic, schedule, stress, sleep, and even how long it takes to adapt to a program all matter. So, rather than promising outcomes, focus on clarity, commitment, and process.
Be specific about goals. Realistic, tangible targets help people stay invested and give training a clear purpose. Vague wishes like “I want to lose weight” or “I want to get stronger” aren’t bad ideas on their own, but they’re too fuzzy to guide action. To uncover what someone really wants, ask why they’re pursuing it, what might have held them back before, and how attaining the goal will change how they feel. Asking questions helps shift someone from vague aims to concrete targets.
Shift toward performance-based goals. For years I’ve found that performance goals change the game. Instead of defaulting to a vague aim, encourage a target that requires skill and consistency. Examples include: performing a strict, unassisted chin-up; deadlifting their body weight for five reps; doing ten strict pushups from the floor; or achieving a personal best in a specific lift. A performance goal provides a clear direction, makes programming straightforward, and gives training real meaning. When your program is aligned with hitting that goal, every set, rep, and rest period serves the bigger purpose. As the saying goes, the goal should stay the goal. If the plan moves you toward the target, you’re making progress; if not, it’s not.
Often, focusing on a performance goal also helps people reach an aesthetic outcome as a natural byproduct. It’s a win-win: the work matters, and the results tend to follow.
In addition to performance goals, set up process goals. These are small, daily targets that support the big objective. For example, aim to sleep seven hours a night, eat 3–4 servings of vegetables daily, and reduce meals eaten out. Hitting two or three of these every day creates momentum and a tangible sense of achievement. As people check off daily goals, their confidence grows and they realize they can actually do this.
Build autonomy, competence, and relatedness. These ideas come from Self-Determination Theory and describe what people need to stay engaged: a sense of choice, the feeling that they can do things, and a supportive community.
– Autonomy: People don’t like being told exactly what to do. Give your client some choices in their program—let them pick between variations of a lift, decide whether to use dumbbells or kettlebells for certain movements, or choose a small window at the end of a session for extra work. That sense of control increases commitment.
– Competence: People want to prove to themselves that they can do things. If they’re new to strength training, don’t start with a daunting barbell back squat on Day One. It’s perfectly fine to begin with goblet squats and build confidence before progressing. The goal is to help them feel capable, not overwhelmed.
– Relatedness: Create a supportive, like-minded community. When people feel connected and understood, they’re more likely to stay engaged and push through challenges.
Don’t shy away from tough love. The client I mentioned earlier asked, “When will I see results?” My reply was direct: “If you train half-heartedly, you’ll get half-hearted results.” The message is simple: outcomes come from what they put in. I’m there to support and guide, but they must take ownership of their journey.
Bottom line: as a coach, your role is to set clear, realistic expectations, help clients define tangible goals, and design a plan that emphasizes progress, autonomy, and community. When clients own their effort and see steady, meaningful milestones, the results tend to follow. This approach aligns training with real motivation and sustainable success.
