Most, if not all of you have, or will, at some point in your life have decided that you need to “get fit”, or at least improve your level of fitness.
The proverbial New Year’s resolution of “I’m going to get fit this year” is a classic for this.
Then after New Year we take up jogging, or join a gym or sports team and for the next period we put our bodies, and ourselves, through much effort and pain to attain a fitness level that we want to achieve.
Once we reach that level how long do we maintain it, 3 months, 6 months, a year or even 2 years. Then we stop, or there is a gradual decline in the effort you put into your fitness until you are back on that couch as you were before you started.
This can be very much like your journey through BNI.
We come to a meeting and get excited then join with much gusto and enthusiasm.
We diligently attend every week, we are bombarded with offerings of 1-2-1’s, we invite people we know to experience BNI, we see opportunities to give and receive referrals, we use BNI University, and with this effort your level of BNI “fitness” grows to a point where you are offered leadership positions and may even become President – is being President the peak of your BNI fitness?
BUT after a period of time that initial enthusiasm, just like your fitness, begins to wane and you miss the odd meeting. “They won’t miss me this week”. You don’t do as many 1-2-1’s. “I don’t have the time this week”, especially with new members (as they need to prove themselves first). Your referral rate drops off and you’re not looking for visitors. “I’ve invited everyone I know”. You are not thinking of your fellow members as much and eventually you decide “well, what am I doing here” and leave.
So how do you attain a high BNI fitness level and keep it there?
Just like you would make time to go to the gym or meet with an important client or business colleague, make time in your weekly schedule, outside of meeting times, for your BNI fitness regime.
One suggestion for “keep fit BNI” is using “the Power of One” criteria, being:-
Attending the meeting every week.
Doing at least one 121 every week
Giving one referral per week
Doing one CEU per week
Bringing one visitor per month.
Additionally, helping with running the chapter, that could mean being on the Leadership Team or just generally lending a hand.
The fitter you are the more you are keeping BNI in the front of your mind and the greater your visibility and credibility and the more opportunities that will present themselves.
Get BNI fit, stay BNI fit.
