The key to reaching your biggest goals and aspirations could be at your fingertips — literally.

That's according to leadership coach Paula Davis, who realized years ago that every time she logged into a device or online account she was missing an opportunity to turn an overlooked part of her daily routine into a mindset exercise. 

"I ask people to think, 'What's a goal that you have — something that maybe you're dreaming about?' It could be a tactical, work-related goal. It could be a positive emotion," says Davis. "Whatever it is, turn it into your password."

Depending on how active you are on your devices, you might enter and re-enter some passwords multiple times a day, Davis notes. By being mindful about the words you use in those passwords "you're consistently reinforcing whatever it is that you want to draw in without really having to do too much thinking about it," she says.

For example, if you wanted to start saving money for a getaway to Aruba next year, you might change one of your passwords to something like "vacayinaruba2026." Or for favorite online shopping sites, you might change your password to "100$limit" to help you hold yourself accountable for your spending. It's worth noting that cybersecurity experts don't recommend using the same password for multiple websites and accounts.

Davis, author of "Lead Well: 5 Mindsets to Engage, Retain, and Inspire Your Team," says she once made her password a variation of the word "gratitude" during a particularly tough stretch in her life.

"I was going through a divorce, my business was growing, I was super stressed, and I had forgotten that I have a lot of blessings in my life," Davis says. "On days that were really tough, [typing 'gratitude'] helped me take a breath and remember there's a lot of good stuff happening too, and I need to be focusing on that as well."

A client of hers even used this method to appreciate his assistant more, making his password a variation of the word "appreciate," plus his assistant's name. Typing that every day prompted him to thank her more, Davis says.

The power of writing down goals

Studies show that people who write out their goals are more likely to achieve them.

Whether it's typing in your curated password or writing down your goals in a notebook, repeatedly putting your aspirations on paper can help reinforce your focus and increase accountability. When it comes to passwords, typing them in multiple times a day helps you set intentions and acts as a form of motivating self-talk, according to Mariah G. Schug, a researcher and associate professor of psychology at Widener University.

The exercise can also help when you need a boost of reassurance.

"For example, if you've been struggling financially, a password stating 'IAmCompetent' may be validating as you log into your online banking," Schug wrote for PsychologyToday in 2023, adding that it's important for these passwords to be positive in tone to improve your performance. "Thus, instead of 'DontBeLazy,' 'ICanDoIt' could be a more helpful password."

Davis says she prefers this method to standard New Year's resolutions, as it helps her be more intentional about reaching her goals — rather than making a plan in January only to leave it behind a few months later. She even encourages her daughter to follow a similar strategy.

"I think of a word or two, and I have my daughter do this as well," Davis says. "My two words this year are 'fun' and 'intentional.' When I have to update my password, some version of one or both of those words is going to probably appear in it."

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