What’s Your North Star...and What’s Getting in the Way?

What if your purpose isn’t something you need to find, but something you can create? In this thoughtful and very human conversation, Claire sits down with Will Polston to explore personal purpose and goal-setting, and why having a clear direction can matter more than chasing the next shiny milestone. Will shares the story behind his own North Star life mission, from believing that money equalled happiness to the moment he realised his real driver was helping people unlock their potential. He explains how a North Star gives your goals somewhere meaningful to go, while reverse engineering goals can turn an overwhelming ambition into one small, doable step. The conversation also gets into values-based action, the difference between “I can’t” and “I won’t”, and why so much of what we call a lack of motivation may actually be contaminated thinking or a plan that doesn’t fit who we are. Will and Claire talk about the “when-then” trap, gratitude, being happy during the journey, and how alignment can help us make better decisions in business and life. If you’re at a crossroads, working towards something important, or simply wondering why your current goals don’t feel quite like yours, this episode is a practical place to start ## Key moment timestamps •(00:01) Why having a big dream can feel like pressure •(00:02) What a North Star life mission really means •(00:04) The tiny first step that started Will’s public journey •(00:08) The lightning moment that changed Will’s direction •(00:10) Why you don’t need to “find” your purpose •(00:14) Escaping the “when-then” syndrome •(00:23) The difference between “I can’t” and “I won’t” •(00:25) Direction over speed: why strategy starts with clarity •(00:29) Making the next step smaller when fear gets in the way •(00:38) The STEM exercise for uncovering your values •(00:46) Alignment, inauthenticity and “amateurs compete, professionals create” Find Will at www.willpolston.com or on Social Media under his name. You can also find Will's book here Why not started with A Founder Growth Blueprint - if you're a founder of expert and you'd like clarity and a plan to grow your personal brand and business https://www.brandmixology.co/founder-growth-blueprint