Chapter Two: Life Skills

Cosmetologists should have a thorough understanding of life skills because practicing

good life skills will lead to a more satisfying and product career, having good life skills
can keep client interactions positive in any situation, being able to deal with difficult
clients, co-workers and friends comes from having well-developed life skills, and good
life skills build high self-esteem.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCCESS (p. 19-22)

Basic Principles that form the foundation of all personal and business success:

• Build self-esteem- self-esteem is based on inner strength and begins with trusting
your ability to achieve your goals
• Visualize success- imagine yourself working your dream job; the more you
practice visualization, the more easily your dream will turn into a reality
• Build on your strengths- practice doing whatever helps you maintain a positive
self-image (running, cooking, gardening…)
• Be kind to yourself- stop critical or negative thoughts that can work against you;
if you make a mistake, tell yourself you will do better next time
• Define success for yourself- do not depend on other people’s definition of
success; become a success in your own eyes
• Practice new behaviors- because creating success is a skill, you can develop it by
practicing positive new behaviors
• Keep your personal life separate from your work- talking about your personal
life and that of others is counterproductive at work
• Keep up your energy- take care of personal needs (eat well, sleep well, spend
time doing things you enjoy) so that you will be prepared to excel in your career
• Respect others- deal with everyone with a conscious feeling of respect; practice
good manners
• Stay productive- three bad habits can keep you from being productive:

Procrastination-do not put off things that need to be done

Perfectionism- this is an unhealthy compulsion to do things perfectly; doing
things perfectly is not success; a better definition of success is not giving up
even when things get tough

Lacking a game plan-a game plan is a conscious act of planning your life;
you can have daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and lifelong goals and plans
Rules for Success

• Attend all classes

• Arrive early for class (or at least on time)
• Have all necessary materials ready
• Listen attentively to your instructor
• Highlight important points
• Take notes for later review
• Pay close attention during summary and review sessions
• When something is not clear, ask a question. If it is still not clear, ask again!
• NEVER STOP LEARNING!

Motivation and Self-Management

• Motivation propels you to do something

If you are interested in something, you will be motivated to do well

If your motivation is external (mom wants you to be a cosmetologist, your
best friend thinks you should be a nail technician), you may find it harder to
be successful
• Self-Management involves knowing what you want to achieve and keeping
yourself on track so that you eventually achieve your goal

Your Creative Capability

Creativity is an unlimited internal resource of ideas and solutions.

It can also mean you may have a talent such as painting, acting, cutting hair, applying
makeup, doing nails...

To enhance your creativity:

• Do not be self-critical
• Do not look to others for motivation
• Change your vocabulary-use positive, problem-solving words
• Do not try to go it alone-work together with others
 MANAGING YOUR CAREER (p. 22-23)

Design a Mission Statement

• Mission statement- the part of a business plan that establishes values the
institution lives by as well as target goals; individuals who are successful
create personal mission statements

Prepare a mission statement of one or two sentences that communicates
who you are and what you want for your life
 EXAMPLE: “I am dedicated to pursuing a successful career
with dignity, honesty, and integrity.”

GOAL SETTING (p. 24-25)

• Goal setting- the identification of short-term and long-term goals that help you
decide what you want out of life

Helps you to see where you need to focus your attention and what you
need to learn in order to fulfill your dreams
• Short-term goals- goals you wish to accomplish in a year or less

Passing the chapter two test

Getting my driver’s license
• Long-term goals- goals measured in larger sections of time (5 years, 10
years…)

Completing my 1250 hours in order to take state boards

Passing the state boards

Working as a stylist in a salon

Owning a salon
• Write your goals and break them down into manageable segments

Example:
COMPLETE 1250 HOURS IN ORDER TO TAKE BOARDS
 Attend school every day
 Come to class on time
 Attend night class as often as possible
 Review notes/assignments
 Ask questions
 Complete assignments on time
 Study for tests
 Keep track of my hours
 Practice skills and techniques until mastered
TIME MANAGEMENT (p. 26-27)

Some of the most effective ways to manage your time:

• Learn to prioritize by ordering tasks on your to-do list from most important to
least important
• Design your own time management system so it works for you (Do you need
to make a plan for the day? The morning and afternoon? By the hour?) Do you
include flexible time in case things change?)
• Never take on more than you can handle; learn to say “No”.
• Learn problem solving techniques
• Give yourself some down time during frustrating situations in order to keep a
positive attitude; if you cannot leave a situation, try deep breathing. (Breath in
through your mouth for five counts, hold for five counts, exhale slowly through
your nose for five counts)
• Keep a notepad or organizer to write down ideas or thoughts before you forget
them
• Make daily, weekly, and monthly schedules to show exam times, project due
dates, work schedule…plan your leisure time around these commitments
• Reward yourself for work well done
• Include physical activity
• Schedule some free time every day in the event of unexpected circumstances (car
trouble, your ride is late…)
• Create to-do lists for the day and the week (helps to organize your time)
• Make time management a habit

STUDY SKILLS (p.28-29)

• Study skills- an array of skills which tackle the process of organizing and taking
in new information, retaining information, or dealing with assessments

Where?
 Establish a comfortable, quiet spot where you can study without
interruptions
 Have everything you need- books, paper, pens, pencils- ready
 Remain as alert as possible by sitting upright

When?
 Start out by estimating how much time you need
 Study when you feel most energetic
 Study during blocks of time that would otherwise be wasted
(waiting at the doctor’s office, riding a bus, etc…)

How?
 Study just one section of a chapter at a time instead of trying to
do the entire chapter at once
 Make note of key words and phrases as you go along
 Test yourself on each section to be sure you understand and
remember the key points

ETHICS (p. 29-30)

• Ethics- the moral principles by which we all live and work

• Five professional behaviors that will show you are an ethical person:

Providing skills and competent services

Being honest, courteous, and sincere

Avoid sharing clients’ private matters- even with your closest friends

Participating in continuing education and staying on track with new
information, techniques, and skills

Giving clients accurate information about treatments and products

*Self-care is essential if you are going to truly be helpful to others. See the SELF-
CARE TEST on p. 30 to judge how well you take care of yourself.
PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT AND ATTITUDE (p.31-32)

• Characteristics of a healthy, positive attitude:

Diplomacy- (tact); the ability to deliver truthful, even sometimes critical or
difficult, messages in a kind way

Pleasing tone of voice- a positive attitude will shine through if you use a
pleasing tone of voice (if your natural voice is harsh or you mumble, you
can improve it by speaking softly or more clearly; it just takes practice)

Emotional Stability- learning how to handle a confrontation and how to
share your feelings without going overboard are important indicators of
maturity and demonstrations of emotional stability

Sensitivity- a combination of understanding, empathy (the feeling that you
understand and share another person's experiences and emotions), and
acceptance

Values and Goals- guide your behavior and give you direction

Receptivity- to be interested in other people and be responsive to their
feelings, opinions, and ideas (really listen instead of pretending to do so)

Effective Communication Skills- effective communicators usually have
warm personalities; they find it easy to talk about themselves and listen to
others when they want something, they can ask for it clearly and directly