Have you heard the expression, “You are your own worst enemy”? Your mother probably mouthed it once or twice while you were growing up. We don’t learn from experience or advice of others; it takes experimenting and acknowledgement to learn from our own mistakes. Imagine what the world would look like if, when we were children, we had said, “Oh yes, Mum, thanks for sharing that nasty experience you had. I have learned from your mistake and I will never do that.” Probably world peace would exist!!
We must be open to our own critiques.
It’s a hard and often challenging moment in life when we recognize that we are the stumbling block to our own success, whether personally or professionally. It is a humbling experience to recognize and acknowledge your shortcomings.
On the flip side, we all have gifts that we bring to the table! The greatest gift is being able to accept that we aren’t perfect! Yikes! Second greatest gift? Acknowledging someone else’s gift and allowing them to use it!
How do we use this information in the salon/spa industry?
Whether you are an owner, manager, or service provider, go and look in the mirror and have a chat and an assessment with yourself. To become more successful, we must face what isn’t working, no matter how uncomfortable and challenging it might be. Here are some probing questions you might ask yourself in that mirror chat:
- Do I freely give of myself to others?
- Do I acknowledge and appreciate what others do for me?
- Do I care about every client and treat them with the respect they deserve?
- Do I practice a healthy life style?
- Do I manage my money well?
- Do I allow my own dramas to infect the people around me?ere
- If there was one thing that I could do better, what would it be?
Self-improvement and personal development are life-long journeys.
It is a refreshing reward when we can do this personal assessment and make positive moves forward in areas that need change. It is also equally important to give yourself a pat on the back for all the things we are doing right! Here are some steps for you in assessing how to move forward:
- Recognize your limits. We don’t change overnight; it takes time, practice and repetition to change and develop new habits.
- Prioritize your growth. If there is more than one area of your life that you would like to make changes in, it is important to establish a list of priorities. As we said, change doesn’t happen overnight and we want to start with the areas that are the most important to us.
- Phrase your priorities in a way that inspires you. For example, instead of saying, “I want more clients”, you might say, “I want to create change and beauty and inspire self-confidence in more people”.
- Set daily practice activities. Every goal must have small steps to achieve a larger one. Break down your actions into daily activities and practice the small steps. For example, if you wish to attract more clients, determine what behaviours you need to change or develop and practice on your existing clients.
- Reward yourself. Progress is always satisfying and it keeps us motivated to move forward. We also run into rough patches so it is a wise move to reward ourselves when we are on the right track!
Let’s face it! We only get one shot at this life; let’s make our time here worth every moment!
