What is it that makes one massage therapist successful while others seem to struggle? Is it that they have exceptional massage skills, or business savvy, a magnetic personality, or are they just lucky? What is the secret to their massage business success? This is a question that most new massage therapists want to find the answer to.
Since success means different things to different people, let me start by asking the question, “What does it mean to you to be a successful massage therapist?” Does massage business success mean financial success, a high quality of life, overall career satisfaction, or a positive impact in your client’s lives and those around you? Or maybe you consider a successful massage therapist to be someone who has achieved a combination of these things.
I’ve done a ton of research on this and here’s what I’ve come up with…
The massage therapists who achieve the most success and satisfaction in their massage career do so because they think and act differently. They think differently about themselves, their clients, and their massage practice. And they act differently because of how they think. Also, they have a strong belief in their own abilities and their resourcefulness, and have the persistence to endure.
All successful massage professionals know exactly what they want, and have an organized plan to achieve it. They don’t just stumble upon success. Their plan helps them to focus diligently on prioritizing the most productive tasks and skills until these skills become a habit. You can start forming these habits of success in as little as 30 days. And then with repetition, reinforce these habits until they become second nature.
Listed below are 25 traits, characteristics and habits that successful massage therapists consistently demonstrate. This list was developed with self-employed massage practice owners in mind, but these characteristics are equally important for massage therapists who prefer to work as an employee.
1. Successful massage therapists know their objective and are goal oriented
First of all, these therapists have defined what a successful massage therapy practice means to them. Then they focus and commit 100% to achieving their goal. Successful massage therapists make very specific and measurable goals, and then write them down.
It is good to keep your goals in front of you so that they stay “top of mind” and you can stay focused on them. Be sure to set short-term goals or milestones to keep you moving forward and achieving some small successes on the way to your big goals. Try to develop a long-term vision for your massage practice. Visualize the details of your thriving massage business, as well as any new personal skills or success habits that you want to have.
Make sure to set massage business goals that are high enough to inspire you. A weak or vague goal will not inspire you to take the necessary actions. And achieving a low goal will not be rewarding or fulfilling. Even the most ambitious massage goals can be achieved when there is enough motivation, reason and perseverance.
2. Successful LMTs have a strong and personal motivation to succeed
Motivation is the root of what moves us forward in life and drives us to succeed at what is most important to us. It gives us a sense of direction and transforms fear into purposeful action. The difference between successful massage therapists and everyone else is that no matter what is going on around them, successful therapists always find the motivation to press on (pun intended).
Motivation is the drive within us that helps us to get started, to maintain effort, and to complete tasks. It also helps us to get up and keep going after setbacks. This motivating force can come from a physical need such as the need for food and water. Or is can come from a psychological need like the need to feel respected, connected to others, or creative expression. This motivation is the WHY that energizes us. Motivation that is personal to us will be much more effective and compelling.
For example, if someone told you that you had to go get 10 new clients in the next two weeks or something bad would happen, and you believed them, I guarantee you could do it. Or if someone said that they would give you something that you really wanted if you went out and got 10 new clients in the next two weeks. You could meet this goal as long as the consequence was motivating enough for you. These two consequences, the potential for loss or pain, and the potential for gain or pleasure are our primary motivating forces. Now all you have to do is figure out what motivates you and harness this power to motivate yourself.
3. They are optimists and have developed a positive mental attitude
People who achieve success in their massage therapy career believe in themselves, and the fact that they can accomplish their goals. They have developed a positive mindset and then use positive affirmations, self-talk or incantations to further strengthen their optimistic state of mind.
If this is an area that you struggle with, don’t worry. You really can change your outlook. Just as your beliefs about other things can change, so can your beliefs about yourself. There will inevitably be discouraging things that happen as you build your massage business. The key to being able to bounce back from these disappointments is to view these challenges as opportunities for personal growth, rather than impossible barriers. Practice strategies to nurture an optimistic growth mindset, such as meditating and reflecting on previous challenges that you successfully overcame.
Optimists tend to experience far more success and happiness in life than pessimists. Optimists encounter the same obstacles, but are able to recover more quickly from setbacks. They also focus on what they learned from each setback, and then they grow so that next time they perform even better. The optimist is also open to new possibilities. The pessimist on the other hand, focuses on the problem and tries to come up with reasons why something is difficult or impossible.
4. Successful therapists are confident in themselves and their massage business
Confidence is a desirable characteristic that tends to attract new opportunities. Self-confident people seem at ease with themselves and with their work. A massage therapist with confidence inspires trust and confidence in clients. Confident therapists say “Yes” to new opportunities, even if it takes them out of their comfort zone.
