Creating an Exercise Identity

Why It Matters, How It Forms, and What Operators Can Do to Shape It

When people join a gym, they often believe they’re making a simple transactional decision: I’m buying access so I can get fitter, stronger, or healthier. But beneath that, something far more significant is happening. Every new member is deciding whether exercise is something they do, or something they can eventually become.

That distinction is critical, because long-term adherence is not driven by motivation, willpower, or even goal-setting, it’s driven by identity. When someone sees themselves as “the kind of person who exercises,” consistency becomes a natural extension of who they are. When that identity never forms, their commitment remains fragile and easily disrupted.

Yet very few operators design member experiences with identity creation in mind. We focus on access, join flows, inductions, and programming, but overlook the deeper psychological transformation that occurs in the first weeks of membership.

This blog explores why exercise identity matters, how it forms, and what practical steps operators can take to help members develop a relationship with exercise that lasts for years rather than months.

Identity: The Missing Piece of the Retention Puzzle

In behaviour science, identity is one of the strongest predictors of long-term action. When people integrate a behaviour into their sense of self, they require far less external motivation to maintain it.

Think of it like this, a person who has a strong exercise identity will plan their week around their training sessions. Someone who is developing an exercise or is new to exercise will plan their week first and then consider where their sessions may fit in.

The difference seems subtle, but it is profound. Identity creates automaticity, and automaticity drives habit formation.

Yet when new members enter a fitness environment, their identity is not fixed. For some, especially those who have struggled with exercise in the past, their internal narrative might sound like:

• “I’m not a gym person.”
• “I don’t fit in.”
• “I don’t really belong here.”
• “Everyone else knows what they’re doing.”

These beliefs can be reshaped but only during a very specific window of opportunity.

The First 4–6 Weeks: A Critical Phase for Identity Formation

Our battle initially is with overcoming the current identify. This is describe in psychological literature as Self-protection theory. These are the motivations and behaviors aimed at defending one's positive self-concept, and avoiding threats or negative feedback and self-perceptions. My own self-protection kicks in when some one mentions Karaoke. I hate the idea of feeling unconfident, looking incompetent and just making a fool of myself. So I avoid Karaoke at all costs. All this despite quite happily standing in front of any number of people and talking about retention.

Identity doesn’t appear overnight. It forms through repeated success experiences, supportive interactions, and the feeling of “I can do this.” The first 4–6 weeks of membership offer a narrow but powerful opportunity to influence this trajectory.

During this period, three things matter most. The first is predictability. When members know what’s happening, who’s involved, and what’s expected, they feel more confident. I describe this confident, competent and look good. When the experience feels unclear or disorganised, members feel unconfident, incompetent and look ugly (metaphorically)

Then we need to help them build competence. Members must feel capable in the environment. Small wins reinforce the belief that they can do the behaviour successfully.

Finally we need to foster a sense of belonging. Identity grows fastest when people feel they’re part of something, supported by staff, recognised for their attendance, effort, and connected to others.

When these three factors align, a new member begins to shift from “I hope I can do this” to “This is becoming part of who I am.”

When they don’t, dropout risk rises sharply—often before the first month is complete.

The Role of Feedback in Shaping Identity

Feedback is one of the most undervalued tools in shaping exercise identity. Most feedback given in gyms is broad, generic, or overly positive. It sounds nice, but it does very little to reinforce behaviour.

Effective feedback is:

• Specific to the individual
• Focused on capability, effort or skill development
• Linked to the behaviour that needs repeating, visits
• Delivered at the right moment

For example if you just say “Gret Job!” while better than nothing it’s to generic. If you want to have more impact you need to use Identity-building feedback. An example would be
“You held that position with much more control today. That shows you’re getting stronger.”

The latter provides two psychological advantages. It reinforces competence, the member knows exactly what they’ve improved. It links improvement to identity, strength becomes something they are developing, not just something they experienced in one session.

Over time, these small moments accumulate. They create a narrative within the member that sounds like:

• “I’m getting fitter.”
• “I’m improving.”
• “I’m the kind of person who goes to the gym.”

This narrative is far more predictive of adherence than any equipment upgrade or class timetable change.

Connecting Today’s Actions to the Future Self

Most people do not only struggle with knowing what to do, they struggle with believing that today’s effort will meaningfully contribute to the future they want.

