The concept of a journey runs deep in Freeletics. Even before we introduced Training Journeys in 2018, our users followed their own highly personalized journeys leading them closer to their goals. Now, they have over thirty to choose from, including two limited edition Journeys - ‘Football Fit’ with Marc-André ter Stegen and ‘Enter The Cage’ with Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Our stories of transformation journeys have been the cornerstone of the Freeletics Community from the beginning - the journeys of people searching for a new solution to an old problem: the problem of getting fit and healthy. Their desire to become fitter and their drive to create a greater version of themselves is what makes Freeletics what it is.
Connected to that fiber of our being, we decided to start 2020 by telling stories about authentic human journeys. We didn’t recruit or cast - we listened. We listened to the stories told with candor by people who took us on their journey. It’s their failures, not their successes, that humanized them and made us root for them. They aren’t heroes, nor are they villains, victims or virtuosos. Corey, Marc, Alexandra, Theres, Stephen, Hussain are real. They told us about their successes but also about their struggles, and with every word, they stood a bit taller. They confronted their experiences. They owned them.
Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, a champion MMA fighter, fascinated us because of the dichotomy in his character - the nice guy next door who is a beast in the octagon. He’s a champion, but he’s also a son. A warrior, but a friend. Always looking for an adventure and not afraid of the challenges that might line his path, his story is the story of indomitable spirit and owning the discomfort.
Alexandra, an executive and tennis prodigy, told a story of letting go of the things that don’t make us happy. As a former professional tennis player, she needed a fitness app that enables her to reach her potential and maintain her athletic lifestyle as a high-performer. She lives in the moment, focusing on the present, not the past or the future. She owns the now.
We decided to tell the story about Theres, a professional gamer, TV moderator, and student, because Theres’ journey is one in which taking the first step in the right direction is going to be the biggest challenge she faces. She owns the game.
Marc-André ter Stegen, the goalkeeper for FC Barcelona and the German national team, told us the story of being the last man standing, of expecting the unexpected and believing in yourself. When you do that, you control the uncontrollable. He owns the goal.
Hussain Manawer, poet, musician and mental health advocate, fascinated us with his poetry, his resilience and his frankness. His story is multi-faceted; it’s about turning beliefs into action - a mindset that leads to a rich path. His journey is just beginning - he’s starting his fitness transformation with Freeletics. He owns the struggle.
We decided to tell the story about Corey, a veteran of the US Marine Corps, devoted father, and a Freeletics Ambassador, because his story is a story of survival, of putting your best foot forward, day in, day out, to find the structure, motivation, and companionship you need to get back on your feet. Corey owns his past, but more importantly, he owns the road ahead.
Stories connect us to universal truths and, in turn, to ourselves. When people share their stories, and we listen, we gain strength, we realize we are all much more alike than we are different. For Freeletics, sharing these stories is the easy part, but enabling these stories and helping people become the greatest versions of themselves was always what drove us. By offering a glimpse into the vicissitudes of human intentions, into the lived experience of real people and their lifestyles, we want to trigger change.
We are all a product of our experiences and the stories we tell - we all create ourselves through our narratives. Grab a moment, reflect, think about the stories you tell yourself. Cast aside shame, explore, question, and reflect on your erroneous beliefs. There is a difference between what happened in your story and what your story is really about.
You are the author.
Own the discomfort, own the struggle, own the game, own the now, own the goal, own your road ahead.. just own something.
This is your journey. Own it.
