The Three Lessons That Changed My Business (and My Life)

September is always a milestone for me. It’s not just spring here in New Zealand, it’s also my business birthday. This September, I stepped into my third year of business, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

I had set a big intention for this new chapter: I wanted to get serious about being intentional, making a plan, and actually sticking to it. No more half-efforts, no more starting something and jumping to the next shiny idea. This year, I promised myself I would show up fully, commit to my goals, and stay with the process.

And it paid off. By the second week of September, I had already hit all my business goals for the month. It was my best month so far.

But here’s the truth: it wasn’t really about the goals.

Because goals come and go. The real win was building the habits and systems that will last. That’s what allows me to now move forward with more momentum, more speed, and more alignment.

And that’s why I want to share the three biggest lessons I’ve learned this year, because they’re not just about hitting one set of goals, they’re about creating a foundation for long-term success.

Lesson 1: Be intentional

I’ll start with the one that changed everything: intention.

Most people move through their day in reaction mode. They wake up, check emails or messages, rush into tasks, and end up wondering at the end of the day why they feel drained and scattered. That used to be me too.

The shift came when I decided to start each morning by setting my intention. I’d ask:

• How do I want to feel today?

• Who do I want to be in my conversations, my work, my choices?

• What three things will really move the needle for me today?

  
  

When I started answering those questions every morning, my days felt completely different. Suddenly, I wasn’t being pulled in all directions. I was leading myself.

There’s neuroscience behind this too. Our brains are wired to focus on what we tell them to. The reticular activating system (RAS) acts like a filter. If you tell your brain, “I want to feel focused and confident today,” your RAS will pick up on cues and opportunities that reinforce that. It’s the same mechanism that makes you suddenly notice red cars everywhere after buying one.

By setting intentions, you give your brain a target. You’re no longer just riding the horse, you’re actually holding the reins.

To anchor this habit, I created a simple daily intention planner. In the morning, I fill it in with my energetic check-in, my top three priorities, and how I want to show up. At night, I reflect on how the day went and what I learned. That small ritual helped me stay aligned, even on the days when I wasn’t “feeling it.”

Lesson 2: Get crystal clear on your goals

Intention is powerful, but it only works if you know where you’re going.

This year, I stopped keeping my goals in my head and started writing them down every single day. Not just once when planning my month. Not once a week when I remembered. Every. Single. Day.

Why? Because repetition matters.

Psychology research shows that when we write down our goals, we not only clarify them in our minds but also prime our brains to focus on them. People who vividly describe and record their goals are far more likely to achieve them. Writing them daily sends the message: “This matters. Pay attention.”

And that’s exactly what happened for me. The more I wrote my goals, the more natural it felt to take actions that aligned with them. I started noticing opportunities I would have missed before. I became more discerning with my time and energy.

Clarity brings focus, and focus brings results.

Lesson 3: Be okay with the not-so-sexy steps

Here’s a hard truth: momentum isn’t built in big, exciting bursts of inspiration. It’s built in the boring, repetitive steps you take every day.

I call these the “not-so-sexy steps.” The emails you send. The outreach you do. The routines you repeat. None of it feels glamorous in the moment, but it compounds over time.

Think about brushing your teeth. It’s boring. You don’t feel transformed after doing it once.

But the consistency is what makes all the difference. Skip it for a week and you’ll see the consequences very quickly.

Business works the same way. The discipline to keep showing up for the repetitive, sometimes uninspiring tasks is what creates momentum. And momentum is what carries you forward when motivation is low.

This was a huge lesson for me. I had to learn to separate pressure from commitment.

Pressure felt like forcing myself through something that wasn’t aligned. Commitment felt like choosing to stick to the plan I created, even when it wasn’t exciting, because I knew it mattered. That distinction helped me keep going without burning out.

Bonus tip: Enjoy the journey

Now, this is the one I wish I had learned years ago.

Here’s the truth: 95 percent of success is the journey, and only 5 percent is the achievement. The moment you hit a goal, it feels amazing for maybe five minutes… and then you’re already setting the next one. If we only measure success by achievements, we’ll always feel like we’re chasing something just out of reach.

So how do we avoid that trap? We learn to enjoy the journey.

For me, that means finding ways to make the process playful. Celebrating small wins. Surrounding myself with people who inspire me. Taking breaks to recharge. Reminding myself that the real joy isn’t in the finish line, it’s in the steps along the way.

And when the milestone does come? Celebrate it fully. Savour it. Then keep moving forward with gratitude and excitement.

And here’s a little secret weapon I’ve been using: I created a hypnosis audio just for myself, where I get to step into the vision of my dream business and my dream life. 

I close my eyes, see myself as the woman running it, feel the confidence, the calm, the energy of already living it. It’s not just daydreaming. The brain actually responds to vivid visualisation almost as if it’s real, so each time I listened I was training my mind and body to make that version of me the new normal.

 And honestly, it’s fun. It feels like giving myself a private movie screening where I’m the star of my own future. It’s grounding, inspiring, and it kept me showing up even when motivation dipped. I still listen to it because it reminds me I’m not just chasing goals, I’m enjoying the ride of becoming the woman who creates them.

These lessons didn’t come from theory, they came from practice. And I’ll be honest, there were days when I didn’t feel like doing any of it.

But that’s where the systems came in. What truly helped me stay consistent was my daily intention planner. It gave me a framework to set my energy in the morning, stay focused through the day, and reflect at night. It turned intention, clarity, and consistency into a habit.

And I’d love to share it with you. I’ve made the planner available as a free resource because I know how much it has changed the way I show up for myself and my business. If you’d like a copy, just drop me a message or leave a yes, and I’ll send it your way.

Because these lessons that changed my life aren't just about hitting goals. They are about building the systems, habits, and mindset that keep you moving forward with momentum, alignment, and joy.