Take The Challenge With Me

- Lindy Olsen

In the age of social media, images are plastered across a multitude of platforms, and it’s sometimes difficult to remember that we all have a message to share that's often far more important than any image will ever be. Let's face it, almost anyone can be a pretty picture with the right hair, makeup and photography angle and unfortunately most of the time the message is being lost in the haystack of ‘fitspo’ images.

With 15 years as a health and fitness professional and a further five years prior to that in the health and fitness industry, as well as being one of the longest-standing ambassadors for well-known brands such as global clothing giant Under Armour and supplement brand, Musashi, I can personally tell you the key to longevity is to know what your message is, align yourself with brands you truly believe in and be authentic regardless of whether you’re going against the crowd or not. Credibility is everything and making a stand about what you believe in makes you valuable.

The chances are if you go against your core morals and values and align yourself with people and brands that are just going to make you a quick buck, the majority of the time you’re not going to make it. That’s the biggest piece of advice that I’ve lived by throughout my entire career.

The only way to truly build a loyal following is to be brave enough to be yourself and embrace your uniqueness. If you’re having a less than average day, don’t get on social media and pretend that you’re on top of the world if you really aren’t, because there’s a good chance a handful of your followers are feeling less than average themselves and will absolutely relate.

The same goes for your happy days. Share them by all means — at least your audience will know you are being authentic and true to yourself in all areas of your life.