1. Develop a strong identity
2. Develop a positive, supportive mindset
3. Set clear intentions
4. Put in place a layered system for training and practice, price and service structures, marketing, selling and administration.
5. Take action immediately

So let’s look at each of these in turn… In this article I cover the first two… I cover the last 3 in follow-on posts.

 

1. Develop a strong identity

Your identity is a matrix that influences what you do and how you behave. A clear, strong, positive identity acts like a navigation system on a boat in stormy weather, helping you to reach your chosen destination when the waves are high and the wind is wild. It keeps you moving forward; being resilient when faced by challenges and gives you the strength and courage to overcome obstacles on your path.

Your identity is bigger and wider than the roles you play in your work, your job, your career, and in your personal life, as a friend, sister, brother, child, parent, partner, lover and so on. It gives texture and form to your prime purpose or mission in life and what you hold to be the keys to fulfilling your mission.

There are three features of our identity matrix:

1. How we see ourselves as people
2. Our prime purpose or mission in life
3. The keys aspects of what we do to fulfil our purpose

The clearer you are about your identity and mission and the more focussed you are on realising it, the more positive impact you will make, and the more successful you will be as a Sound Therapist, if that is what you choose to do. Are you clear about who you are, why you are here and what you are doing to fulfil your life purpose?

2. Develop a positive, supportive mindset

Our mindset is the way we perceive the world and the ways in which we fit into the world. It is made up of our attitudes and beliefs – thought forms that shape our behaviour. Often they remain hidden from view, buried in our sub-conscious mind, and yet, like our hearts, they continually beat out their own rhythms, whether we are aware of them or not. Our mindset can support or undermine our efforts to succeed.

To be most effective as sound therapists, we need a mindset that is positive and which supports our intentions and identify matrix. This brings us into greater alignment and enables our energy to flow more easily and smoothly, giving us the openness and flexibility we need to keep fresh in the moment, and enabling us to respond appropriately to whatever challenge is present to us.

I know many people who work as complimentary health practitioners, doing a fantastic job helping others to deal with challenging issues in their lives, and yet they struggle to make a living from it. I know others who do an equally great job and they generate a healthy income from their practice. I’ve noticed that the practitioners who struggle financially usually find it difficult to think of their practice as a business and don’t do all the things that are needed to generate a financially sustainable income. For example they shy away from marketing and selling, or they don’t value their services highly and charge low fees. The key difference between those that struggle financially and those that don’t is their MINDSET.

Listed below are the 7 key mindsets for building a successful business as a sound therapist. This is a set of attitudes and beliefs that you can adopt for your own success:

1. Complementary health care can be just as valuable to people as conventional allopathic medicine. In fact, given the choice, many people prefer to use complementary health care practices instead of surgery and drugs.
2. By blending the best of ancient wisdom and modern science, sound therapy is a highly effective system for creating balance and well-being.
3. Sound therapy is especially valuable at this point in time, when the existing financial, economic, social and health care systems are crumbling and many people are experiencing pain, suffering and dis-ease as a result, and are looking for fresh solutions to their problems.
4. Many people are willing and able to pay for the benefits that professional complementary health care gives them. Most people listen to music and know that sounds affect their moods and emotions. Many people are very receptive to the suggestion that sound therapy can be of great benefit to their health and well-being.
5. I will be able to help a lot of people by developing and running a successful business as a sound therapist.
6. I will feel hugely fulfilled when my business as a sound therapist is running successfully and I’m helping many clients every week to deal effectively with the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual issues that are causing them pain, distress and dis-ease.
7. I have the resources to face and overcome any frustrations and discomfort that I may experience while developing my business. It’s OK not to get it right first time. I can learn from each situation and setbacks can help me develop the qualities, skills and experience that I need to be successful.