“Do one thing every day that scares you.”
Eleanor Roosevelt
Some people appear to be naturally self-confident, while most of us have to work at building and maintaining our confidence. Fortunately, there are some practical steps that you can take to build your self-confidence. Maybe I’ll write a post on that in the future. But for now, a quick Internet search will yield 100’s of articles with tips on building confidence.
One more tip about massage business success and confidence is the strategy of making a mental note of every success you achieve. No matter how small or seemingly insignificant. This stockpile of successes will reinforce your belief that you can accomplish what you set out to do. Focusing on failures will only reinforce self-doubt and lower your self-esteem.
5. Successful massage therapists make their clients feel important
Massage therapists that get the most repeat business and referrals are the ones who make their clients feel special. They make their clients feel like they are the most important person in the world. Successful therapists realize that each and every massage client is valuable because “there are no extra clients”.
One of the best ways to accomplish this is to get in the habit of focusing on the person in front of you. So rather than letting your mind wander when working with a client, practice being mindful of your work and the client’s response to it. Using active listening skills helps too. It helps to practice good documentation that will help you to remember highlights of previous client treatments and conversations. It can also be beneficial to study the strategies of increasing connection and building rapport with your clients.
Massage therapists that are distracted, self-centered, needy, or have any number of other negative qualities will make the client feel unimportant. These therapists will not get nearly as much repeat business or referrals compared to therapists who use a client-centered approach and make their clients feel special. Massage therapists who do not make their clients feel special and important are destined to have to keep getting new clients, and their practice will never really gain traction.
6. Successful massage therapists are a pleasure to be around
Similar to the previous item on the list, successful massage therapists tend to be a joy to be around. They usually have a calming and welcoming personality. These therapists are always personable, and pleasant and they don’t bring their personal problems to work with them.
A client on the table doesn’t want to hear about anyone else’s problem. He or she is there to have their problem solved. There are many therapists who have developed great technical massage skills. But clients go back to the therapists that they like to be around and provide the best massage experience overall.
This concept is sort of like stage presence in acting. It is this charm, charisma or personality that attracts other people. Your personal presence is part of your massage practice’s brand. And as a service professional, you are your brand.
7. Self-discipline is a trait of all successful massage entrepreneurs
Successful massage therapists and practice owners do what they should do, when they should do it, whether they feel like it or not. They choose to do what is hard and necessary rather than what is easy and irrelevant. They work on marketing and promoting their massage practice routinely, even when they already have a lot of clients.
Self-discipline is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it will get. And the more you practice self-discipline, the more it will turn into a habit. Consistent self-discipline will help you to make better decisions about how they use your time and resources. With strong self-discipline you will continue progressing towards your objective regardless of how you feel at any particular moment.
8. Successful massage business owners take action
After first making the decision to become successful, these massage therapists take focused action to start moving toward their goal. Successful LMTs take initiative and exercise their self-discipline to do what must be done.
They realize that knowledge and skills alone won’t bring success. Knowledge is potential power, and it must be combined with action. Wisdom is knowing what to do and what not to do, and it usually comes from experience. Success comes only with putting this knowledge and wisdom into action.
The secret is to do the difficult but necessary actions for at least 30 days. Then with repetition, it becomes easier, you get better at it, and it will become a habit. Plus, by the end of 30 days you will have started seeing some progress, which will help to erase any self-doubt that you may have had.
9. Successful therapists work hard and invest in their massage business
They pay the price of success, because they realize the price of failure is much higher. Another thing about the cost of success is that you have to pay it up front. Example, you have to dig the well before you can drink the water from it.
“If you don’t pay the price for success, you’ll pay the price for failure”
Zig Ziglar
Accept that it will take a lot of work to become successful, and put everything you have into your top goal for 1 full year and you will likely amaze yourself. Make a commitment to yourself and give it all you’ve got.
People often overestimate what they can accomplish in 1 month, and underestimate what they can accomplish in 1 year.
10. Massage therapists who succeed are those who persevere
Successful practice owners see difficult things as challenges, and as opportunities to grow. Anyone can do something hard when they feel like it, but successful people do what they should do even when they don’t feel like it.
In this competitive world, nothing worth achieving comes easy. Being a successful massage therapist may mean taking some chances and getting out of your comfort zone. Being persistent is a key principle and characteristic of all successful massage therapists.
