By AHP Staff
When you think of a new year approaching, you get a feeling that it’s time for rejuvenating and refreshing. You suddenly feel hopeful and optimistic that things will be different, and it will be a better year. You start setting goals, making resolutions, and planning for big success. You tell yourself that THIS will be the year you will finally make those dreams come true!
But if you really think about it, what makes January 1, 2022, so different than December 31, 2021? Nothing. Nothing is different about January 1, 2022, unless there is a difference within you. To see your goals, resolutions and, success plans come true, there are three things you must leave behind in 2021.
1. Excuses.
We are all guilty of making excuses, even though some may seem completely legitimate. Sometimes we hold on to excuses out of fear that we might fail. Or we come up with so many reasons something isn’t working that we don’t even try to change what we’re doing to make it work.
For example, you might be one of thousands of hairdressers who believe Amazon is ruining your retail sales. If you hold on to that belief, your retail business will not improve in 2022. Rather than make an excuse for poor retail sales, one of your goals for next year should be to revitalize your retail efforts with your clients. Brush up on your product knowledge so you can educate your clients on why they should buy their products from you instead of Amazon. You can mention that you buy your products directly from the manufacturer and know they are the real deal. Who knows what you’re really getting when you buy from Amazon? The point is, using Amazon as a scapegoat is simply an easy out for dismal retail sales. Amazon isn’t going anywhere, so you need to rise to the challenge if you expect things to change. For every excuse you make about why something won’t succeed, you’re not giving a potential solution a chance if you don’t give it an honest, 100 percent attempt.
2. Rigid thoughts of how things “should” be done..png)
When it comes to hair, the more techniques you know, the better hairstylist you’ll be. It’s crazy to get stuck in a rut and think there is only one way to style a perfect up-do, achieve the perfect highlights, or use the same formulas for color. So many hairdressers hold on to preconceived notions of how success in the hair industry should be achieved and shun any method that might differ.
Example: Jessie thinks Maggie is nuts because she doesn’t have an Instagram account and isn’t on social media at all. Maggie still carries old-fashioned business cards everywhere she goes, but her appointment book is full for months out. Jessie resents this and thinks it's not fair because she’s been in the business for 20 years and has 90,000 Instagram followers, but isn’t as booked as Maggie. And to boot, Maggie has only been a hairstylist for five years!
Example: Susan has worked at a salon for years and had reached the top of her service/retail commission model. She approached her salon owner, Steve, about renting a chair in his salon so she could still be part of the salon but have more freedom to set her own prices for services. Steve refused because he has always had employees, not independent contractors, and was upset when Susan left the salon, started her own business renting a salon suite, and all her clients from the salon followed her.
For as often as hairstylists love to change their hair, why are we so resistant to changing salon procedures, systems, strategies, and ideas? It’s time we leave those rigid thoughts behind and open ourselves up to the numerous ways we can do things in 2022.
3. Setting vague goals
Do you wonder why you didn’t achieve the goals you made in the beginning of 2021? Having vague goals without structure can lead to poor follow through. If you use the method of setting SMART goals, your chances of success in 2022 are much greater. What are SMART goals?
SMART goals are:
- Specific: Articulate the goal as clearly as possible. For example, setting a goal of “I want to gain three new clients a month” is better than a goal of “I want to increase my clientele.” The more specific you are, the more focused you will be on making that goal happen.
- Measurable: Quantify your goal. For example, “I will sell $500 in retail each week.” It keeps you more accountable.
- Attainable: Choose a goal that’s challenging, but within the realm of possibility. Making 100 friends next year would be amazing, but probably pretty hard to do with a busy work schedule. On the other hand, making 10 new friends is doable.
- Relevant: Keep goals relevant to your priorities. You need to make sure the goal you set is important to you and only you and that there is value or benefit for you in achieving the goal. This will provide the motivation and willingness to act.
- Time-sensitive: Give yourself a timeframe in which to achieve a goal. A deadline will instill some urgency and provide a time when you can celebrate your success.
If you want 2022 to be different, you must be different. By leaving these three things behind, your chances for a successful new year are much brighter!