Build Your Board of Directors

Coaching and Nutrition
Last updated: 22 May 2020

By Joe Holder

Building an Effective Support System

How to set yourself up for success with a support network who wants the best for you.

Think of it as your personal board of directors—a group of people who support your fitness and health goals. I recommend building a team of five, so you have different people with different strengths who you can rely on throughout your journey. In this article, I'll take you through how to start building your board.

All public companies have a board of directors, a group of people who support the company's mission and guide its progress.

You can get the same support in your fitness and health journey by building your own personal board of directors.

It's simple: If you surround yourself with people who try to get you off-track, the journey is going to be harder. Instead, add people who will encourage your new path.

I recommend building a team of five. That way you have different inputs and strengths, and you can lean on different people to support you along the way.

Building an Effective Support System

Be very deliberate and focused with the circle you keep.

You'll typically see that it's easier to achieve your health and fitness goals when your board wants to enable your goal attainment, rather than being ambivalent or even trying to sway you to make poor decisions with them.

Take a few minutes to name your board of directors. Maybe it includes a friend who knows a lot about nutrition or a co-worker who will do an online workout with you.

You may not have five people who immediately spring to mind, so some of your five can include professionals like your doctor, registered dietician or physiotherapist.

It could also include someone who doesn't live in the same city as you, but who you can check in with when you need motivation to work out or make a healthy food choice.

Assemble your board of directors and your journey to health and fitness will have a team of supporters surrounding you every step of the way.

Building an Effective Support System

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Building an Effective Support System

Join Nike Training Club

Get access to our world-class experts and trainers for help staying active and healthy.

Originally published: 3 May 2020