Yara Shahidi: This Manifestation Technique Helped Me Achieve EVERY SINGLE ONE of My Goals

Here are the top 10 key takeaways from Yara Shahidi's conversation with Lewis Howes that reveal how this talented actress, Harvard graduate, and producer navigates success, authenticity, and personal growth.

1. Balancing anxiety with optimism

Yara Shahidi reveals that despite her outwardly positive demeanor, she often experiences anxiety about her future. She mentions that others assume she's naturally upbeat, but she struggles with anxiety and overwhelm that sometimes overshadow her excitement about what's next.

This internal conflict became particularly evident during her time at Harvard, where she was simultaneously dealing with the pressures of academic life and her acting career. The podcast itself, "The Optimist Project," stemmed from conversations with her mother about navigating this mental tension between anxiety and hope. Her journey represents the challenge of maintaining optimism while acknowledging genuine concerns about the future.

2. Creating healthy boundaries with work

Shahidi learned the importance of establishing boundaries in her professional life, especially during intense filming schedules. When working on "Grown-ish," she experienced 17-hour workdays and found herself in situations where basic needs like meals were sometimes deprioritized for the sake of production.

Her family played a crucial role in advocating for these boundaries. Her mother had to intervene with production staff to ensure she was treated as "a human being first and an actor second." These experiences taught Shahidi the importance of self-advocacy in professional environments. She eventually developed a rhythm that allowed her to maintain her well-being while fulfilling professional obligations, demonstrating that success doesn't require sacrificing basic needs.

3. Prioritizing authenticity over others' expectations

Throughout her career, Shahidi struggled with how others perceived her. She felt people were waiting for her to "slip up" because they couldn't believe her composed public persona was authentic. This external skepticism made her more self-conscious about her choices and behavior.

A breakthrough came when her therapist asked her a simple question: "How do you feel about people?" This shifted her focus from others' opinions to her own experience. She realized she was overanalyzing how she came across to others instead of checking in with herself about how she was feeling. This mental shift allowed her to be more present and authentic in social situations, freeing her from the constant performance of trying to appear more relaxed than she actually was.

4. Honoring curiosity as a path to fulfillment

Shahidi emphasizes following one's curiosity rather than pursuing conventional paths. She referenced her TED talk where she encouraged people to "honor their so-called distractions" as acts of creation, describing how her own curiosity led her to Harvard despite industry norms suggesting she shouldn't take time away from her career.

This decision to follow her interests rather than career momentum provided balance to her life. While many industry professionals discouraged her academic pursuit, she found that studying subjects unrelated to acting actually renewed her passion for her craft. Her experience demonstrates how honoring curiosity can lead to unexpected opportunities and greater fulfillment. Sometimes what seems like a distraction might actually be pointing toward a valuable path.

5. The power of vision boards and purposeful dreaming

Shahidi reveals a practical manifestation technique she used to achieve her goals. At age 18, she wrote down every endorsement deal she wanted to secure, despite not typically thinking in those terms. Two years later, she realized she had accomplished everything on that list.

Her approach to manifestation isn't purely mystical but involves recognizing moments of genuine curiosity and excitement as signals to pursue something. When she experiences a "wave of excitement" about an idea, she views it as a meaningful indicator. This intuitive approach, combined with analytical planning, forms the foundation of how she brings her visions to reality. The combination of intuitive dreaming and strategic planning created a powerful framework for achievement.

6. Building relationship equity instead of networking

One of the most valuable lessons Shahidi received from her grandfather was the concept of "relationship equity." This approach prioritizes building genuine relationships rather than transactional networks. The principle encourages calling people "between needing things" rather than only reaching out when you want something.

This philosophy has shaped how Shahidi and her mother conduct business. When they launched their production company, they were surprised by how many people wanted to work with them before they had proven themselves as producers. This positive response came from years of building genuine relationships without expecting anything in return. Trust becomes the ultimate resource gained when you invest in authentic connections with people rather than viewing them as mere contacts.

7. Embracing imperfection as part of growth

Shahidi admits to struggling with perfectionism and fear of failure. She found comfort in structured environments like school where she received clear feedback on her performance, making it easier to measure success. The creative industry proved more challenging because success criteria are less defined and often beyond her control.

She has been intentionally pushing herself to try activities where she knows she won't excel immediately. Participating in a baking competition show despite limited cooking skills was one example of this growth mindset. These experiences taught her to become comfortable with the learning process even when progress is slow or invisible. She's learning to value the journey of improvement rather than expecting immediate mastery, which represents a significant shift in her approach to challenges.

8. Finding alignment leads to ease

When reflecting on her career path, Shahidi notes that many opportunities have come relatively easily to her. Initially, this success made her feel guilty, questioning whether she deserved such smooth progress. However, she's reframing this experience: "ease is the alignment."

Her discernment in choosing projects and opportunities has contributed to this sense of flow. By consistently saying no to things that didn't align with her values or interests, she naturally gravitated toward experiences that were right for her. This selective approach has helped her avoid many of the typical challenges and traumas associated with child stardom. Her story demonstrates that when you're aligned with your authentic self, progress doesn't always require struggle.

9. Integrating service into daily life

Service has been woven into the fabric of Shahidi's upbringing and worldview. Her parents incorporated giving back into routine aspects of childhood, using a three-bucket system for her allowance: save, spend, and donate. This early training normalized service as an integral part of life rather than a separate activity.

She particularly admires how her mother embodies service through genuine curiosity about others. Without strategizing to build connections, her mother naturally connects people who might benefit from knowing each other. This approach to service isn't performative or scheduled but flows from authentic engagement with the world. It demonstrates how being attentive and present can itself be a form of service, creating value for others through genuine interest in their lives and needs.

10. Preparing for challenges through mental fortitude

Despite her relatively smooth path so far, Shahidi expresses concern about developing the mental fortitude needed for future challenges. She wonders if she'll have the willingness and capacity to overcome significant adversity when it inevitably arrives. This reflection shows remarkable self-awareness about preparing for life's inevitable difficulties.

She looks to others who have shown courage during seemingly impossible circumstances with genuine amazement and curiosity. Part of starting her podcast was to understand what enables people to push through difficult moments. She's realized that the qualities needed for resilience often emerge when they're required rather than being developed in advance. Nevertheless, she continues to seek ways to strengthen her mental resilience for whatever challenges lie ahead.