Working on Your Big Northstar

Welcome to your Big Northstar journey! 🌟 This guide will help you understand and work towards your most significant long-term goal, as recommended by your coach in your Lifehack 360 Report.

What is a Big Northstar?

Your Big Northstar is your primary long-term goal - a beacon that guides your personal and professional growth. It's ambitious, meaningful, and aligned with your core values and aspirations. This goal is carefully selected and recommended by your coach based on the comprehensive analysis of your 360 Assessment.

Understanding Your Big Northstar

1. Review Your 360 Report

• Locate the Big Northstar: In your Lifehack 360 Report, you'll find a section dedicated to your Big Northstar.
• Coach's Recommendation: Your coach has analyzed your assessment responses and suggested a Big Northstar that aligns with your goals, values, and potential.
• Understand the Rationale: The report will explain why this particular Big Northstar was chosen for you. Take time to understand this reasoning.

2. Reflect on Your Big Northstar

• Consider the Alignment: Reflect on how the recommended Big Northstar aligns with your long-term aspirations and values.
• Visualize the Impact: Imagine achieving this Big Northstar. How would it transform your life and career?
• Embrace the Challenge: Your Big Northstar should feel ambitious yet achievable with dedicated effort.

3. Commit to Your Big Northstar

• Location: Find the Big Northstar section near the top of your dashboard.
• Activation: Look for an option to 'Activate' or 'Commit to' your Big Northstar. This step signifies your dedication to pursuing this goal.

Working Towards Your Big Northstar

1. Break It Down

• Divide your Big Northstar into smaller, manageable milestones.
• Set timeframes for these milestones to create a roadmap.

2. Daily Actions

• Identify daily or weekly actions that contribute to your Big Northstar.
• Use your dashboard to track these actions and build consistent habits.

3. Leverage Your 360 Report

• Refer to the insights and recommendations in your 360 Report that align with your Big Northstar.
• Use these insights to inform your strategy and overcome potential obstacles.

4. Utilize Your AI Coach

• Regularly consult your AI Coach for guidance on your Big Northstar.
• Ask questions like:
  • "What should be my next step towards my Big Northstar?"
  • "How can I overcome [specific challenge] related to my Big Northstar?"
  • "Can you help me brainstorm ideas for [aspect of Big Northstar]?"

Leveraging Initiatives for Your Big Northstar

Initiatives are a powerful tool in Lifehack to break down your Big Northstar into manageable projects and track your daily actions. Here's how to use them effectively:

What are Initiatives?

Initiatives are specific projects or focus areas that contribute directly to your Big Northstar. They help you organize your efforts and maintain a clear view of your progress.

Creating and Managing Initiatives

1. Create a New Initiative:

   • Navigate to your Big Northstar page
   • Look for the "Add Initiative" or "New Project" button
   • Give your initiative a clear, action-oriented name

2. Set Up Your Initiative:

   • Description: Use the editor to outline the purpose and goals of this initiative
   • Tags: Add relevant tags to categorize and easily find your initiative

3. Plan Your Focus Blocks:

   • Within each initiative, you can create "Focus Blocks"
   • Click the "Add Focus Block" button
   • Set the date, start time, and duration for your focused work session
   • Treat each Focus Block as a contract with yourself, committing to dedicated work on your Big Northstar
   • Honor these commitments to maintain consistency and make steady progress

Using Initiatives for Insights and Daily Actions

1. Gather Insights:

   • Use the initiative's description area to note down key learnings, challenges, and breakthroughs
   • Regularly review and update this information to track your progress and insights

2. Track Daily Actions:

   • Use Focus Blocks to schedule and track your daily actions towards your Big Northstar
   • Each Focus Block represents a dedicated time for working on your initiative
   • After completing a Focus Block, briefly note what you accomplished

3. Review and Reflect:

   • Regularly check your completed Focus Blocks to see how much time you're dedicating to each initiative
   • Use this information to adjust your strategy and time allocation
   • Experiment with different durations and times of day to find your most productive periods

4. Collaborate and Share:

   • If working with a team or mentor, use the sharing feature to get feedback and support
   • Share your progress and insights to stay accountable

Pro Tips for Using Initiatives

• Balance: Create initiatives for different aspects of your Big Northstar to ensure well-rounded progress
• Flexibility: Adjust your initiatives as you learn and grow. Don't be afraid to pivot or create new ones
• Consistency: Try to schedule regular Focus Blocks for each initiative to maintain momentum
• Reflection: Use the completed Focus Blocks view to reflect on your productivity patterns and optimize your schedule

Tracking Progress

• Regular Check-ins: Schedule weekly or monthly reviews of your progress.
• Dashboard Tools: Use the tracking features on your Lifehack dashboard to monitor your advancement.
• Celebrate Milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate when you reach significant milestones.

Adjusting Your Big Northstar

• Be Flexible: As you grow and circumstances change, your Big Northstar may need adjustments.
• Reassess Regularly: During your quarterly 360 Assessment updates, evaluate if your Big Northstar still aligns with your goals and values.
• Make Informed Changes: Use insights from your 360 Report and AI Coach to guide any modifications to your Big Northstar.

Overcoming Challenges

• Stay Motivated: Use your AI Coach for motivation during tough times.
• Learn from Setbacks: View obstacles as learning opportunities that bring you closer to your goal.
• Seek Support: Engage with the Lifehack community or reach out to our support team when you need extra guidance.

Pro Tips for Big Northstar Success

1. Visualize Success: Regularly imagine achieving your Big Northstar to stay motivated.
2. Create a Support System: Share your goal with trusted friends or family for accountability.
3. Stay Curious: Continuously learn and acquire skills that support your Big Northstar.
4. Reflect Often: Take time to reflect on your journey and how it's shaping you.
5. Balance: While pursuing your Big Northstar, maintain balance in other areas of your life.

Remember, your Big Northstar is not just about the destination; it's about the growth and learning you experience along the way. Embrace the journey, stay committed, and let Lifehack support you every step of the way!

Need more help? Don't hesitate to ask your AI Coach or use the support button in the bottom right corner of the page to contact us. We're here to help you shine bright! ✨