The Danger of the Word Relevant

We live in an age where “relevance” has become the highest form of currency. It’s no longer enough to be skilled, wise, or experienced—you have to be seen. You have to trend, you have to post, you have to be on the podcast circuit, you have to stay in the feed. The great sin isn’t being wrong anymore—it’s being forgotten.

But here’s the hidden danger: when we chase relevance at all costs, we often sacrifice the very thing that made us worth paying attention to in the first place—our integrity, our truth, and our depth.

This isn’t just happening in politics, entertainment, or business. The fitness industry—an industry meant to be grounded in science, health, and longevity—has become one of the most glaring examples of relevance gone rogue.

How We Got Here: A Historical Crash Course

Let’s rewind. For most of human history, information was scarce. The town healer, the philosopher, the general, the coach—they all built reputations slowly, over decades, through lived experience and demonstrated results. If you were a teacher, people came to you because you proved yourself through knowledge and wisdom.

Fast forward to the 20th century. With radio, TV, and later the internet, access to information exploded. Suddenly, authority was no longer determined only by substance—it was determined by visibility. Being “on air” made you credible, even if what you said was garbage.

Now, in the 21st century, with TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and podcasts saturating every corner of the digital universe, relevance has been weaponized. If you disappear from the algorithm for even a few weeks, you risk vanishing from public consciousness entirely. And so, the game becomes not about depth—but about frequency. Not about truth—but about attention.

Relevance in the Fitness Industry: The Rise of the Content Hustle

The fitness world is supposed to be grounded in physiology, biomechanics, psychology, and decades of research. But scroll through social media and what do you see?

• Influencers selling detox teas and “flat tummy” shakes.

• “Coaches” without certifications giving advice on hormones, recovery, and nutrition.

• Podcasts featuring self-proclaimed experts who sound confident but misquote basic exercise science.

• Trainers chasing trends like “6-week shreds,” “miracle peptides,” or “biohacks” that sound more like infomercials than education.

The danger isn’t just misinformation—it’s the erosion of trust. When everyone’s priority is to stay relevant, the temptation to exaggerate, oversimplify, or outright lie skyrockets.

And it works. Studies show that false information spreads 6 times faster on social media than the truth (MIT, 2018). Why? Because lies are often more entertaining, more shocking, more clickable. In a world where your next client comes from the scroll, the pressure to “spice up” the truth is relentless.

The Psychology of Relevance

Why do smart, well-meaning professionals fall into this trap? Because relevance taps into one of the deepest psychological needs we have: belonging. Humans are wired to fear exclusion. In today’s digital village, irrelevance equals invisibility. And invisibility feels like death to our egos, our businesses, and our sense of worth.

So, we hustle. We post more. We chase virality. We sacrifice nuance for soundbites. We trade truth for traction. It’s not that these people set out to deceive—it’s that the system rewards speed and noise, not accuracy and wisdom.

Fitness, Integrity, and the Cost of Chasing Attention

Let’s call this out directly: in the fitness industry, this obsession with relevance has created a massive divide between what people need and what they’re sold.

• People need consistent, science-backed training. They’re sold “one-move miracle” Instagram reels.

• People need long-term nutrition strategies. They’re sold crash diets with flashy before-and-afters.

• People need coaches who listen, guide, and adapt. They’re sold influencers with six-packs and no understanding of biomechanics.

It’s not harmless. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, up to 35% of “dieters” progress to pathological dieting, and of those, 20–25% develop partial or full-blown eating disorders. That’s not a side effect of bad luck—that’s the fallout of an industry that prioritizes visibility over veracity.

The Podcast Trap

Podcasts have become one of the main vehicles for relevance in fitness. Everyone’s got one. Coaches interview each other, influencers swap stories, and suddenly, every 25-year-old with Wi-Fi and a microphone is positioned as an authority.

Here’s the issue: podcasts, by design, reward charisma over credentials. The best storytellers get traction—even if the science is shaky. And because they’re long-form, misinformation gets wrapped in nuance, making it harder for listeners to distinguish fact from opinion.

It doesn’t mean all podcasts are bad—many provide real value. But the pressure to stay in the conversation means guests and hosts often oversimplify, exaggerate, or lean into controversial takes just to keep downloads climbing.

Influencers, Algorithms, and the Death of Depth

The influencer economy has all but guaranteed that being loud beats being right. Algorithms don’t reward accuracy—they reward engagement. The more outrageous your claim, the more likely it is to get shared. That’s why “this one exercise burns belly fat overnight” racks up millions of views, while a post on progressive overload gets buried.

This has created a perverse incentive system where fitness professionals are more concerned with aesthetics than outcomes. If you look the part and say it with confidence, you’ll get traction—even if what you’re saying is physiologically impossible.

And consumers pay the price. Injuries spike. Confidence tanks. People bounce from trend to trend, always starting over, always disappointed, always chasing the next shiny promise.

What We Lose When We Chase Relevance

The cost of chasing relevance isn’t just bad information—it’s the slow erosion of wisdom. When experts feel pressured to compete with influencers, they start watering down their message to fit into 60-second clips. They stop teaching complexity and start selling certainty.

They stop pushing truth and start pandering for likes. Think about that: the people with the most to teach are often the ones being drowned out—because relevance has replaced credibility.

In the long run, this doesn’t just harm individuals trying to get fit—it harms the industry’s reputation as a whole. Fitness becomes a carnival of half-truths, gimmicks, and empty promises, rather than a science-backed pathway to health and longevity.

So, What’s the Answer?

We can’t ignore relevance—it matters. If no one hears your message, you can’t help anyone. But the key is to redefine relevance on our own terms.

Instead of asking, “How can I go viral?” the question becomes:

• “How can I create something so valuable it lasts beyond the scroll?”

• “How can I show up with consistency, even if the algorithm doesn’t reward me today?”

• “How can I build authority on integrity, not just visibility?”

For fitness professionals, that means doubling down on science, storytelling, and results—not gimmicks. It means resisting the urge to oversimplify and instead trusting that your audience craves substance more than sizzle.

And for consumers, it means becoming more skeptical. Ask: Who benefits if I believe this? Where’s the evidence? Is this advice built on science—or on sales?

Relevance That Lasts

At the end of the day, the word “relevant” shouldn’t mean “constantly trending.” It should mean “still meaningful years later.”

Socrates is still relevant. Leonardo da Vinci is still relevant. Martin Luther King Jr. is still relevant. None of them had Instagram feeds. None of them hacked an algorithm. Their relevance came from substance—truth that transcended time.

In fitness, the people and practices that will still matter decades from now are the ones grounded in timeless principles: progressive overload, proper recovery, balanced nutrition, mental resilience, and functional movement.

Those truths don’t need filters. They don’t need clickbait. They just need to be taught, lived, and passed on.

Stay Real, Not Just Relevant

The danger of the word relevant is that it tempts us to trade depth for dopamine, truth for traction, and wisdom for attention.

But here’s the reality: relevance built on noise is temporary. Relevance built on truth is permanent.

So, the next time you hear a coach, influencer, or podcast host chasing the algorithm, remember this: popularity doesn’t equal credibility. Noise doesn’t equal knowledge. And the people who actually help you live a healthier, stronger life may not be the ones shouting the loudest—they may be the ones quietly telling you the truth.

Because in a world obsessed with staying relevant, sometimes the most radical, rebellious thing you can do… is to stay real.