86% of PTs Quit in 2 Years: Here’s the System Keeping You Trapped
Wed Feb 04 2026
In this episode of Fitness Business Insights with Matt Robinson, I share a very different kind of episode, a mini manifesto.
Over Christmas and New Year I revisited a concept I first wrote in 2024: The Fitness Matrix: the “system” that quietly keeps fitness professionals stuck, exhausted, and chasing the wrong things.
This isn’t a step-by-step tactic episode. It’s a worldview shift. We’re talking about the beliefs and business models that reward overworking, constant availability, and self-sacrifice, and why the real issue for most coaches isn’t motivation… it’s design.
What You’ll Learn
✅ Why 86% of PTs leave the industry within two years (and what’s really driving it)
✅ Why you likely already know enough to be a great coach and why education can become procrastination
✅ Why freedom isn’t found, it’s designed (and how boundaries create real freedom)
✅ Why the industry rewards busyness, and how effort gets confused with value
✅ The shift from “I’m just a PT” to thinking like a business owner with long-term options
Resources & Links
Instagram: @mattrobinsonpt Newsletter & coaching: mattrobinsoncoaching.com
More
In this episode of Fitness Business Insights with Matt Robinson, I share a very different kind of episode, a mini manifesto. Over Christmas and New Year I revisited a concept I first wrote in 2024: The Fitness Matrix: the “system” that quietly keeps fitness professionals stuck, exhausted, and chasing the wrong things. This isn’t a step-by-step tactic episode. It’s a worldview shift. We’re talking about the beliefs and business models that reward overworking, constant availability, and self-sacrifice, and why the real issue for most coaches isn’t motivation… it’s design. What You’ll Learn ✅ Why 86% of PTs leave the industry within two years (and what’s really driving it) ✅ Why you likely already know enough to be a great coach and why education can become procrastination ✅ Why freedom isn’t found, it’s designed (and how boundaries create real freedom) ✅ Why the industry rewards busyness, and how effort gets confused with value ✅ The shift from “I’m just a PT” to thinking like a business owner with long-term options Resources & Links Instagram: @mattrobinsonpt Newsletter & coaching: mattrobinsoncoaching.com