Let’s face it; grooming is one of those careers where we tend to drift along year after year. There is no well-defined ladder of success in pet grooming. Another year has just rolled by. What can we do to make 2009 a year of growth and accomplishment? The answer is goal setting.
Most highly successful persons practice goal setting. There is a significant difference between setting goals for the year and making New Year’s “resolutions”. Annual resolutions are often general intentions or wishful thinking. “To lose weight,” “to give up smoking”, “to be a better boss”, are typical New Year’s resolutions. Goal setting is what translates your good intentions into action. Here are some suggestions for setting goals that will move your career (or life) forward.
1. Goals must be specific and measurable. “To be more successful” is a fine ambition, but is much too general. Your idea of success must be translated into measurable terms, such as making $100 more per week. “To become a better groomer” is hard to measure. More measurable is “To learn how to groom two new breeds to their breed standards,” or, “To attend a grooming seminar or clinic.”
2. Set a time frame for each goal. State what you intend to accomplish and a date by when it will be done. Setting a time frame is what helps you move toward your goal. “To lose weight” could be translated into “To lose 10 pounds by March 15, 2009.
3. Goals should be tied to actions. Let’s say that you have a clear intention that you want to improve your grooming skills. Some sub-goals that could lead you to that broad goal could be: To find a coach or mentor; to enter a grooming competition; or, to attend a grooming clinic. These actions will lead you to improvement. Or if your broad goal is to earn more money at your job, you could have an action that involves becoming a specialist in a certain type of grooming, so that you can become more valuable to your employer. Examples are to master cat grooming, or to become exceptionally good at large dog de-shedding, or to become expert at Bichon Frise grooms. The goal of becoming a Bichon specialist could be tied to the actions of attending a dog show, or watching or entering a grooming competition. Also, you might want to associate a sub goal of obtaining a suitable Bichon model with an owner who wants a scissored trim. The more specific you can be, with actions or steps under each specified goal, the more successful you will be in your accomplishment.
4. Keep your goals realistic. Your goals should require a stretch, but be attainable. If you a novice groomer and are currently completing three or four dogs a day, setting a goal of grooming ten dogs a day may not be realistic. Reaching for six or seven by June 1, 2009 could be do-able.
5. Written and shared goals are the most powerful. Mumbling your goals to yourself while watching Oprah is not nearly as powerful as having a written document entitled Goals for 2009. I've found that my goals have the most power when I write them down and tack them up where I can see them. This year, I'm converting the bulletin board over my desk to a space for posting my professional goals. Sharing goals gives power to your intentions, but be careful to share goals with people who are supportive, not your niggling naysayers.
6. Review and revise your goals periodically. Goals should not be cast in stone. They are guidelines and should be flexible and able to be revised as life happens. When you realize that you are not achieving your established goals, take the time to adjust the time frame, change your set actions, or re-define the goal. The more you work your goals, the more they will work for you.
Are you ready? Try on some goals and see what happens. Goal setting improves with practice. Make your first goal be to set some goals with actions and time frames. Setting goals can be a powerful process. It brings clarity and commitment to your intentions. Here is one of my favorite quotes on the subject of committed intention:
“…the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.” - William Hutchinson Murray, Leader of the Scottish Himalayan Expedition who scaled Mt. Everest 1951.