I have been doing some research for the writing of a new ebook for my www.massagetherapycareers.com website. The name of the ebook will be something like “The Truth about becoming a massage therapist…”

I actually had an ebook by the same name when I first started that site and eventually took all of the information and put in onto the site. I now am getting enough traffic and have been collecting information to create a new ebook.

Locally, I saw a commercial the other day in the middle of the afternoon advertising a massage school. The advertisement talked about getting a job with the freedom to be your own boss and set your own hours. It showed pictures of people getting massages with the clients head turned toward the cameras ( I hate that- I never in my 18 years have had a client turn their head to the side while working on them. It puts more strain on their neck than anything I think.) Anyways, the commercial made it look like such a glamorous career.

Does anyone really have freedom just by being able to set their own schedule?

I am not sure what people are being told about becoming a massage therapist. I think they are being drawn to the field because of these typed of unrealistic commercials and advertising. No one talks about the real things that happen on a daily basis - having to do laundry, trying to find a job that pays more than $12 an hour, dealing with getting a steady flow of clients.

I also has an email from a disgruntled ex-massage therapist awhile ago who had tried to make a go of running a successful business and he had to give it up because he could get the clients he needed yet he really thought he was good at what he did- doing massage.
What massage schools don’t tell you is that it really doesn’t matter how good you are or aren’t.
The technique does not have much to do with it. I have gotten the worst massages in my life from people who were really successful at running a business.

What makes the difference in starting, building and maintaining a successful business also does not have anything to do with figuring out the best marketing tactics.

What it does have to do with is YOU. YOU are what makes the difference between being able to make it in this profession or not. YOU and your values, beliefs and thoughts about who you are and what you do.

Part of the law of attraction or what is being said in the movie “The Secret” is asking for what you want, but being clear about your intention for wanting something and believing that you can get it and having the commitment to follow through and take the next step on the path.

So what does it take to be a massage therapist that has a successful and rewarding practice?

What else do you think it takes to be successful as a massage therapist? What qualities are need to build a successful and rewarding career?

This entry was posted on Monday, May 28th, 2007 at 9:15 pm and is filed under Ethics, Massage Schools/Students, Starting Your Practice, The Code of the Caretaker, The Wealthy Massage Therapist. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.