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

Yara Shahidi, known for her roles in Black-ish and Grown-ish, discusses her journey to finding alignment and prioritizing self-care, emphasizing the importance of chasing curiosity and building relationships. Shahidi shares how she navigates challenges, manages self-doubt, and approaches big opportunities with an intention to learn and grow.

Mental health & self-care

• 00:00:05 Shahidi acknowledges her anxiety and overwhelm, revealing that she prioritizes self-care and has developed tools to manage stress and challenges. She describes her journey to prioritizing her own needs and not putting them behind those of others.

Manifestation & curiosity

• 00:13:31 Shahidi believes in the power of manifestation and describes her process as receiving downloads and moments of excitement sparked by curiosity, which leads to her taking analytical steps to bring those ideas to reality. She highlights the importance of paying attention to and honoring distractions, believing that they can lead to unexpected opportunities and personal growth.

Harvard & career challenges

• 00:00:23 Shahidi shares her experience of balancing a successful acting career with attending Harvard, highlighting the pressure and challenges she faced as a young actress attending one of the most prestigious universities in the world. She credits her parents for creating a supportive environment that allowed her to prioritize her education and live a well-rounded life.

Fear of failure & self-doubt

• 00:22:18 Shahidi acknowledges her fear of failure and self-doubt, particularly in the creative industry, where she lacks the clear feedback and control she had while in school. She describes her intentional efforts to embrace challenges and not shy away from experiences where she knows she might not be great at something, noting that growth can be granular and slow.

Authenticity & public image

• 00:26:20 Shahidi discusses the pressure of maintaining a certain public image and how the perception of her as a “perfect” individual made her more conscious of how she came off to others. She emphasizes that her actions and decisions have been authentic and not strategically calculated, and that she's learned to navigate external criticism and focus on her own happiness and fulfillment.

Intention setting & opportunities

• 00:36:42 Shahidi explains that she has shifted her focus from traditional career goals to personal self-development goals. She prioritizes honesty and being true to herself when approaching meetings and opportunities, believing that it allows her to better understand and connect with others.

Mental fortitude & discipline

• 00:56:44 Shahidi acknowledges the importance of mental fortitude and discipline, particularly in navigating challenges and adversity. She recognizes that she has not faced extreme adversity but emphasizes the importance of building mental strength and being prepared for unexpected challenges.

Service & relationships

• 01:09:00 Shahidi highlights the importance of living a life of service, citing the example of her parents who instilled in her a strong sense of giving back. She describes how her mother operates from a place of natural service, constantly seeking ways to add value to the lives of others. Shahidi emphasizes the importance of building relationships, believing that they are the key to creating trust and achieving success.

Definition of greatness

• 01:24:17 Shahidi defines greatness as authenticity, believing that truly great individuals tap into their unique selves and live in a way that feels irreplaceable.