Identity grows when operators help members connect their current actions to their future self. This can be done through:

• Onboarding conversations about the future self
• Goal-setting discussions about the process required to get there
• Coaching scripts, for staff to create positive self-talk
• Digital messages that recognise actions taken
• Induction sessions that link current exercise to desired outcomes

The framing is important. A member performs a behaviour today, but the impact is seen weeks or months into the future. Staff can reinforce this by explaining how each session contributes to building the version of themselves they’re aiming for.

For example: “You’ve trained twice this week. That would 104 training sessions a year if you keep that up. That consistency is what builds long-term fitness. Keep doing this and you’ll be surprised at how quickly you start to feel like this is part of who you are.”

When members begin to associate present-day actions with their future identity, consistency follows naturally.

Habit Architecture: How Repetition Creates Identity

During my master studies I did some research on motivation and behaviour. I wanted to see if motivation could predict behaviour, and how strong the relationship was. In short it wasn’t, but wat I did discover was behaviour could predict motivation.

I identified that motivation to exercise no matter how strong did not lead to completed workouts. However low motivation was at the begining of a session, it was always higher at the end. This then led me into thinking identity follows behaviour. Not the other way around.

In other words, people don’t wait until they feel like an exerciser to behave like one, they become exercisers through repeated action.

This means habit architecture is essential. Operators can support this by:

Encouraging small, repeatable behaviours that allow members to be successful. A member who attends twice per week for six weeks is far more likely to form an exercise identity than one who attends six times in week one and then disappears.

Reducing any friction that the member will face in completing their workouts, classes of sessions. Simple things like clear signage, predictable processes, and shorter onboarding steps make it easier for members to return.

Designing environmental cues that help member understand how to use the facility, this includes where equipment is placed, how staff interact, and when support is offered all influence whether a new behaviour sticks.

Spend time Reinforcing routines, because routine is the precursor to habits.

Members benefit from knowing and planning:

• What days they’re coming
• What time they’ll train
• What they’ll do when they arrive

Without this structure, intention rarely translates into action.

When behaviours are clear and repeatable, identity grows stronger each time the member completes the pattern.

Social Identity: The Hidden Accelerator of Exercise Habits

Humans are social creatures. We form our sense of self partly through the groups we interact with. And gyms, studios, and leisure centres are full of opportunities, if operators design for them intentionally.

How social identity accelerates exercise identity:

Belonging increases motivation. People work harder and stay longer when they feel part of a group. That doesn’t have to be working out in a group, you could simply be working out on the gym floor and feel part of the 6am group, just because your there and see others that are there routinely as well.

Interaction shapes perception. Warm greetings from staff and recognition from instructors make members feel noticed and valued. Members don’t always want to be spoken to, but they do want recognition that they have attended and that they matter.

Community provides accountability. When members feel connected, they’re less likely to drift away. Now communities form natural and can also be designed but the more someone feels like they are part of a community, the more likely they are to feel safe, more confident, more competent and have higher self-perception.

You don’t need a huge community effort to achieve this. Even micro-interactions, nodding at someone as they enter or leave, using someone’s name, checking in on progress, celebrating milestone, all act as social reinforcers.

The message becomes: “People like me come here. I belong here.” This simple realisation is a powerful predictor of long-term membership.

Avoiding Identity Threats

While we spend a lot of time thinking about how to build identity, it’s equally important to understand what undermines it.

Identity threats occur when members experience confusion. This can be caused by unclear processes, lack of communication, or inconsistent onboarding can make people feel they “don’t get it.”

Feeling Overwhelmd, with too many choices, too much information, or overly complex systems can create anxiety and cognitive overload.

Competence fear that feeling watched, judged, or unsure of what to do can quickly erode confidence.

Then there is Environmental intimidation busy weight rooms, advanced classes, or groups who appear highly skilled can make new members feel out of place.

These moments might seem minor, but research shows it only takes one difficult or embarrassing experience in the early weeks for members to decide they don’t belong, leading to Gym-intimidation.

Every operator should routinely ask:
Which parts of our member journey unintentionally threaten a person’s developing identity?

