🌟 Finding Your North Star

🎯 This Week’s Focus

Do you ever feel like you’re spinning your wheels, unsure if you’re making real progress toward what matters most? Without a clear vision, it’s easy to feel adrift. That’s where your North Star comes in.

Your North Star is the guiding vision that aligns your decisions, actions, and priorities with your deeper values and aspirations. Think of it as a compass: It doesn’t tell you every step to take, but it ensures you’re heading in the right direction.

This week, we’ll explore how to define your North Star across all six life areas. Whether it’s your career, relationships, or daily habits, understanding your North Star provides clarity and confidence to design an intentional life.

💼 Career

Aligning Work With Your Values

Your career doesn’t have to feel like just a job—it can be a space where your values come to life. 70% of employees feel disengaged at work. This often stems from a disconnect between what they do and what’s important to them. By aligning your professional goals with your core values, you create a path that’s both fulfilling and sustainable.

For example, people can often chase promotions or new opportunities without considering whether they align with what truly matters to you. A well-defined professional North Star helps you focus on opportunities that contribute to your long-term vision rather than short-term validation.

✅ Key Takeaway: A fulfilling career isn’t about doing more; it’s about aligning work with your vision and values. Intentionality ensures your career journey leads to meaningful, long-term growth.

🚀 Quick Win: Follow these steps to create a “Career Compass”

1. Identify three values that are important to you (e.g., innovation, leadership, collaboration, etc.).

2. Recall a time you felt most fulfilled at work. What values were present? What were you doing?

3. Based on your reflections, set one professional goal for 2025 that aligns with these values. For instance:

   • If creativity excites you, aim to pitch one innovative idea per quarter.

   • If leadership matters, plan to mentor a junior colleague this year.

📚 Essential Reading: Start with Why by Simon Sinek – Learn how identifying your “why” can help you pursue meaningful work and avoid distractions.

📖 Further Reading: HBR: Finding Meaning in Your Career – Explore actionable strategies to align your career with your values and create lasting fulfillment.

💝 Relationships

Building Vision-Driven Connections

Strong relationships are the foundation of a fulfilling life. The people around you shape your experiences and can influence your ability to achieve your vision. Vision-driven relationships are those where shared values and mutual growth form the foundation.

Consider your closest relationships: Do they energize you or leave you feeling drained? By focusing on connections that align with your values and goals, you can create a supportive network that motivates and inspires.

✅ Key Takeaway: Strong relationships aren’t accidental—they require intentional care and alignment with your values. By focusing on connections that bring your vision to life, you can build a network that fosters growth, mutual support, and shared purpose.

🚀 Quick Win: Conduct a “Relationship Audit” with these steps

1. List the five people you spend the most time with.

2. Assess how each connection aligns with your values and energizes you.

3. Choose one small action to strengthen an important relationship.

📚 Essential Reading: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown – Learn how authenticity and vulnerability can strengthen your relationships.

📖 Further Reading: Harvard Study: Relationships and Happiness – Discover how strong relationships are key to happiness and wellbeing.

🧘 Wellbeing

Creating Wellness Habits That Align With Your Vision

Wellbeing is the foundation that supports every other aspect of life, and it plays a crucial role in staying aligned with your North Star. Creating a vision for your wellbeing ensures that your physical, mental, and emotional health practices are purposeful and support your greater aspirations.

Wellbeing isn’t just about resolutions; it’s about cultivating habits that align with the type of person you want to become. When wellness goals are tied to your purpose, they feel less like chores and more like tools for thriving. For example, if your vision includes being present for loved ones, prioritize habits that boost your physical and mental energy. Start small—each step builds momentum toward sustained wellbeing.

✅ Key Takeaway: Wellness isn’t separate from your goals; it’s the foundation that supports them. By aligning your health habits with your North Star, you create the energy and focus needed to move intentionally toward your vision.

🚀 Quick Win: Create a “Wellness Vision Statement”

1. Identify how your wellbeing supports your vision. For example, "My wellness allows me to stay energized and present for my family and career goals."

2. Choose one habit to build this month (e.g., daily movement, mindfulness meditation).

3. Track your progress weekly and adjust as needed.

📚 Essential Reading: The Upside of Stress by Dr. Kelly McGonigal – Learn how to transform stress into a tool for resilience and growth.

📖 Further Reading: Mayo Clinic: How to Set Yourself Up to Succeed with Wellness Goals – Discover practical tips from the Mayo Clinic to set clear, achievable goals for building and maintaining healthy habits.

💰 Finances

Aligning Finances With Your Vision

Financial stress can derail even the clearest vision, but aligning your money with your priorities reduces overwhelm and creates freedom. Financial alignment means ensuring your spending, saving, and investing reflect the life you want to build.

Think about your financial habits: Do they support your long-term goals or create unnecessary stress? Building vision-driven financial practices allows you to focus your resources on what matters most, ensuring that money becomes a means to an end rather than an obstacle.

