Have you ever felt totally uninspired by those vague corporate mission statements? The ones that say things like “To be the world’s most trusted provider of integrated solutions”?
Or by those vague New Year’s resolutions? The ones that say things like “Get in shape” or “Be a better person”?
Blah blah blah. What does that even mean? Nothing.
Chances are you have. These generic, meaningless statements are all too common – both in the business world and our personal lives. And they leave us feeling completely disconnected and unmotivated.
There’s a reason most resolutions and personal goals fail – they lack authenticity. They are detached from our real values, passions and what we actually want to achieve. Instead of inspiration, they breed apathy.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. What if you had a clear “North Star” mission that gave you a sense of profound purpose and direction? One that felt 100% authentic to who you are and what you care about most?
That’s the big idea behind the Northstar Goals approach. Instead of settling for vague, un-inspiring fluff, you craft a specific, meaningful mission to guide all your goals and efforts in life. This mission acts like a shining beacon – keeping you motivated, purposeful, and heading in the right direction.
So let’s talk about how to find your authentic North Star and bring it to life.
The Problem with Generic Missions
Why do so many resolutions and personal goals fall flat? Why don’t they inspire us or drive real change?
One big issue is they lack specificity. Vague ideals like “being a better parent” or “finding more balance” are too abstract to be compelling or actionable. These generic statements could mean anything to anyone.
More importantly though, they are completely disconnected from our individual values, passions and what we deeply want to achieve in life. Sure, we may want the vague idea of “success” – but what does that really mean for each of us? Without connecting to our authentic selves, these generic statements fail to tap into our key motivations.
Perhaps the biggest problem though, is that traditional resolutions tend to center on lofty ideals and abstract virtues like “being present” or “living with purpose.” While these values are nice in theory, they are not actual outcomes we can work towards or feel a sense of progress. At best they make us feel we “should” want them, but don’t create the emotional drive to make them a reality.
So while they may look nice on an Instagram post, these vague bromides don’t energize us or give our efforts any clear direction. In fact, they often have the opposite effect – breeding cynicism, apathy and a lack of motivation.
There has to be a better way to craft missions and set goals that we actually care about and get fired up to pursue, right? This is where the Northstar approach comes in.
The Northstar Mission
In the Northstar Goals framework, your “mission” acts as a guiding light – your overarching long-term purpose that directs all your other goals and efforts. It provides clarity, motivation, and deep alignment with your authentic values.
But rather than some pie-in-the-sky ideal, an effective Northstar Mission has some key characteristics:
- It’s specific – clearly defining a particular outcome or area of life you want to direct efforts towards.
- It’s meaningful – profoundly connected to your core values, passions and what you care about most.
- It’s achievable – ambitious yet realistic given your resources, skills, and timeline.
- It’s directional – providing you a clear sense of purpose and direction to guide decisions.
- And vitally, it’s inspiring – emotionally compelling in a way that creates energy, drive and resilience to stick with it long-term.
See the difference? This is a million miles away from those generic New Year’s resolutions. An authentic Northstar Mission taps into what you truly want deep down and catalyzes you into making it a reality. It makes your efforts feel profoundly meaningful while giving you a clear “North Star” to orient your journey.
To bring this to life, imagine two different “missions”:
The Generic Approach: “My mission is to be a more present parent who creates quality family time while displaying unwavering integrity.”
The Northstar Approach: “My mission is to create special weekly experiences that allow my kids and I to connect, explore and learn together in meaningful ways.”
Which feels more compelling and motivating to you? Which would drive more inspired effort and commitment to make it a reality?
The second aligns with clear values and a meaningful outcome – carving out precious bonding time with your kids through intentional weekly activities. Even if you don’t share those precise values, you can likely relate to the specificity and emotive significance.
Meanwhile, that generic first option is so vague it’s practically devoid of meaning. “Present?” “Quality time?” “Integrity?” These could mean anything to anyone. There’s no clear objective or emotional hook to tap into your deeper drive.
So you can see how an authentic Northstar Mission provides direction and motivation in a way those placebo statements simply can’t. But how do you actually go about crafting your own inspiring Mission to guide your life’s journey?
Crafting Your Authentic Northstar Mission
Defining a compelling Northstar Mission isn’t about putting together an impressive sounding collection of buzzwords. It’s a very intentional process of identifying the specifics of what you truly value and aspire towards.
Here’s a step-by-step process to create your own Northstar Mission:
1. Identify your core values and long-term passions.
What matters most to you? What kinds of activities most energize you? What positive impact do you want to have in your relationships and community? Get clear on your most deeply held principles and the arenas that light you up.
2. Envision a specific, meaningful outcome.
Don’t just say you want “balance” or “purpose.” Visualize a particular change, contribution or achievement that exemplifies your values in action and drives you emotionally. What specific goals or results inspire you?
3. Clearly define the “Why.”
Your Northstar Mission statement articulates not just the “what” you aspire to, but the deeper motivations and impact behind it. Why does this dream matter so much to you? How does it connect with your purpose?
4. Express it compellingly.
Once you have the substance, craft the wording to ensure it’s clear, concise and stirs your emotions. Make it inspiring and memorable. Use direct, active language over vague fluff.
For example, let’s say through your reflection you identify core values around health, family, personal growth, and contributing to your community. And you get fired up by the idea of being a positive role model for your kids while helping other families in the neighborhood.
Your inspiring Northstar Mission could be:
“To become the healthiest version of myself – physically, mentally and spiritually – so I can be fully present with my family and inspire other parents to prioritize wellness for their kids and community.”
Do you feel the difference between that and some generic resolution about “balance” or “being your best self”? This mission statement articulates clear values (health, family, community), a specific meaningful outcome (being fully present; inspiring others), and an inspiring impact you’d be driven to achieve.
