Jim Stern Coaching

WORKING FOR A CHANGE

A human figure with a light bulb
A human figure with a light bulb

YOUR NORTH STAR IS CALLING

One thing I have noticed with some of the Millennials and Gen-Zs that I pick up is that many are dissatisfied with their career choices. Many are looking for a purpose… or in my life-coaching world, “finding your North Star.”* In other words, connecting with what you are meant to do in life.  Many times, it has to do with connecting with your passion or what you truly care about.  Trust me, this is much harder than it sounds and for me it took over 40 years to finally connect with my North Star, even though I saw the signs 40 years earlier!

I remember a young accounting professional who told me he was “tired of helping rich people get richer”.  He felt like he was running on a hamster wheel, going nowhere fast! After chatting for awhile, he came to the conclusion that perhaps working for a non-profit that he felt connected with would be an amazing experience that put his skills to work for the better good.  Often, you can take your existing skillset to an organization that is making a difference, one that is aligned with or connected to your North Star.  Today I wanted to write about 2 passengers who are doing exactly that… working at organizations focused on saving our environment and connecting with what they

BEN

I picked up Ben from the airport. He had a backpack for his luggage and since I was a big backpacker in my youth (until knee and back issues were too much)… I struck up a conversation.  It turns out that Ben is an executive for an organization called PROTECT OUR WINTERS (POW).  Protect Our Winters is a non-profit focused on protecting our environment from climate change through increasing awareness.  You simply need to turn on the evening network news to witness the realities of how our climate is changing: unstoppable fires out west, explosive heat conditions throughout our country and the world, droughts, floods, tornados, earthquakes, erupting volcanos & powerful hurricanes.  It might be too late to totally reverse conditions, but we can try. POW is akin to a lobbyist group and they promote their cause by enlisting pro-athletes, influencers, and brands (like Patagonia) to speak out and influence lawmakers in making changes to impact and reverse climate change.

Ben, as Director of Advocacy & Campaigns, loves this organization and his job.  He gets to interface and encourage people to join and to push out messages that speak to the POW cause.   Ben’s career history demonstrates how he has always been on a path to serve and protect our democracy and our environment.  It is obvious that Ben has certainly connected with his North Star.

DANIEL

As soon as Daniel hopped into the backseat of my car, he was joined by two of his friends.  Daniel immediately jumped into conversation mode and asked if he could tell me “his story” (one of my options on my menu for riders).  He was very excited as we were off to Harvard Square.  He and his two friends were from Colombia and were enrolled in the entrepreneurial program at Babson College. Babson was recently recognized as the #1 business school for entrepreneurship.

It seemed to me like Daniel was ahead of the game, compared to many of his peers. He is the cofounder and CEO of a start-up called TREE LIFE.  As mentioned, Daniel is from Colombia where the rainforests are being burned or cut down for farming or development. If you visit their website you can see they have some work to do, but I love the idea and felt Daniel’s passion.  The non-profit is based on their app, which people can download from the app store.  Once you register you can enter the app, where by logging in your physical activity you can reach a certain level for planting a tree. You can also make a donation to plant trees.  Tree Life uses drones to plant thousands of seeds in a short period of time.  I appreciated the excitement emanating from Daniel about his mission, and although the website and app need a lot more work, at least he has started his plan and launched his non-profit.  I am sure Daniel’s plans for his college program is to tighten up his messaging and make the website and app more complete and user-friendly.  The one thing that is for certain is that Daniel has connected with his North Star. 

TIME TO CONNECT

Both Ben & Daniel are full of passion for the work they do. What is interesting about these two young men is you can feel their excitement and energy… it just draws you in. Whether you are connected to your North Star or not, your body will let you… you will feel the sensation in both directions, getting closer or further away from your purpose. Have you ever felt a calling or pulling towards something that perhaps is what you were meant to do?  We all need to pay attention to the signs and feelings inside & outside of us that are trying to lead us to our true purpose in life. 

So, have you connected with your North Star? 

*Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck

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