11. Successful massage therapists manage their time well
Successful massage therapists apply good time management skills. They plan the the most important 1-3 tasks for the day and tackle these before getting caught up in less important routine tasks. Their daily actions are planned and prioritized to focus on the most important task first. Speaking of plans, if you are still in massage school, check out our MBLEx study plan article that can help you create your own personal study schedule for the massage exam.
People who achieve their goals and reach their version of success often say that more important than trying to figure out what to do, is determining what not to do. There are a hundred things that you could do, but only a handful of things that you should do. It’s also important to avoid letting problems continue. For example, successful therapists will take the time to create a no-show and cancellation policy if missed visits become a problem in their practice.
Try not to waste time with mindless things. Identify your biggest time sinks and eliminate them. For many of us it is entertainment (TV, YouTube, social media, etc.). Time is our most valuable resource because once it is gone, we can never get it back. Another tip is to be results oriented, not task oriented. This means focusing on task completion. Break down overwhelming tasks into something that you can begin taking action on and then work on it until it is done. Check out this article for tips to overcome procrastination, which is something that affects 99% of us.
12. They are committed to continuous learning and professional growth
Massage therapy success requires developing excellent technical skills (massage hands-on skills), interpersonal communication skills, marketing and networking skills, business skills, and personal and professional development.
Be alert for opportunities for improvement, for your business or within yourself. It helps to take some time to understand yourself. Examine and reflect on your personal strengths and weaknesses. Read other massage books beyond entry-level textbooks from massage school. Consider pursuing a specialty massage certification or board certification through the NCBTMB.
It’s ok to work on improving your weaknesses, especially if you have a couple of weak areas that are holding you back. ***But the successful person recognizes where his or her true strengths are, and focuses on using this strength to their greatest benefit.
If you’re great at building rapport in a 1 on 1 situation and weak at public speaking, then spend most of your energy leveraging your skill instead of struggling to become a great presenter. Be yourself, and be the best ‘you’ you can be.
“Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive. Because the world needs more people who have come alive”
Howard Thurman
Being successful at anything takes study and dedication. It doesn’t just happen by chance. Every successful person learns from his or her own successes and mistakes. Study your past results to improve your success/failure ratio.
13. They treat their massage practice like a business
Just like other service professional business owners such as architects, design firms, doctors, lawyers, and accountants, massage professionals treat their practice as a real business, not a hobby. They don’t just put out a sign and hope for the best.
The most successful massage therapists have invested a significant amount of time and money to learn their craft, and graduating from massage school is just the beginning. Dedicate yourself to whatever is important to you (don’t just dabble in it). This diligent effort can lead to a very rewarding future in terms of financial security, creating personally fulfilling work, and having a positive affect on the lives of people in your community.
14. They are comfortable with their own success
Successful therapists acknowledge any internal conflicts that they may have about becoming successful. And then they take actions to correct these problems.
We all have a certain level of success that we are comfortable with. It is like an internal success thermostat. We try to have not too much or too little in order to maintain a homeostasis with what we think we deserve. This happens on a subconscious level, where deep down we believe we only deserve certain things in life.
Many of us got programmed with misconceptions about success from an early age. This misinformation is generally because that’s what our parents were taught when they were young. This creates a negative feeling towards success. We may have been told things like “to be a success you have to take advantage of other people.” Or “money is the root of all evil”. While some people have certainly done bad things for money, or let their lust for money or power control their life, people who work ethically and provide a valuable service for others deserve to be rewarded.
15. Successful massage therapists give more value to their clients
They always give more than they’re paid for, because they realize that people go back to the people and businesses where they got the most value. Successful massage therapists work hard to create an awesome client experience, ensure client comfort, and provide great customer service. They are flexible with scheduling when possible, and focus 100% on the client when working with them.
These therapists realize that providing the minimum just doesn’t cut it in this competitive world. Be easy to work with and provide a great massage experience. In other words, be remarkable.
16. They know when to decide quickly and when to take longer to make a decision
Decisions with few consequences can be made fairly quickly, and it is a waste of time to take too long pondering over it. This could include decisions like:
- What to have for lunch
- What color massage table to buy
Other massage business decisions with potentially big and long-term consequences should be considered more slowly, to examine the possible outcomes. Examples of these are:
- Where to establish your practice
- Do you want to partner with someone for your practice
- Whether or not you should hire employees
17. Successful massage therapists are resourceful
Most of the time it isn’t a lack of resources that hold people back, but lack of resourcefulness. There are many people who are successful today who started out with very few resources. They focused on what they do have rather than what they feel they were lacking.
