When it comes to being a successful stylist, it’s all about setting goals. No matter the focus, goals keep us accountable and enable both personal and professional growth. If you’ve ever made an arbitrary list of “New Year’s resolutions” you know they can be difficult to keep without taking the proper steps to ensure follow-through.
Setting effective goals doesn’t have to be complicated. When writing out your goals, the SMART method has been proven to aid users in setting realistic goals that they can stick to, and ultimately achieve.
Create an Action Plan
Once you’ve decided on the goals you want to achieve, it’s time to put together an action plan. This is by far one of the most important stages of the goal-setting process. This is your time to take stock of your goals and think critically about how to achieve them.
For instance, if your goal is to increase your retail revenue by 15%, what steps could you and your salon take to make this goal a reality? Are there small, everyday tasks you can complete to put you on track? Or does your goal require you to get creative and move some mountains? Whatever your goals demand, write out clear, actionable steps that will get you to where you need to be.
Make it a Team Sport
Everyone needs support, especially when it comes to achieving goals. Get your team involved! Once you’ve identified your ideal career goals, get with your fellow stylists to identify areas for improvement both individually and as a salon. This not only gives you a range of viewpoints, but it also increases accountability. Achieving goals is a team effort!
Celebrate Your Wins
Nothing feels better than crafting a goal and seeing it through from start to finish. Take time to celebrate both your and your team’s accomplishments, no matter how big or small. Achieving your goals is a journey and focusing too hard on the end can quickly lead to burnout. Finding little ways to celebrate your progress not only feels good but gives your brain the dopamine hit that it needs to cross the finish line.
