Think about this — > Most people don’t start out on a road trip unless they know where they’re headed. Sure, the route might change because of construction or a traffic jam, but we don’t set out for San Francisco and end up in Boston. We start out with a clear vision of where we’re going, and we get there. The same is true for your studio.
Without a clear vision, you just end up lost somewhere you never wanted to go. Maybe you add a little boutique and start selling clothes… and then jewelry… and then you start offering drinks too. Suddenly you find yourself running a juice bar with some yoga classes on the side, instead of the studio you want.
You strayed away from your vision and got lost and confused, and so did your students.
When I put it in simple terms like this, it seems easy to know what went wrong. But when this drift happens over a year – or five – it’s harder to see. How do you keep your studio focused and moving forward in the direction you want to go?
Everything must come back to your core vision.
Your vision is what your studio will be like when it is most successful. No dream is too big here. Make it audacious and bold. It’s your description of the mountain peak and the gorgeous view… not a set of action steps or how you plan to hike there.
Don’t aim low with this vision either, it’s a mountain-top view not some nice landscaping in your backyard. And guess what – -> The way it’s written matters.
Create space for yourself to define your vision. Meditate on it in the morning or before bed every day for a week or two. Write down your thoughts. Explore your intuition. Gather your dreams.
We often think about the future, but it never becomes a powerful vision statement we can use. Time to fix that for your studio!
Block out time – an afternoon or even a weekend – to turn your ideas into a statement that really gets you excited. Creating time and space away from the studio is key for most people. A fresh location, free of distractions will make the process easier.
Tips for writing your vision statement:
- The vision statement is futuristic, audacious, and must be a destination.
- Write it in the present tense, as if it is somewhere you have already arrived.
You’ll know your vision statement is ready if reading it gets you amped up! If you’re not amped up reading it, no one else will get excited. Make your vision so powerful that your team, your partner – and anyone you talk – can’t help but get excited when they hear it! Make your vision inspiring and empowering – something people can get behind and believe in.
You have a clear vision. Start acting that way today!
Once you have a vision for your studio, look at it regularly. Make sure what you’re doing will take you to your vision. After all, there is no point in heading east if you’re trying to get to San Francisco.
There are a million things you CAN do in your business. The key is to do the things that really matter AND do them really well! You have to stay focused to move the needle and get the insanely profitable studio you want. Remember, you can always circle back to the others later.
Define your goals in light of your big-picture vision.
Now that you know what the view is from your mountain top it’s time to talk about hiking there. Start with a five-year target. This is a specific, measurable long-term target. It should get you excited for the future and maybe make you feel a little uncomfortable.
Examples could be $750,000 in annual revenue, a month of personal vacation time a year, a fully staffed front desk team or a 35-hour work week.
Make a bullet list of what goals are important to you and make sure they line up with your vision for your studio.
Break your target down into a 3-year plan and a 1-year plan. Notice these aren’t targets or a vision anymore. These are specific, dated goals dialed down to help you reach your 5-year target. Can you feel your vision becoming more and more attainable? I can.
Part of your 1-year plan is choosing the 3-7 priorities that will keep you on track to reach your 3-year goals. Then define what success will look like. You need to pick a statistic, feedback or measure that will determine if you’ve met those goals. You need to be able to look at things objectively and know exactly when you’ve been successful in meeting these goals.
Get ultra-clear on your priorities. This is what will keep you on track. Look at your 1-year plan and your vision statement often. They will keep you amped up about moving your business forward and give you the energy you need to get where you’re going!
You can have a thriving, successful yoga studio and make enormous strides in just a year. I’ve seen it happen in our Yogapreneur Collective time after time. All you need is a clear vision, priorities to keep you on track and the drive to make it happen.
Struggling to lock in a powerful vision for your studio? Finding it tough to translate your vision into measurable goals? Grab a seat at the next FREE Strategy Session! I’m here to help you get unstuck and set your studio on a course for real success!
