Milady Training

Read Time: 6 Minutes
Expertise Area: All Career Fields
Career Stage: All Career Stages

Expert Career Advice ➜ Goal Setting ➜ Goals vs. Resolutions

Resolutions are something we don’t give much thought to until the new year is upon us, then suddenly, with an onslaught of pressure from friends and family, we are making resolutions to improve our lives, our health, and our business. If you are like most people, 80% to be exact, you declare your resolution, maybe spend a week or two committed to making the changes you set out to make and then fall back to the life you lead before.

Resolutions are a declaration, a firm decision to do or not do something. They are permanent changes with no end date, which is why it is so hard to make them stick; there is nothing to hold us accountable. Goals, on the other hand, are objects of our ambitions and effort. They have a timeline with milestones attached. Goals are attached to specific achievements, while resolutions are a declaration of a permanent change.

Resolutions and goals go hand in hand, yet they are completely different. Think of a resolution as passive behavior, a statement without action– “I’m going to increase my social media presence this year.” That is a resolution. Wanting something doesn’t make it happen. This is where goals come into play. Goals need action in order to be achieved. To learn more about setting and meeting goals, see our goal-setting guide. When done right, goal setting provides you with a list of actionable items you need to fulfill your resolutions. A goal is more specific like, “I’m going to increase my social media following by 1,000 followers by June 1 and this is how I’m going to do it.”

Resolutions cannot be achieved without goals and goals cannot be created without resolutions. Incorporate these simple steps to take charge of your life and your business.

Resolutions to Boost Your Career

Who doesn’t want to earn more, take an extra vacation, start a retirement fund, or plan for the future? While we all start out with the best intentions, it’s easy to get caught up in the business of life and put things off another day, another month, another year. Time waits for no one, so don’t wait another day to start establishing solid business habits.

Trim the fat

Take inventory of the areas in which you dedicate your time and ask yourself, “What's holding me back currently?” Is it fear, unhealthy relationships, distractions, or something else? Create a game plan on how to minimize these roadblocks. We define what's important to us by what we dedicate our time too so spend your time wisely.

If we're not focusing enough time on our business, strong relationships, or our happiness and fulfillment then we're missing out. Sometimes what lives in our comfort zone isn't always the best for us. Although it may seem scary, the source of that fear often comes from fear of the unknown. Which brings us to the next step.

Invest in yourself

Specifically, invest in your business and your personal development. Knowing more about your business helps you to be a well-rounded beauty and wellness professional. At the very least it gives you more topics to talk about and may help cultivate better business in the future. Take more classes, read more, listen to a podcast, draw, play an instrument and learn a little about as much as you can. Personal development is not just important; it's vital. Having a broad knowledge of a variety of subjects gives you the ability to connect with a broad spectrum of people. Being successful behind the chair or table isn't just about how technically sound you are; it is also how you interact with people.

Track your progress

If you truly want to be busier, start keeping track of your data. What percentage of your clients pre-book their next visit? What is the average service or retail dollar per visit? How many services on average are your clients receiving? Knowing this data will help you narrow your focus and attention and give you insights on what needs improving in these areas. Making any real amount of progress in your life and business will come from implementing routine actions that yield the greatest return on your time and bottom line.

Goal Setting To Boost Your Resolutions

It's time to get into action, to stop procrastinating, and start activating the life you love. Too many salon and spa professionals are walking around in a fog, wondering why they are busy and yet not getting ahead, wondering why they can't seem to get caught up and why they are still not happy. The demands of work and life have a way of piling up on our plates and the only one who can clear the plate is you. It's going to take a commitment on your part to start doing things differently. Doing the same thing, the same way over and over again, is taking the road to nowhere. Don’t get caught up in the cycle. There is no better time than now to try a new way of working, communicating, and stepping into action. Take these steps to turn your resolutions into goals.

First, you need to get a calendar. Block out an ideal schedule for yourself that includes:

• Office Time
• Family Time
• Salon/Spa Time
• Exercise/Health Time
• Spiritual Time
• Personal Time

Each week plan your time and fit in the things that make your life work. You have no problem moving your life around to fit in clients, why not begin moving your life around to fit in you as well?

Next, make a list of all the projects you want to accomplish within the next 30 to 90 days and create a timeline for completion. These could be small things (go to the dry cleaners) to big (submit my application for NAHA.)

Every morning before beginning your day, fill out a daily schedule to get you focused and organized for the day.

Over the next several weeks, pick one day to clean your house, your car, your office, and your salon/spa/shop. Get organized. If you haven't used it, seen it, touched it, or remembered you had it, pitch it. You don't need it and it is cluttering your life.

Finally, you need to let go. Clean out your personal house; get rid of what doesn't work for you and start doing things that light you up. Sometimes this means making life changes and listening to the whisper in your gut. It won't be easy, but once you start living your life for you, you will find freedom, power, and magic all around you. You will be happier, healthier, and wealthier. You will be a shining example of what is possible when you truly honor yourself and do what you need to do for you.

Part of having a successful life is realizing you have complete control over your plans. Which doesn’t mean you won’t be thrown a curve ball from time to time. Your plans may need to be tweaked, that’s okay, plans keep us on track, and they inform us when we need to make adjustments.

If you want something, do everything in your power to attain it. Resolve to achieve it and then set goals to ensure you accomplish all you set out to do.