The most important things that are needed for success are mindset and skills. And even if you don’t have all the right skills today, they are all learnable! If you have a burning desire that is focused on a single purpose, you will see opportunities that most people overlook. Combine this with creativity, optimism and perseverance and you cannot fail.
18. They manage their finances carefully
Successful massage practice owners watch their balance sheet (income and expenses) and watch their cash flow carefully. They analyze key business metrics: ROI (return on investment), ROTI (return on time invested), etc., for each activity their business does. They did this when starting out and continue as their business grows.
Savvy money management is crucial whether you earn $100 per week or $2,000 per week. Many people make the mistake of letting their expenses rise at the same rate as their income. This means that even when they are earning a lot of revenue, they will still be poor. It’s not just how much you make, but how much you keep.
19. Successful therapists learn from their mistakes and successes
Mistakes, setbacks, and failures are inevitable. Successful business owners understand this and don’t let fear of failure stop them from taking action. The people who fail the most are often the ones who ultimately win. This is because they learn valuable lessons along the way, and they develop resiliency that can only be learned by taking repeated action.
Learn to look at so-called “failures” as learning experiences. If you try something and it doesn’t work, then simply modify your approach and try again. Take responsibility for your successes and failures. Successful people also learn from the successes and failures of others. Someone who is not afraid to fail will eventually win.
20. They have a network of like-minded peers
Many successful people form what’s called a Mastermind group. Having people around us with similar ambitions is like having a support group, where each member helps and encourages the others. We will all benefit from having a good mentor or two. It is much faster and easier to learn from others who have already discovered a plan that works, than to try and “reinvent the wheel”.
Success group members also hold each other accountable when they get off track, and then nudge them back in the right direction. Although it can be tough to do, weeding out negative or toxic people with low standards from your life can make a big and positive difference in your success and quality of life.
21. Successful massage therapists understand their target market
They have identified their ideal client and have taken the time to learn what their target market needs and wants. Also, they listen to their clients for opportunities.
Service professionals including those in the healthcare industry understand that they are primarily in the customer service business. Find ways to connect with your target market to turn them into raving fans, which will lead to more repeat business and increased referrals.
22. Successful massage business owners get up early
The most successful massage therapists are excited about their day and have a sense of urgency to start taking action. They create a success routine. They understand on an emotional level that their action alone will be the cause of their success or failure.
I think the most important part of this is that successful people have a reason to get up early. They wake up excited to start their day because they are working towards goals that inspire them. There is a sense of urgency about them because they believe what they are doing has meaning and purpose.
23. They understand their own health needs
People who achieve long-term success make their own health a priority and practice self-care. This includes physical, mental, emotional, relationships and spiritual health. Without these, no amount of business or economic success is worth it.
It’s been said that, “Young people trade their health for wealth, and old people trade their wealth for health”. Avoid this conundrum and make your health a priority now.
Eat for energy and vitality. Maintain a healthy weight. Get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. Recharge your inner battery because massage and healthcare can be physically and emotionally draining.
Receive massages for health maintenance. This can also increase empathy and help you develop a better intuition on what your own clients are feeling when they are on the table.
Exercise daily, especially out in nature. Massage therapy is physically demanding, but is shouldn’t replace your personal exercise time. Taking some time for this every day will increase your confidence, mood and energy level.
24. Successful massage therapists truly care about helping their clients
They have discovered a target market and niche that they feel a connection with and who inspires them. This is usually because of common interests or attributes.
Is there is a particular segment of the population that you really care about positively impacting with your work? Here’s the test: if you feel emotionally drained at the end of the day, you’re probably not working in your ideal environment or with your ideal massage clients.
On the other hand, if you feel energized at the end of the day, then you may have found your ideal target market and setting. It may be working with athletes, children, seniors, office workers, new moms, people with emotional needs, or whoever you honestly feel passionate about helping.
25. Successful massage therapists strive for excellence
The most successful massage therapists compete with themselves instead of others, and they always strive to do their best. Entering into a new career or business venture with the mindset “I just want to put in minimal effort and be good enough to get by…” will be an uphill battle the entire way. Because no one ever says, “Go see my massage therapist Jane, she’s really average…”. Don’t settle for average. Commit to improving every day.
“We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life.”
Steve Jobs
In Summary
People aren’t just born with these success traits, they work to develop them. Some traits may come more naturally to you than others. But they are all learnable. I challenge you to choose a few items on this list and work on them over the next 30 days, or until they become a habit.