✅ Key Takeaway: Money is a resource that should align with your vision. By managing your finances intentionally, you create stability and opportunities to pursue what truly matters to you.

🚀 Quick Win: Create a “Values-Based Budget”

1. Identify three spending categories that bring you joy or align with your goals (e.g., travel, personal development, or family).

2. Review last month’s spending and identify misaligned expenses.

3. Adjust your budget to prioritize these areas while cutting back on non-essential expenses.

📚 Essential Reading: I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi – Learn how to automate your finances and spend intentionally.

📖 Further Reading: Aligning Money and Values – Explores strategies for ensuring your financial choices reflect your values and goals.

🎨 Hobbies & Interests

Using Creativity to Clarify Your Vision

Your hobbies are more than a break from routine—they’re a window into what excites and inspires you. In the hustle of daily life, it’s easy to lose your sense of self outside work and family. Ask yourself: “What would I do if time and money weren’t a factor?” Reconnecting with hobbies not only enhances personal wellbeing but also opens doors to new relationships, skills, and experiences.

For instance, journaling can reveal patterns in your thoughts, while trying a new activity might spark ideas for personal growth. By investing in interests that reflect your passions, you create joy, growth, and a deeper sense of fulfillment. Creativity isn’t just about doing—it’s about discovering new facets of yourself and your vision.

✅ Key Takeaway: Hobbies are more than just a way to pass the time—they’re a tool for self-discovery and inspiration. Engaging in activities that reflect your passions and values deepens your understanding of what drives you and fuels your long-term aspirations.

🚀 Quick Win: Dedicate 30 minutes this week to explore a hobby that sparks curiosity

1. Join a local class or group, such as a photography club or a cooking workshop.

2. Experiment with an activity like journaling, cooking, or crafting.

3. Reflect on how it makes you feel and whether it aligns with your values.

📚 Essential Reading: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin – Discover how small changes and rediscovering passions can transform your life.

📖 Further Reading: IDEO’s Approach to Creative Thinking – Learn how creativity and design thinking can inspire innovation and new perspectives.

🗂 Life Administration

Simplifying Your Life to Enable Your Vision

Life administration—the small, routine tasks that keep your life running—are the foundation for performing at your best. Tasks like sleeping, eating, running errands, and organizing your space can feel mundane, but they directly impact your energy, focus, and productivity. By establishing a vision for how you manage these essentials, you create a solid base to pursue your North Star.

Streamlining your life isn’t about doing more; it’s about understanding what you need to thrive. Whether it’s automating tasks or streamlining your calendar, small tweaks can free up mental energy. For example, dedicating 15 minutes every Sunday to planning your week ensures your tasks align with your goals. When aligned with your vision, these practices free up energy and mental space.

✅ Key Takeaway: Life administration isn’t just about getting things done—it’s about setting up the conditions for success. By defining what you need to perform at your best and aligning those practices with your vision, you build a foundation that supports every area of your life.

🚀 Quick Win: Establish a Vision for Your Best Self

1. Consider what you need to feel at your best. For example, how much sleep do you need? What kind of food are you eating?

2. For tasks you may dread (e.g., doing holiday gift returns), consider how you can incorporate other life areas to make it more enjoyable. For example, finding a friend that needs to run similar errands and going together to catch up.

3. Outline what you need in areas like sleep, eating, errands, and organization to feel your best each day.

📚 Essential Reading: Getting Things Done by David Allen – Learn proven strategies for reducing overwhelm and gaining clarity.

📖 Further Reading: How to Prioritize When Everything Feels Important – Practical strategies for tackling competing demands.

📝 This Week’s Challenge

🎯 Goal: Gain clarity on what matters most and align your actions with your values.

Steps:

1. Reflect: Spend 15 minutes journaling about your values, aspirations, and what gives you meaning.

2. Write: Craft a vision statement for 2025. Example: “In 2025, I will prioritize meaningful relationships, physical health, and creative exploration.”

3. Act: Identify one habit or action from one of the life areas you can take this week to bring this vision to life.

📅 Next Week’s Preview

“Setting Goals for Success” – Now that you’ve clarified your vision, learn how to set actionable goals that align with your North Star. We’ll focus on translating your vision into practical steps that create momentum and measurable progress. Remember, intentional living is a journey, not a destination. Keep revisiting your North Star as we dive into actionable strategies to bring your goals to life.

Ready to Build an Intentional Life?

📱 Follow The Wonder Project on Instagram for quick reminders, stories, and practical advice to keep you on track throughout the week.

🔗 Be on the lookout for our website that will launch later this month to learn more about coaching and to see if it’s a right fit for you!

About Kevin

Kevin Earl Tan helps ambitious professionals design their lives through evidence-based coaching and systems thinking. He is pursuing his International Coaching Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach (ACC) certification. Kevin combines academic insights from his Masters in Human Resources from the University of Southern California along with practical application from 10+ years in change management and leadership to make behavior change simple and approachable.