Here are some other examples of inspirational Northstar Missions for busy professionals:
“To intentionally design my work schedule to allow for quality time with my spouse every single day – connecting, supporting each other’s goals, and keeping our relationship the top priority.”
“To become financially secure enough to help fund my kids’ education, support my aging parents, and give generously to causes I believe in – all while maintaining a lifestyle aligned with my values.”
“To build a network of close, authentic friendships and organize regular meaningful shared experiences that foster deep connection, personal growth and service to our community.”
You get the idea. Simple yet profound statements of intent that bring together clear objectives with an inspiring bigger “Why.” Not vague fluff – but visions that stir the soul.
Of course, defining your Northstar is just the start. You’ll then need to unpack those high-level aims into concrete goals, plans and habits to start bringing the mission to life. But having that overarching North Star to work towards is a game-changer in terms of sustained motivation and efforts aligned with your deepest values.
Living Your Northstar Mission
Your Northstar isn’t just some words on a wall to make you feel good. It’s meant to be a living, breathing ethos that guides your decisions, priorities and actions.
So once you’ve crafted that inspiring statement, how do you ensure it actually shapes your life in meaningful ways? Here are some key strategies:
Make it ever-present – Print out your Northstar and put it somewhere you’ll see it every single day. Better yet, make it your phone’s wallpaper or stick it on your bathroom mirror. The more ingrained in your environment, the more top-of-mind it will be.
Use it as a filter – When making any moderately important decision, simply ask: Does this align with or take me closer to my Northstar? If not, it’s likely a distraction to be eliminated. This mental filter helps drastically improve focus and priority management.
Review it frequently – Set recurring calendar reminders to revisit and reflect on your Northstar. Is it still motivating you? Does it need any refinement? Taking these purposeful pauses will keep you dialed into your deeper “Why.”
Share it with others – Don’t keep your inspiring Northstar a secret! Telling close friends and family about it and discussing why it’s meaningful can help further solidify commitment. Trusted partners can also keep you accountable.
Ultimately, you want your Northstar to be so ingrained it becomes the subconscious driver of your actions and decision making – without constant conscious effort. Living your mission means it’s simply part of who you are.
It won’t always be easy, of course. We all face obstacles, doubts and moments of feeling adrift or lacking motivation. That’s perfectly normal.
But having an authentic Northstar acts like a powerful lodestar to re-orient yourself towards what’s most important when you get knocked off course. It imbues your efforts with profound purposefulness while fortifying the grit to persist through setbacks.
And persistently chipping away towards something personally meaningful in this way isn’t just practical – it’s one of the core elements of a truly satisfying life. In the end, that may be the biggest reward of finding and living your Northstar.
The Power of Purpose
Arguably the greatest trap in life is to spend decades climbing ladders – working harder and harder without ever asking where those ladders are leaning.
Without a profound sense of purpose driving our efforts, it’s so easy to wake up years down the line and wonder: What was this all for? Why did I make those sacrifices if it didn’t lead anywhere truly meaningful to me?
Having an authentic, inspiring Northstar is one of the best inoculations against that trap. With a clear overarching purpose – and the ability to connect daily efforts back to that bigger picture – it becomes vastly harder to lose your “Why.” You’re never just checking boxes, but making steady progress towards something significant you defined for yourself.
And critically, that “something” isn’t a vague, cookie-cutter ideal of “success” or “fulfillment.” It’s deeply intertwined with your specific values, hopes and dreams for how you want to positively impact your world in a way that moves you.
Does that mean finding your Northstar solves all life’s problems or guarantees smooth sailing? Of course not. We all still face obstacles, frustrations and periods of feeling adrift or unmotivated at times.
But that’s exactly why an authentic, inspiring Northstar is so vital. It gives you a profound reason to persist through those inevitable rough seas and re-orient yourself towards your True North when you veer off course. It’s a soul-centering force that drives resilience through even the toughest challenges.
In this way, your Northstar Mission is an eminently pragmatic tool for goal-setting. But even more profoundly, it’s the key to leading a life of meaning and fulfillment. To ultimately avoid those haunting “what was it all for?” regrets that come from living by default rather than intentional design.
So while yes, crafting and living your authentic mission takes conscious effort – the rewards in terms of clarity, motivation, and profound soul-satisfaction make it one of the best investments you can make. What could be more important than providing that kind of purposefulness and direction to your life’s journey?
Your Turn
The contrast between vague, lifeless resolutions and an authentic Northstar Mission that truly inspires you should now be clear. One path leads to apathy and emptiness. The other aligns your efforts with your deepest values and catalyzes profound motivation to positively impact your world in ways you specifically care about.
So now it’s over to you: Which path will you choose? Defaulting to generic self-help platitudes? Or doing the intentional inner work to identify and pursue a compelling personal mission that feels 100% authentic and inspiring to you?
The process of defining your Northstar starts with some reflective soul-searching:
- What do you value most deeply? What positive change in your relationships and community do you feel most called to help create?
- When you envision your biggest, most audacious life goals being realized – what would that concretely look like in a way that truly energizes you?
Get clear on your answers to questions like these, then start sculpting your own concise Northstar Mission statement that distills those elements into an inspiring, emotionally compelling vision to orient your life journey.
It won’t be easy. Doing this kind of deep self-inquiry and intentional life design never is.
But the rewards of having a profoundly motivating compass to work towards – one ruthlessly tailored to your authentic self rather than someone else’s generic ideals – is more than worth the effort. Living purposefully, fueled by inspirations of your own crafting, may just be one of life’s greatest achievements.
