It’s On You
Todd Ford • October 18, 2021

It’s On You

“The problem human beings face is not that we aim too high and fail, but that we aim too low and succeed.”

-Michelangelo 


I want to touch on mindset and focus today. No pun intended; it’s been on my mind lately. I have been a coach for many years. Before joining Jen to launch our salon, I owned a gym for ten years. Before that, I coached for another gym for a couple of years. And before that, I led teams in restaurants and various other professions. Most of my coaching, probably north of 85%, was spent teaching people how to overcome the barriers they’ve created in their minds. I coach hard. The harder I’m able to coach, the sooner my client sees results. 


Let’s jump into some stuff that I see in the hair industry.


“Exceptional people, I have found, either start out being optimistic or learn to be optimistic because they realize that they can’t get what they want in life without being optimistic.”

-Dr. Bob Rotella


Dr. Bob Rotella is a sports psychologist who’s worked with many high-performing golfers and professional sports teams. He knows his stuff.


So how does this apply? Where am I going? I’ll tell you.


I see so much negativity in this industry. It doesn’t need to be that way, from endless, passive-aggressive posts about cancellations to the constant need to verify the profession to tearing others down. It’s enough to drive someone insane. What are you doing?! Why all of the negativity? 


A scarcity mindset is what drives most of these examples. If your clients are constantly canceling, don’t allow them to book. Take control. If people pass comments about the industry not being a ‘real’ profession, whatever the fuck that means, let it go. Who cares?!. And don’t tear people down; that’s not cool. The scarcity mindset forces people to believe there won’t be more clients, the industry needs protecting (the beauty industry is currently valued at $511 billion and not going anywhere), and if they make someone else look bad, they’ll look better. All laughable, if we’re honest. The industry doesn’t need protecting; it needs change-that’ll be another post.


When you’re optimistic, you tend to attract other like-minded happy people. When someone around me is constantly negative, it’s not long before I remove them from my life, like fast, with the quickness. They gone. Bye. I don’t have time for that noise, and you don’t either. Instead, embrace and spread positivity. There’s plenty of prosperity to go around. Most times, if you help others find success, it won’t be long until you find yours. 


“Fuck “try.” Trying is an open invitation to failure, just another way of saying, “If I fail, it’s not my fault; I tried.”

-Tim S Grover


Tim S Grover is a personal trainer who’s worked with some gentlemen you may have heard of, Kobe, Jordan, D Wade. So when I say he knows his stuff, I’m not fucking around. His coaching strategy has his clients embracing their dark side and allowing it to take over. Ownership of everything because, at the end of the day, it’s on you.


Where am I going with this quote? Glad you asked!


I see many owners blaming employees and vice-versa in both directions, its’ your fault, not the other way around. If you’re an owner who has out-of-control employees, it’s on you. Could you do something about it? On the flip side, if you’re an employee with a jerk-face of a boss, it’s on you. Could you do something about it? You are responsible for your failures, along with any situations that you allow yourself to remain. Stop trying to make garbage situations work.


I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with failing IF you view it as a learning opportunity. I try to fail as fast as possible when I’m learning. Embrace that shit! That’s a growth mindset, and you should adopt it if you struggle in any aspect of your life. 


I genuinely wish the best for everyone, which means that a lot of discomfort needs to occur. There is plenty of room for all. I want more positivity. I want more people to bring people together. I want fewer hashtags about community, culture, and competition that are for show. I want fewer people looking to social media for verification. 


We touch on some of this stuff in an upcoming podcast episode



I’d love to hear your thoughts on anything I touched on. Hit me up here!

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