As we start the New Year, it is a time to review the choices that we made for both our business and personal lives in 2010 and how we can use the results of those choices to propel us forward to attain all the goals that we may set for ourselves in the New Year. The decisions that we make on both sides of our lives are going to determine our position personally and professionally.  It is important to understand that every choice that we make, whether it is good or bad, is part of our history and gives us an opportunity to reflect and examine the end results so that we can learn from each and every choice that we make.

Take a look at where you are in your life. Ask yourself a few questions. Are you in good health? Is your studio where you want it to be both from a financial and artistic standpoint? Are your relationships with your staff and faculty and in your personal life where you want them to be? These questions, if answered truthfully are going to help you to look at the choices you made in 2010 and help to guide you in your new choices and decisions for the upcoming year. Maybe you feel that you have had some success but feel that there is so much more out there for you to embrace. It is easy to blame the weak economy or perhaps a teacher who has betrayed you or any other negative that has cropped up. Do you feel that the recession has affected your business? The reality is that it probably has in one way or another and if it has affected your business it may very well have affected your relationships also. Perhaps you feel that you made some wrong choices along the way. If you did, you are not unlike almost every other person in business. We have all made poor decisions and bad choices but the good news is that no matter what choices we made we can learn from all of them. The challenge is to look forward and use the experiences we have behind us as a sound guide to pave the road to more success.

Now ask yourself what you do when you make a choice and fail miserably. Initially you are probably mad at yourself and maybe even devastated but once that reaction is done you need to step back and find out why the choice was poor and did not accomplish what you set out to do. Failure is the best way to learn and certainly if you read any biographies of successful people you will find that they failed sometimes not once but numerous times. The key is to evaluate what made a bad choice and learn from it. You gain so much experience by seeing what you could have done differently and by challenging  yourself to make the necessary changes. Each time you make a poor decision and learn from it you become a stronger person with better judgment. These are not easy times that we live in but one thing that dance studio owners do have in their favor is that parents will always want to give their children as many opportunities as possible. As long as your product is good and you are constantly learning, evolving and producing your students will be there.

We are certainly not able to control the economy or any other outside circumstances. We can control the way we run our business and the relationships that we have will blossom if there is control and also more importantly balance between our business and personal lives. Having a positive mindset and envisioning ourselves where we want to be is the most important thing that we can do for ourselves. Wealth is really a state of mind and without that correct state of mind the money is just that and true success is not present. I am sure that all of us can think of people who perhaps have a large amount of money but who are immensely poor in their quality of life. It is possible to have both and that is true success.

Just as in dance, being consistent in your life and your business is really the key. It is constantly making better choices and decisions. Decide what kind of results you want and make a commitment to yourself to achieve them. Set goals, write them down and then hold yourself to them. We are all guilty of making excuses and very often it is so easy to do just that. As I always say, get that backpack full of excuses and throw them all away. Start the New Year with a new energy and you will be amazed at how people around you will respond in a positive manner.