February 04, 2025
I recently stumbled across a thought-provoking insight from James Clear and it hit me right between the eyes:
winners and losers often share the same goals, but what truly differentiates their outcomes is their system
In recent months, I've been reflecting on my own daily system. What’s working? What’s not? How can I fine-tune it to maximise the impact I want to make in the world?
While reconnecting with my amazing private coaching clients at the start of the new year, the answer became crystal clear.
As they returned from their well-deserved holidays, a common theme emerged: the desire for space. They were eager to hold onto the:
I wonder if space is something you’re striving to hold onto, post the holiday zen?
Listening to their thoughts made me realise I, too, craved more of this seemingly indulgent necessity. I began to wonder how I could incorporate more space into my own system, particularly in my evenings, where my behaviour felt most misaligned with my goals.
So, I pulled out my journal and posed a simple question: How can I improve my evening routine to create more space for what truly matters to me?
The solutions were surprisingly straightforward:
Eliminate Distractions: I want to read more for pleasure, so I set up an old school alarm clock, removed the iPad from my bedroom (which I was prone to jumping on before bed and reading the news), installed a habit tracker app on my phone and set myself a goal to read 10 pages a night. My streak is currently sitting at 60 days and I am loving how this behaviour-change is impacting how I feel, not to mention helping me plough through the books I’ve longed to read.
Cultivate Creativity: I wanted more space for creativity, so I’ve cancelled all of my streaming subscriptions to set myself a new habit goal of no TV on weeknights. That space between around 7pm and 8pm is now my creative space. I’ve popped the pencils and colouring book on the table where I normally sit and watch TV to remind me of this new habit I want to create, and I’ve updated my habit tracker to track my progress.
Let’s be honest we’re all searching for that edge, that secret ingredient that will transform us into success stories. Ironically, this edge is accessible to all—it’s right in front of us, yet many overlook it. That edge is space.
Too often, I hear, "How do I create space?" Perhaps we should be asking, "What’s stopping me from creating space?"
What in my system is blocking space?
If your system doesn’t allow for the space to pursue what you genuinely desire, it’s time to change it—because only you can.
If you need inspiration on the advantages of creating space, consider these three examples:
Watch Manoush Zimrodi’s TED Talk on How Boredom Can Lead to Your Most Brilliant Ideas, it’s a favourite of mine and a testament to the power of creating space.
Explore cultivating or elevating your Meditation practice. My recently adopted Vedic Meditation practice offers the equivalent of over three hours of deep sleep in just 20 minutes, recharging both body and mind.
Implement Office Hours: One of my clients, the Head of People at a global creative agency, was eager to create space for connections with her global team. Together, we established ‘office hours’—a sacred hour for her team to connect without the constraints of formal meetings.
I could drop off here and leave you hanging with these thoughts, but I won’t because it’s not my style. I’m obsessed with behaviour-change that moves us closer to the lives we want to live and the impact we want to have, which is why I have a question for you.
A question I want you to take away and journal on.
I want you to ask yourself:
What, in my daily system is blocking space and what micro changes could I experiment with to eliminate these blockages?
Notice what comes up and use the quote we started with to inspire you to experiment your way to the change you seek.
“Winners and losers often share the same goals, but what truly differentiates their outcomes is their system.” – James Clear
If you’re an ambitious female leader longing to create the space for those "how on earth did I make it here" opportunities this year, I’m here for you.
Applications are now open for Impact Makers—a program designed to fundamentally shift your system and transform your ripple into a wave. For all the details and to apply jump here.