New Zealander body transformation coach, former musician, and social influencer Brock Ashby chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos.
For Ashby, coaching is more than just telling other people what to do, it’s actually living it himself.
Olympic gold medalist and retired figure skater Scott Hamilton once said: “adversity, and perseverance and all these things can shape you. They can give you a value and a self-esteem that is priceless.” An individual and coach that embodies this wise quotation is New Zealander Brock Ashby.
Digital age
On being a body transformation coach in the digital age, he said, “For me, it’s not too much different than being a face-to-face personal trainer, that’s where I started. It was always a bit of a grind, I started in the trenches, but now it looks different. The digital age allows me to help more people, which has been my biggest goal.”
“The privilege of helping more people, as a coach in the digital age, is very fulfilling. That was my end goal, to be where I am now,” he added.
Regarding his daily motivations, he said, “I am motivated by seeing the changes in people. To feel like you’ve contributed to someone living up to their potential is huge. That is one of the best feelings ever and it can’t be replaced. Ultimately, you are helping them achieve much more than looking good.”
For young and aspiring transformation coaches and social influencers, he said, “Don’t stop learning. Know that you can help people and that confidence only comes through education. Just because you have a good physique, doesn’t mean that you can get another person in a good physique, you have to know how to do it for them.”
Life during the pandemic
On life during the lockdown, he said, “It has been interesting. It feels like it’s neverending. The living room is the kitchen, but now it’s the gym and the office. That’s where I do my educational videos and for my clients. At the moment, it’s just about getting through it and playing your part for society. It’s not looking the best right now.”
He acknowledged that he sees a silver lining during the pandemic. “Obviously, I have empathy for what people have been going through and I think it has caused a lot of people, including myself, to reevaluate things in many aspects of their lives,” he said.
“Having this time to reflect is important because we don’t usually get that,” he added. “The pandemic has proven how resilient humans can be during times of adversity in some aspects.”
Remembering his late mother
Ashby also opened up about the loss of his mother. “My mom passed away when I was 12 years old, and as hard as that was, you have no other option but to develop a positive perspective,” he said. “I was lucky to have an awesome family. Going through the loss of my mother, as terrible as it was, really helped me develop a perspective. Dealing with that helped me become the person that I am today.”
“A lot of people should not run away from adversity,” he said. “They should run towards adversity since it will help develop their character. Adversity helps define you and it makes you truly see what you are capable of.”
Ashby complimented his father. “My dad is the happiest guy you will ever meet,” he said. “He is super happy and super content with what he is doing>”
Future plans
On his future plans and goals, he said, “For my work, I just want to continue learning. That’s super important and to keep getting people results.”
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, Ashby responded, “Just getting through it.” “At the moment, it’s hard to have foresight into the future,” he said. “It is important to show up each day and just get through it, and do your best every day.”
‘The Voice Australia’ experience
He shared that his personal training client inspired him to try out for “The Voice Australia,” where he auditioned with the Kings of Leon tune “Use Somebody,” which was well-received, and he wound up on Team Kelly Rowland.
“That show was a cool experience,” he admitted. “I got to meet Kelly Rowland and he had this deep connection, and she had lost her mother too, and that was really special. She was really personal to me, and there weren’t many barriers. We knew what each other went through.”
“Later on, I had the privilege of being her personal trainer when she was in Sydney, so after the show, I was training her,” he added. “It was really cool to watch her go from coach to being coached. While I didn’t pursue singing after that, what I learned from the show was great.”
“My love for music started in the kitchen with my dad and I did it as a way to express myself,” he said. “That’s where I started songwriting, and now, I love writing. I write daily emails and motivations. I am up to about 847, I love writing and I love expressing myself. There is always something to be learned from a story.”
On his definition of the word success, he said, “Doing what you want, when you want with whoever you want.” “I think success comes from having the freedom to do what makes you happy,” he explained. “Going through challenging times is going to open you up to what you are capable of.”
For his fans and supporters, Ashby concluded, “I would encourage them to continue to be resilient through the tough times, and that will help you find out how strong you are. You will find that out on the other side of what you are going through. I have a ton of empathy for what people are going through now.”
To learn more about New Zealander body transformation coach Brock Ashby, follow him on Instagram, and check out his official website and Facebook page.
