Entering an era of motivation

The future of 󹀼tness isn’t just technology-enabled, it’s behaviour-enabled. So says Jay Worthy , CEO of Myzone, who speaks to WellNation about how the company is spearheading the sector’s movement towards “MoTech”

In a fi tness industry increasingly shaped by data, digital expectations and shifting consumer behaviour, Jay Worthy stands out as a leader pushing for something both simpler and more profound: motivation. As Group CEO of Myzone, Worthy is guiding the company through a new strategic era centred on what it calls “MoTech” – motivational technology designed to help people sustain physical activity long enough for it to meaningfully transform their lives.

Guided by curiosity

It is, in many ways, the culmination of a 25-year journey that has taken Worthy from the gym floor to the top of some of the most influential companies in the sector. Worthy describes his career path as “intentional, but not planned” – a combination of curiosity, ambition and a desire to understand human behaviour.

“I started working in a gym in the late ’90s, focused on helping people with their workouts in return for free gym membership,” he says with a smile. “I followed curiosity and generally always focused on stretching myself with every move. It was my curiosity that pulled me into every role and ultimately shaped my entire professional life.”

This approach has led Worthy to hold a range of leadership roles across the global fitness landscape, including President and CEO of equipment giant Life Fitness, where he led a US$500m exit to private equity. Alongside this, his curiosity has seen him complete a Master’s in Human Performance Physiology and another in Nature Connection and Green Health – “both of which have shaped how I think about behaviour change, motivation, human wellbeing and sustainable performance,” he adds.

In 2024 he joined Myzone as Global CEO, a company he had used personally for years. What attracted him was not simply the product, but the underlying psychology. “I knew instinctively that Myzone wasn’t just about tracking data; it was really changing behaviour,” he says.

Now, as Myzone enters a pivotal new phase, Worthy is shaping a vision for the company – and the wider industry – based on meaning, connection and long-term adherence.

The next wave of fitness won’t be about more data – it will be about meaning, connection and psychology

From equipment to experience During his 25 years in the sector, Worthy has witnessed profound change. The most striking shift, he says, is the move from an equipment-led model to one that is decisively experience-led. “In the late ’90s, success was about access to facilities and machines,” he says. “Today, it’s about creating seamless, connected journeys across home, outdoors and club environments.”

We don’t have a participation problem; we have a motivation problem

Worthy’s view is that while technology has fuelled rising expectations and fitness is often described as experiencing a “digital revolution”, there is something more profound happening – a behavioural revolution.

“The biggest change isn’t really digital at all, it’s behavioural,” he says. “We’re no longer asking, ‘How do we train more people?’ but ‘How do we help people stay engaged for life?’” The shift reflects a sector increasingly aware of the motivation gap. People don’t struggle to access fitness options, they struggle to remain consistent. “We don’t have a participation problem; we have a motivation problem,” he says. “People start with good intentions but struggle to stay engaged.” According to Worthy, fragmented digital ecosystems, rigid metrics and standardised programming only deepen the challenge. Instead, he argues, the future lies in building tools and environments that support behaviour change sustainably and psychologically.

Purpose, people and passion Despite the challenges, Worthy is optimistic. He believes the industry’s greatest strength is its sense of shared purpose: “We exist to help people live healthier, happier, more connected lives and that gives the sector a level of shared purpose most industries would envy.”

This purpose drives a global network of operators, coaches, innovators and suppliers who are motivated not only by commercial success, but by impact. What has also changed for the better, he says, is the sector’s focus on inclusivity and experience. Fitness has moved decisively beyond the hardcore gym-goer. “We’re no longer designing for athletes, we’re designing for everyone,” he says. “The industry’s mindset has broadened too. We’ve moved away from purely performance-based models toward approaches that recognise effort, celebrate progress, and support long-term habit formation.”

Why motivation matters more than data For Worthy, the sector’s evolution (from performance to supporting habits) mirrors the values that underpin Myzone’s own philosophy. That is why, when Worthy stepped into the CEO role, one concept quickly became central to his vision: MoTech.

Worthy says that MoTech reframes what fi tness technology should measure and why. Where traditional fitness tech focuses on tracking inputs, such as steps, calories and reps, MoTech focuses on the psychological drivers that fuel habit formation.

“MoTech is about focusing on why people move, not just what they do,” Worthy explains. “Tech has done a brilliant job tracking inputs, but it often misses the human drivers of behaviour.”

Myzone has always distinguished itself by measuring effort rather than performance. MoTech extends that philosophy into a broader behavioural framework. “MoTech bridges behavioural psychology and movement,” Worthy says. “It recognises progress and builds community. It’s motivation made measurable and meaningful.”

He believes the shift marks a major turning point for operators. In his view, the sector has spent years collecting data without sufficiently leveraging it to support behaviour change. What the sector is seeing, is a shift from tech-enabled to behaviour-enabled.

“ Operators can now go beyond offering technology features and start offering behaviour change solutions,” he says. “This is the shift from dashboards to decisions, from information to impact.”

In practice, this means using motivational insights to strengthen member confidence, personalise behavioural nudges and build supportive communities as well as create consistency across all environments and improve long-term retention. This is also where Worthy sees Myzone having a competitive and cultural edge.

Myzone Go – MoTech everywhere At the heart of Myzone’s evolution is the launch of Myzone Go, a new offering that extends the reach of MoTech beyond Myzone wearable devices and into smartwatches.

“Myzone Go brings the power of MoTech to anyone with a smartwatch, without the need for a Myzone device,” Worthy explains.

The new entry point has been designed to reduce friction for consumers and increase accessibility for operators. The aim is that, for clubs, it becomes a way to engage new joiners early, meeting them where they already are technologically. For individuals, it creates a low-barrier route into the Myzone ecosystem, designed to support consistent daily movement, whether at the gym, outdoors or at home.

MoTech is about focusing on why people move, not just what they do

Worthy says that the strategy reflects an important insight: if the goal is long-term behaviour change, technology must adapt to members’ lifestyles, not the other way around.

“We’re focused on helping people move more through meaningful motivation and supporting operators with tools that meet members where they are – in the club, outdoors, at home and everywhere in between,” he says. “The next wave of fitness won’t be about more dashboards or more data. It will be about meaning, connection and psychology. That’s the space Myzone is doubling down on, and we’re excited to bring operators with us.

Simplicity, consistency and connection For Worthy, MoTech is not just part of Myzone’s future – it is its future. “It clarifies our purpose and allows operators to clearly understand the role we play in helping them improve retention, engagement and member success,” he says.

Looking ahead, Myzone plans to expand its offering with more behaviour-led innovations, tighter integration across platforms and deeper relationships with club partners globally.

“We’re expanding the Myzone ecosystem, investing heavily in behaviour-led product design and strengthening our partnerships with clubs,” Worthy says. “You’ll see more simplicity and more ways to help members build consistent, enjoyable movement habits.”

Ultimately, Worthy sees the future of fitness as one where technology enables confi dence, connection and consistency. “People aren’t looking for more data – they’re looking for more support, connection and confi dence. The future will belong to those who deliver it.”

Worthy anticipates that over the next two years the sector will increasingly shift from performance-driven models toward motivation-first ecosystems. Winning operators will be those who unify experiences across all environments, build stronger communities and embrace technologies that reinforce human behaviour rather than overwhelm it with metrics.