You have just finished your studies to become a massage therapist, and you feel confident you are embarking on a path to success. Or you just launched your massage therapy practice, and you know that success is in your reach with time and patience. On the other hand, you may be well into your career but somehow the success you hoped for still is elusive.
Of course, success means different things to different people but whatever your vision, somewhere along your career path, you may face the reality that success requires a lot more than getting your diploma. Even if you have proven expertise in one or more massage treatment areas, the success you hoped for whether it be financial, quality of life, professional and personal satisfaction or making a difference in the lives of your clients may start to seem out of reach.
Think and differently to achieve success
While skill and knowhow get you to the table, it turns out that successful massage therapists have a set of personal traits and interpersonal skills in addition to technical knowhow. Successful massage therapists also understand that to achieve success means knowing what you want, having a plan to realize your goals and believing in yourself.
Twelve qualities that help drive success
Successful massage therapists demonstrate the following personal and interpersonal qualities whether they run their own businesses or work for others. Some are inherent; they have cultivated:
Are highly motivated: Sometimes fate steps in to help us, but by and large to achieve success means being motivated, which drives goal-focused behavior. Motivation energizes you. And success over the long haul depends on having the ability to stay motivated and having the mental energy and persistence to stay focused on your goals.
Are passionate about healing: Successful massage therapists understand that clients are entrusting them with their health and healing. In dealing with clients, they bring their passion to accomplish this. Their passion transcends competency; they build bonds with their clients and become advocates for their well-being.
Have a positive mental attitude: A positive mental attitude is key in achieving success. A positive mental attitude affects your performance. As important, having the right mindset attracts or creates positive conditions around, which increases your chances of success. When you have a positive mental attitude, you approach situations around you with optimism. Your attitude is also infectious and attracts others to you.
Are self-confident: Self-confidence is important to achieve success because it fosters resilience and perseverance, which is critical when facing challenges, which you will. People who are self-confident approach failures as a learning experience, not a setback. And when you have self-confidence, you are more likely to take calculated risks, essential to achieving your goals and long term success.
Have self-discipline: When you have self-discipline, you are less likely to be impulsive or give in to temptation. You control your actions, stay focused on your goals and in doing so make better decisions. When you have self-discipline, you can meet the ambitious standards that you set for yourself and “stay the course” to achieve your objectives. You also are less likely to get sidetracked. By staying focused, you use your time prudently and get important things done.
Having a bias for action: Being able to make quick, decisive actions can mean the difference between success and failure. A “bias for action” means prioritizing action over deliberation. You make decisions and move forward with confidence, even when you have uncertainty. When you focus on actionable, measurable progress, you can adapt more quickly to situations when they change rapidly and take advantage of opportunities as soon as they present themselves.
Learn from mistakes: Understanding that failure and mistakes present an opportunity to learn, successful massage therapists learn from their experiences, even negative ones. They know that they will make mistakes as they move toward achieving their goals. The key is to acknowledge mistakes and move on, even inviting feedback and creative thinking to help navigate similar situations that are certain to arise in the future.
Have a genuine interest in clients: When they talk to clients, they focus. They are not distracted by things going on around them. When a client says something, they respond in a way that shows they are truly listening. Telling someone, ‘That’s an interesting point,” or “I’m glad you mentioned that” lets the client know that they are engaged in the conversation.
Accommodate clients: Successful massage therapists will accommodate clients by offering to offer to come in early or stay late on occasion when schedules demand it. Being flexible shows a client that their business is important.
Convey empathy: Another one of the steps to achieve success as a massage therapist is to bring empathy to the table. To truly empathize with someone, you need to have knowledge about the other person’s welfare, interests, and needs. Successful massage therapists know that the first step to becoming empathetic is to listen. When they are with clients, they focus and listen intently. They do not try to formulate an opinion or offer advice right away. Only when they understand what the client is telling them, do they offer feedback. Even then, the goal is to help someone solve their problem or help them see it in a different light. Having empathy involves listening, being interested, being honest and being sensitive.
Continually learn: Staying ahead of the curve is no longer just a choice for professional massage therapists; it is a necessity. Clients expect exceptional results and that can require refining existing skills and learning about the latest techniques. Continuing education classes for massage therapy also enable learning new modalities and specialties to meet a range of client needs.
Know their market: Massage therapists achieve success by knowing their market. They understand the competition and how to convey what makes their practice unique and distinct. They also know exactly who needs their services and products and tailor their content in marketing materials and social media to speak directly to target client problems and needs.
These steps to success are not all inclusive. There are other things you need to do to be successful, like taking good care of yourself so you have the strength and stamina to deal with client needs. Just keep in mind that even focusing on some of these steps will get you on the road to success.