The real key to achieving what you want in 2021 💥

Hello remarkable women,

‘Tis the season to set resolutions for the New Year!

Or so we’ve been cultured to believe. 

It’s like that alarm bell inside us that goes ding, ding, ding! As soon as we hit January - and we suddenly feel an awakening or even a sense of pressure around how to make 2021 our year, especially after the shocker that many of us had last year. 

I truly feel for those of you reading who may have lost your job, had to close your business, make cutbacks, deal with mental health issues or generally feel the struggle (I think we’ve all been there in some way) - and I can understand this may ignite a desire in you to want to achieve EVERYTHING this year.

Well, firstly, I want to say - good on you for wanting to pick yourself back up! That hope, gumption and need to get the engine's firing is a good thing. And when focused well, can be used to fuel your growth. 

But before we launch into this and potentially leave you exposed to any self loathing on the goals left unachieved from last year - I want you to remember this: 2020 was an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime event that no one saw coming, so go easy on yourself. As much as we wanted all of the issues 2020 brought with it to disappear at midnight on the 31st of December within the poof of the final firework - it’s simply not the reality. Sure, we’ll get there, but it will be a steady journey through the tunnel that is already showing us some light. 

So with that in mind, it might take some time to be able to hit the ground running again, but your drive for self-growth will be your pilot light that will keep you going.

And with this, there’s something important I really want to share.

It’s all around the whole concept of ‘New Year, New You!’

Whether you’re keen to find work you love now that you’ve had time to figure out your values; whether you want to become financially independent; or whether you feel 2021 is the time to make your body your temple, the secret to achieving these things isn’t actually what you think it is.

It’s not scribbling down some resolutions at the start of the year, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed about what we want to achieve and who we want to be, feeling super pumped up for the first month or two... then promptly giving up after, having had the best of intentions but no follow-through.

No, it’s actually something very different.

We can already see how the status quo method of doing this doesn’t work - with studies showing 80% of us who write our resolutions give up by February.

How I see it, achieving what you want is not about setting traditional goals.

It’s about auditing your habits.

Because our habits are what make us. 

These are the rituals that we repeat most consistently - and which often add up to shape who we become over time.

If we can get these right, then our goals in turn will fall into line.

The reality is, no goal comprises a single action, but a series of habits. 

And when we create a routine around these, then we start to practise actualising our best self.

For example, if you want to feel more energised daily, what habits will you create?

Will you wake up an hour earlier before work each day to go for a morning run? 

Will you put your running shoes and workout gear by your door the night before, so you feel motivated to get out there the next morning, as soon as you open your eyes?

Thinking about this has helped me enormously in fulfilling my own dream life.

Throughout much of last year, I developed a habit of waking up at 4am. 

Sounds early, right? 

Well, at the time, I was running two businesses and studying for my MBA - and to keep this lifestyle going which made me feel so incredibly alive, I asked myself earlier on in the year what it would take to sustain.

I realised that I would have to carve out time to make it work.

So I found two sacred hours between 4.30am and 6.30am (yes, even if I woke up at 4am, it still took me half an hour to finish my morning routine!) to work on the growth of both my businesses, with no other distractions at all.

And what can I tell you? It’s those accumulated hours of deep work that truly helped to create my success. 

It wasn’t goal-setting alone.  Don’t get me wrong, goal setting is incredibly important and a practice that all successful people engage in regularly. 

We‘ve even got multiple courses and resources on how to become a pro at this, which you might like to try if you sign up for our Signature Membership. 

However, by itself it doesn't get you what you want. It is only when you combine it with your habits that you find a sustainable way to realise your dreams. 

I also developed a daily meditation habit, so I could keep my mind at peace and focused - and this one still sticks with me today.

I believe you can do the same too. 

Try it yourself - create structure in your life and become very intentional around how you spend time.

I promise you this one’s a game-changer.

And I’d love to hear how you go.

Here’s to an incredible New Year, full of opportunity!

Shivani