Isn’t it funny how life Is similar to a self driving vehicle? We can direct it a certain way yet, it is in automatic motion.
If you had asked my teenage self, I would never had said I would be in the Beauty Industry. I started out working when I was very young. I moved out of my parents house at 16, 1500 miles away, putting myself through my last year of high-school at a private all girl, Catholic school. I sold vacuum cleaners, making cold calls for our sales people to visit your home and do a demonstration. All while making .25 cents per appointment.
After graduation I worked with a Company which led me to work in the Business of Office Supplies which led me to the Business of Beauty.
The opportunities I have had in this Industry are plenty. Yet, where my real passion is, is teaching. Helping others realize their potential and watch them blossom into their own and now doing the same thing for others.
I didn’t do this on my own. I had opportunities to work with people who have taught me a ton. However, had I been lethargic with these opportunities would I be where I am today?
We have all heard the expression, “ you can lead a horse to water, you can’t force them to drink”. This is so true, especially in this field. We have so many opportunities for growth and I know hundreds of Technicians who have taken classes to grow yet, they are still doing the same thing over and over again. Frustrated and angry they aren’t getting anywhere.
Sometimes I believe, we need good self evaluation at what might be holding us back.
- Is it the lack of a plan?
- Is it the lack of confidence?
- Is it you don’t really have the passion for this industry?
- Is it self Motivation?
- Is it you are to busy wanting to be like someone else, you forget you are you?
Planning is an art. Things just don’t happen by themselves. If you want to have a full book within a year…what are you planning to do to make that happen? The car may be automatic, yet you still have to direct it.
Lack of confidence I feel has gotten even worse since Covid and social media. We are so use to responding behind a screen from a keyboard. We forgot how to express that confidence in real time.
Some people think they will love being behind the chair for their entire life….until they get behind the chair. Things change. It may be unexpected allergies or wear and tear on our body. The passion isn’t strong enough to figure how to either solve the problem or deal with it.
And, sometimes as I’ve written in previous articles, we just aren’t the self motivating type.
In addition, some feel like they have to do what everyone else is doing instead of creating their own self.
I chose this topic this week because I’ve seen and heard of so many people with doubt about whether they want to stay doing what they are doing. Contrary to what most people believe, doing what we do is not easy, and sometimes our clients just literally suck the life out of us.
However, if you are truly where you should be, where you want to be….the rest will fall into place.
We also have to remember, doing what we do is not easy. The physical toll it can take on our bodies is what drives most people out of this Industry. The mental toll can be even worse. This, we never realize until we get in it. It isn’t just about the glitz and glam and I believe many who venture into this industry, think that is what it is all about.
I believe those who really entered the Beauty Industry to help others, are the ones who really have the passion. If the passion is there, you stick through the thick and the thin. Much like a relationship. If you truly love a person, you stick through the good and the bad. The good usually is good enough to manage the bad.
So, if you are getting angry over the hours you work, the money you aren’t making, the toll it is taking on your body….and if you don’t feel appreciated by your clients…you have a choice. Drive an automatic car and let it take you where it takes you, or take control of the wheel and drive to where you want to be.
Life is short….make the most of it!
CJ Murray, President