There are two months left in 2026.
Two months to finish what you started. Two months to revisit the goals you set for yourself back in January. Two months to make a decision, take a chance, pursue an opportunity or perhaps finally do something you’ve been thinking about for far too long.
And two months to start thinking about what you want 2027 to look like.
As I continue to reflect on my theme for 2026, “ARRIVAL,” I’ve found myself thinking a lot about careers. More specifically, the careers we dream about, the opportunities we pursue, the decisions we make, and the work required to turn those dreams into something real.
When I look back on my own career, I feel incredibly fortunate. What began in 1984 as a part-time fitness instructor at GoodLife Fitness evolved into a career spanning more than four decades, including 33 years with canfitpro. I’ve had opportunities to work in physiotherapy, group fitness, operations, program innovation, education, leadership and entrepreneurship. I’ve travelled, taught, presented, mentored, built programs, developed people and worked alongside some of the most inspiring individuals in our industry. Honestly, I could never have scripted the career I’ve had.
But here’s something I know for certain: Opportunity may open the door, but it’s what you do once you walk through it that makes the difference.
I didn’t arrive here by accident.
It took dedication. Relentless focus. Belief in myself, even when I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready. Hard work. A willingness to learn, to take risks, to step outside my comfort zone and, occasionally, to figure things out along the way.
It also required saying YES to opportunities that I might not have initially imagined for myself. Often, when I said YES without full confidence in myself, I borrowed belief from those around me who believed in me. And that’s something I’d love you to think about.
Are You Building the Career You Really Want?
One of the things I love most about the fitness industry is that there isn’t just one way to build a successful career.
You might begin as a group fitness instructor or personal trainer, but where you take that experience is entirely up to you. You could become a mentor, educator, program developer, business owner, presenter, industry leader or entrepreneur. You might discover a passion for a completely different area of the industry or find yourself pursuing opportunities you didn’t even know existed when you started.
Your career doesn’t have to follow a straight line. Mine certainly hasn’t!
But here’s the question: Are you actively creating the career you want, or are you simply moving from one day, one class, one client or one responsibility to the next? Sometimes we get so busy doing the work that we forget to work on ourselves. We become comfortable. We get caught up in our routines. We wait for someone to notice our contribution, recognize our potential or invite us to take the next step.
And sometimes, we wait because we’re not sure we’re ready. I’ve learned that waiting until you feel 100% ready can mean waiting a very long time. You don’t need to have every answer. You don’t need to know exactly how everything will unfold. But you do need to be willing to take that first step.
Your Next Step Might Be Bigger Than You Think
Recently, I’ve been thinking about how many talented professionals in our industry underestimate their own potential.
How many people never apply for an award because they don’t think they’re good enough or have accomplished enough to feel worthy? How many have valuable knowledge and experience but have never considered becoming an educator or presenter? How many dream of starting their own business but keep putting it off? And how many are simply waiting for someone else to permit them to do something they’ve always wanted to do?
Here’s my challenge: Stop waiting for permission.
Put yourself forward for that award. Nominate a colleague whose contribution deserves recognition. Join a mastermind or surround yourself with people who will challenge you to think bigger. Invest in a coach or mentor who can help you move your business or career forward. Take the course. Develop a new skill. Start the business. Explore the career change.
And remember, not every goal has to be professional.
Perhaps it’s time to hire a personal trainer to help you achieve a fitness goal you’ve been putting off. Maybe you’ve been dreaming about a trip, and it’s time to start planning it. Perhaps you need to make more room for family, adventure, creativity, or simply doing something that brings you joy.
Whatever it is, permit yourself to pursue it.
And don’t underestimate the power of investing in yourself. The people who have helped shape my career have included mentors, colleagues, leaders and friends who challenged me, believed in me, opened doors and encouraged me to see possibilities beyond what I could see for myself.
Sometimes the best investment you can make is surrounding yourself with people who help you become more than you thought possible.
Two Months. One Opportunity to Reset.
As we approach the final month of 2026, I don’t want you to simply coast towards the finish line. I want you to pause, reflect and then get moving!
Take a little time to ask yourself:
What am I most proud of this year? Acknowledge your accomplishments, big and small. Don’t rush past them.
What did I set out to achieve that I haven’t yet accomplished? Is it still important to you? If so, what can you do in the next two months to move closer?
Where have I been playing it safe? What opportunity have I avoided because of fear, uncertainty or self-doubt?
Who could help me move forward? Think about a mentor, coach, colleague, mastermind or community that could support your next chapter.
What do I want my career and life to look and feel like in 2027? Don’t limit yourself to what seems practical or predictable. Permit yourself to dream a little bigger.
You don’t need to accomplish everything before December 31. But you can make a decision, create a plan and take meaningful action.
In fact, one of the most powerful things you can do right now is identify ONE thing you want to make happen in 2027 and take the first step towards it before this year ends.
Make the call. Send the email. Submit the application. Book the meeting. Register for the course. Put the date on the calendar. Give that goal some momentum.
ARRIVAL is Not the Finish Line
As I shared in my October blog, my own arrival MO’ment has brought me to an exciting new chapter. After 33 years with canfitpro, I’ll be retiring from my canfitpro COO role at the end of 2026. But I’m not retiring from my passion, my curiosity or my desire to keep contributing to an industry that has given me so much. I’m simply MO’ving my focus and intention forward.
And that, perhaps, is the biggest lesson I want to share with you.
Arrival isn’t about reaching a point where you have nothing left to achieve. It’s about recognizing how far you’ve come, appreciating the opportunities you’ve created and remaining excited about what is still possible.
I’ve spent much of my career encouraging others to dream bigger, develop their potential and pursue opportunities. Now, as I prepare for my own next chapter, I find myself asking those same questions.
What’s next? What else is possible? What do I want to create, experience, learn and contribute? And I hope you’ll ask yourself the same.
Don’t let the final two months of 2026 simply become a countdown to another year. Make them a launchpad for what’s next. Reflect on how far you’ve come. Reconnect with what matters. Reignite the passion behind the goals you set for yourself. And then take action.
You don’t need to have your entire future figured out. You just need to be willing to take the next step. Because successful careers aren’t built in a single moment. They’re built through thousands of decisions, opportunities pursued, lessons learned, relationships developed and moments when you choose to believe that something more is possible.
My wish for you as we move towards 2027 is that you enter the new year with clarity, confidence, focus and a renewed sense of possibility.
Don’t wait for your next opportunity to find you.
Go create it.
Here’s to the next MO’ment. Here’s to what’s possible. And here’s to continuing to ARRIVE.
Let’s MO’ve!