Identity as a Retention Engine

Once an exercise identity forms, retention becomes dramatically easier. Members attend more consistently, recover more quickly from lapses, identify themselves as part of the community eel more emotionally connected to the club

These are the members who stay for years rather than months. This is why identity creation should be seen as a strategic priority, not a “nice extra.”

Operators who focus on identity-building experiences, not just access or programming tend to see higher visit frequency, lower early-stage dropout stronger long-term retention curve improved member satisfaction and greater lifetime value

Identity is a retention engine because once it’s formed, members no longer rely on motivation to participate. The behaviour simply becomes part of who they are.

Technology’s Role in Reinforcing Identity

Digital tools can support identity formation just as effectively as face-to-face interactions when they’re behaviourally informed.

After years of consulting with technology companies that had built systems already and then asked me for my opinion, I decided to create a product that I wanted for my clients. That work generated the guruPaul app. A behaviour change product designed to provide:

• Predictable, non-judgmental communication
• Timely nudges aligned with behaviour-change principles
• Personalised progress messaging
• Reinforcement of small wins
• Support for members who need guidance the most

Because the app delivers messages based on visit frequency and behavioural patterns, members receive support during the exact moments when their identity is still forming and most vulnerable.

The goal is simple:
Help members stay consistent long enough for identity to take over.

Practical Strategies Operators Can Implement Tomorrow

Here are concrete actions any operator can take to begin supporting identity formation:

1. Build identity into first-visit conversations

Instead of focusing solely on equipment, include language about capability and consistency.

2. Create a predictable onboarding flow

Let members know exactly what will happen, when, and by whom. This builds trust very quickly anxiety reduces and members become less guarded about suggestions you make.

3. Reinforce small wins frequently

Even micro-improvements build confidence. Just having the confidence to walk into a class and know that you need to get your own mat and weights out is a win. Then a recognition of correct exercise technique from the instructor reinforce a sense of competence and positive self-image.

4. Ask new members to commit to specific days and times

Increasing predictability increases adherence. Implementation Intention, a core concept in James Clear's Atomic Habits, is a specific "if-then" plan defining when, where, and what habit to perform. The idea is to remove decision-making, automate actions, and make habits stick by linking them to clear cues, ensuring consistency even when motivation dips.

5. Train staff to recognise early signals of struggle

Members who appear unsure, anxious, or isolated are at higher risk. Staff tell me they can tell by someone’s body language if they are entering the club for the first time. Well if that the case you should definitely make eye contact, smile and offer a warm welcome. Staff in GX or Gym floor stations can spot members who are struggling to navigate the environment, set up the equipment or select the appropriate resistances.

6. Use behavioural nudges

Messages that normalise lapses, encourage return, and reinforce effort play a significant role. As part of my PhD research we incorporated time to focus on situations where lapse or relapse may occur. Preparing members for those situations and helping full understand what to do in those situations.

7. Celebrate identity milestones

Three weeks of attendance, first class completed, first programme review each moment can anchor a new identity.

Final Thoughts: Identity Is the Foundation of Retention from the members perspective.

Creating an exercise identity is not about marketing, motivation, or pushing harder. It’s about shaping experiences that help people feel competent, confident, and connected.

When operators focus on identity, everything else improves:

• Visit frequency
• Engagement
• Results
• Longevity

Identity transforms exercise from something people do into something they are. And when that shift happens, retention becomes not just a metric—but a natural by-product of a well-designed experience.

References

Exercise Self-Identity Predicts Exercise Behaviour. Exercise promotion: An integration of exercise self-identity, beliefs, intention, and behaviour. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (2012). Wiley Online Library

Systematic Review: Identity and Physical Activity Participation. Liddelow et al. (2025). The relationship between role and social identities and physical activity participation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. ResearchGate

Recent Evidence on Physical Activity Identity as a Behaviour Predictor. Rhodes (2025). Physical activity identity as an axis of dual process behaviour models. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. ScienceDirect

Exercise Identity Increases with Consistent Behaviour. Gillman et al. (2021). Women’s exercise identity increases after a 16-week exercise programme. Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness. PMC

Self-Regulatory Processes Link Identity to Behaviour. Strachan et al. (2015). Self-regulatory efficacy’s role in the relationship between exercise identity and exercise behaviour. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. ScienceDirect