Breaking Barriers: Navigating Leadership, Focus, and Standing Out in a Busy World

Welcome to the 30th edition of North Star Blueprints! In this weekly newsletter, we embark on a journey of personal and professional growth, offering observations, strategies, and inspiration to help you navigate life's challenges and reach new heights of success. This edition will provide a summary of the daily insights I posted throughout the week, packed with valuable tips, thought-provoking ideas, and actionable advice on how to let go of the need for job security, learning what it takes to be a leader, understanding and overcoming procrastination, standing out from the crowd, and managing multitasking, in the hopes of helping you to unleash your better self.

September 9: Job Security is a Myth

This past year has been very draining for many of us – prices for everything are constantly increasing, interest rates are higher than we got used to, words like “financial crisis”, “recession”, “market crash” are constantly on the news, and on top of that, the job market is not great. There is one topic that has been coming up consistently over the last year in so many conversations at work – “are layoffs happening?”. I’m sure you can relate and have had the same conversations, or at the very least thought about it as well.

The idea of job security has long been considered a pillar of career stability, with so many people going into “safe” professions to achieve exactly that. But in today’s world and economy, it’s becoming more of an illusion. Layoffs, automation, and rapidly shifting industries mean that even these safe jobs can disappear overnight.

Take a moment to reflect on your situation. Do you find yourself worrying about what would happen if your job was no longer there tomorrow? Are you feeling stuck in one role because it feels safe, despite knowing it might not be the best for long-term growth? The first step to securing your future is acknowledging that "job security" is not truly achievable. Rather than chasing security, you should focus on adaptability — continuously learning, upskilling, and exploring new opportunities. The real security comes from being versatile enough to pivot when needed, not from holding onto one position and hoping it will last forever.

September 10: Not Everyone Should Be a Leader

Search “Bad Leaders” on Google, and you’ll get 500M+ results! Though I bet you’re not particularly surprised…

We all know about the ever-growing pressure to keep moving up the corporate ladder, whether first hand or from someone else in our circle. Promotions are often viewed as markers of success, and leadership roles are considered the ultimate goal. But many of us have found questioning ourselves whether leadership is truly for everyone – more and more, I’m noticing conversations about how not everyone wants, or is suited for, leading a team. Many of these conversations also stem from working with bad leaders who set a poor example of what a leader should look like.

The truth is, leadership requires a unique set of skills: decision-making, emotional intelligence, communication, and adaptability, just to name a few. While some people thrive in managerial positions, others excel as specialists — perfecting their craft, delivering high-quality work, and bringing immense value without managing others. Yet, organizations often push everyone toward leadership roles, equating it with success. It’s no surprise that so many people are working in toxic environments, so many projects fail, and that there’s a massive backlash against leaders around the world. Our metaphorical oceans are filled with captains who keep crashing their ships into the rocks, while blaming their crews for the outcomes.

Success doesn’t have to mean leading a team. Leadership isn’t for everyone , and that’s okay. By embracing your unique strengths and pursuing mastery in your area of expertise, you can achieve just as much success. It’s time for organizations to value both leaders and specialists, creating room for people to thrive in roles that suit them best.

September 11: Why Do We Procrastinate and How to Get Out of the Cycle

No matter how determined I am to get things done, there are still times when I find myself doing everything else besides starting the one task I know I need to do. Procrastination sneaks into your day unnoticed, and before you know it, hours or even days have slipped by without meaningful progress. I know we all experience it in various ways — it's just part of being human to choose the path of least resistance, even when we know we’ll feel better once we finally get the work done.

We procrastinate for various reasons, many of which stem from deeper emotional and psychological factors. Often, it’s not just about laziness, but rather the avoidance of discomfort. We tend to procrastinate when we fear failure, doubt our abilities, or feel overwhelmed by the complexity of a task. On top of that, the allure of immediate gratification from distractions, like social media or quick entertainment, pulls us away from long-term goals that require effort and focus, while giving us little dopamine hits throughout the day. Procrastination may provide temporarily escape from anxiety or discomfort, but at the end it usually leads to more stress…

Are there projects or tasks that seem to linger? Do you keep finding yourself distracted or unmotivated? It’s not easy to break the cycle of procrastination, but I find that breaking tasks down into smaller, manageable steps has been incredibly helpful. Set clear goals, focus on one thing at a time, and don’t forget to not be too harsh on yourself — progress is progress, no matter how small. By addressing the root causes, you can regain focus, boost productivity, and reclaim control over your time.

September 12: You're Forgettable - Here's How to Fix It

We always hear how we should “get the other person to talk about themselves” - I think it’s a terrible idea, specifically during introductions, it doesn’t work as well as you’d want it to.

I recently had a conversation with a university student seeking advice on breaking into the corporate world. He had me talk about myself for 25 minutes, towards the end of the call I asked him about his biggest strength, he proudly shared that he’s extremely curious and loves asking questions. He mentioned how he is often told to show interest in others and let them talk about themselves - a piece of advice I’ve heard countless times.

A controversial opinion: asking questions isn’t enough. While curiosity and letting others speak are great qualities, there’s a balance to be struck. Yes, showing interest in others helps build rapport, but you also need to tell your story. If you focus solely on asking questions without contributing to the conversation, you risk being forgettable. After our conversation, I realized how interesting and impressive my credentials are, but I didn’t learn much about him. His story was already fading from my mind.

The takeaway? While asking questions is important, don’t forget to let people know who you are. In networking, especially in corporate settings, sharing your experiences and ideas is just as crucial for leaving a lasting impression. You want the other person to relate to you and your story, asking questions is just a tool to understand how to tailor your approach and conversation so that you're relatable and relevant for the person you’re speaking with.

Next time you're in an introduction call or meeting, strike a balance between curiosity and self-expression - don’t be afraid to make yourself part of the conversation or you will quickly be forgotten.

September 13: Multitasking is Killing Your Productivity

Despite its glorification, multitasking is not the productivity hack many believe it to be. We often believe it makes us more efficient, but research paints a very different picture. The reality? Multitasking can actually kill your productivity.

The other day I found myself juggling multiple tasks — responding to emails and messages, editing presentations, and attending meetings, all at once. By the end of the day, I realized none of these tasks were completed to the best of my ability. They were all shallow efforts. The reason is simple: our brains aren’t designed to focus on several complex tasks simultaneously. When we switch between tasks, we experience cognitive "lag", which leads to inefficiency and mistakes. Check out the this video by neuroscientist, Daniel Levitin, for more information.

Multitasking isn’t making you more productive — it’s pulling you further away from deep, meaningful work. By constantly shifting focus, you lose the ability to dive deep into any one task. Instead, focusing on one thing at a time, also known as deep work, is where true productivity and quality come from. While multitasking might feel fast, deep work is what will help you produce better results, faster.

So, next time you’re tempted to juggle tasks, RESIST. Give your full attention to one task at a time, and you'll be surprised how much more productive and effective you can be. As the saying goes “sometimes you need to slow down to go fast”.

Thank you for joining me on this journey of growth and discovery. I hope these insights illuminate your path forward as you pursue your aspirations with purpose and determination. See you in next week's edition!