In the salon environment, self-discipline is a defining factor in achieving success. ProCollective tapped Liz McKeon, a bestselling author, speaker, and salon coach, for her tips on maintaining self-discipline.

The definition of self-discipline is: The ability to make yourself do the things that should be done, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not!

Your ability to develop the habit of self-discipline will contribute more to your salon success than any other personal quality.  Business owners who enjoy great success have the ability to think long-term and delay short-term gratification in order to enjoy even greater rewards in the future.

The key word is “sacrifice”. Self-discipline means self-control and self-mastery;  it doesn’t mean that you don’t enjoy pleasurable experiences in your day-to-day life. Instead, it means you have them after you have done all the necessary hard work and completed your key building business tasks.

Self-discipline, the common denominator of business success, is a habit that you learn with practice and repetition. 

The seven key disciplines

1. Daily goal setting

Focus and concentration are the essential qualities for success.  Every morning, take 3-5 minutes to write out your top goals in the present tense.  By writing out your 10 goals at the beginning of each day, you will programme them deep into your subconscious mind.  It will stimulate your mind and make you more alert.  Throughout the day you will see opportunities and possibilities to help you move more rapidly toward your goals.

2. Daily time management

Take a few minutes to plan out every activity for the coming day. Always work from a list and always think on paper.  The more you plan, the better you use your time and the more you accomplish.

Organise the list by priority before starting work.  Use the A, B, C, D, E method to set priorities.  This is based on considering the consequences of doing or not doing a particular tasks.

A = Must do – serious consequences for not doing

B = Should do – mild consequences for non-completion

C = Nice to do – no consequences for non-completion

D = Delegate – everything you possibly can

E = Eliminate – everything you can to free up more time

The discipline of time management spreads to all you other disciplines and has immediate benefits in the quality of your work life, too.

3. The discipline of courage

Mastering courage will teach you to deal with your fears head on rather than avoiding them.  It is another habit that is developed by practicing whenever it is required. The biggest obstacle to business success is fear of failure. Make a habit of confronting your fears rather than avoiding them.

For practice, identify one fear in your life and then discipline yourself to deal with it, to confront it, and do whatever it takes as quickly as you possibly can.

4. Excellent health habits

The key to health can be summarised in a few words – rest well, eat mindfully and exercise more! Develop the habit of exercising daily, best done in the morning before you have time to think about it.

5. The discipline of hard work

The harder you work, the luckier you get. Develop a reputation for being a hard worker and work all the time you work – in other words, don’t waste time.  Continually ask yourself “what is the most valuable use of my time right now”?  Whatever your answer, work on that every hour of every day.

6. Develop the discipline of persistence

The greatest test of self-discipline is when you persist in the face of adversity despite how you feel at the time. Your persistence is the measure of your belief in yourself and in what you are doing. Persistence is actually self-discipline in action. Self-discipline leads to improved self-esteem and a greater sense of personal power – all very useful in running a successful salon business.

7. Allocate time for the important people in your life

Relationships are everything. Be sure that in climbing the ladder of success, you do not find it leaning against the wrong building. Make time for your relationships every day, no matter how busy you get.

The benefits of practicing self-discipline

• The habit of self-discipline virtually guarantees your success in life.
• You will get more high-quality done than with any other skill.
• You will be paid more.
• You will experience a greater sense of self-control, self-reliance and personal power.
• The greater your sense of self discipline, the greater your self-confidence and the lower your fear of failure and rejection.
• With self-discipline, you will have the strength of character to persist over all obstacles until you eventually succeed.

The power of positivity

Positive thinkingbrings inner peace, success, improved relationships, better health, happiness and satisfaction.

Positive thinking is contagious. People (including clients) pick up on your mental moods and are affected accordingly. Embody happiness, good health and business success and you will cause people to like you and help you because they enjoy the vibrations that a positive mind emits.

In order to make positive thinking yield results, you need to develop a positive attitude towards life. Effective positive thinking that brings results is much more than just repeating a few affirmations. It has to be your predominant mental attitude. It is not enough to think positively for a few moments and then let fears and lack of belief enter your mind.  Some efforts and inner work are necessary.

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