Rediscover Yourself: Hobbies, Financial Freedom, and True Purpose

Welcome to the 33rd 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 stop making work your identity, picking up forgotten hobbies, understanding financial freedom, finding your purpose, and crafting your passion, in the hopes of helping you to unleash your better self.

September 30: You're Not "Too Busy". You Just Made Work Your Identity...

Is work all you’re able to talk about anymore? Did you notice that every social interaction always leads back to work? Is your social network based mostly on people from work? For many people, work has become everything. It’s not just the 9-to-5 grind anymore, it’s their entire identity!

When hobbies fade, interests dwindle, and social interactions become scarce, work fills that void. While this might seem productive on the surface, you might feel fulfilled, and potentially even tell yourself that you actually enjoy it, the reality is that you’ve adopted a dangerous mindset that can leave you feeling isolated, disconnected, and ultimately burnt out.

I’ve seen this happen countless times, especially in high-pressure careers like consulting. People who used to love hiking, working out, or even just reading a good book, have now stopped these activities because they are "too busy". Slowly but surely, their work consumes more and more of their time, and without realizing it, their job becomes their whole life. It’s a vicious cycle - when work becomes everything, the pressure to succeed becomes unbearable, and you lose the very outlets that give your life balance and joy.

But there’s a way out. The first step is recognizing that you are more than your work. Reignite old hobbies, even if it’s just for 15 minutes a day. Schedule time with friends or family, and make it non-negotiable, book them in your work calendar if required. The key is to create space for yourself outside of work and establish a new purpose for yourself, because without it, you lose the very essence of who you are. Remember: your job should be part of your life, not all of it.

October 1: Neglecting Your Hobbies is Hurting You

Every time I get on a video call, I can see my guitars hanging behind me, a constant reminder of something I used to love but hardly make time for anymore. They’re more than just instruments - they used to be my go-to stress relievers. But now? They mostly collect dust, while I tell myself, “I’ll pick them up when I have more time”. I’m sure many of you can relate. We see reminders of old hobbies, things we used to enjoy, but somehow, they’ve been forgotten in the chaos of the hustle and grind of work.

Hobbies are more than just pastimes… they’re crucial outlets for stress, creativity, and mental well-being. When we immerse ourselves in hobbies, we engage different parts of our brain, allowing us to step away from work and the pressures of daily life. Whether it’s playing an instrument, working out, cooking, or photography, hobbies offer a break from routine, and giving us the space to recharge. Without these outlets, we risk letting work define us completely, leaving little room for balance.

If you’re like me, and your hobbies have been pushed aside, it’s time to pick them up again. Start small. If you used to play an instrument, set aside 10 minutes a day. Dust off that camera you used to love, or lace up those running shoes. Don’t have hobbies that excite you? Begin by exploring new hobbies - something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t gotten around to. Maybe it’s learning a new language, getting into painting, or something as simple as gardening, hobbies enrich your life in ways that work never can.

The takeaway? Don’t let work be the only thing that fills your days. Hobbies keep you grounded, reduce stress, and add joy to your life. It’s time to make them a priority again. Even if it’s just a few minutes a day, pick up that hobby - because it’s never just about the activity, it’s about reclaiming a piece of yourself.

October 2: Do You Really Want Financial Freedom?

I overheard someone at the office say “I just want to be financially free”. It's a phrase that's thrown around constantly, but it made me wonder - do people truly want financial freedom, or is it something deeper? Often, when people talk about financial freedom, what they really mean is that they want to escape from their day-to-day work. Maybe it’s a job they don’t like, or maybe they’re feeling trapped by the pressures of work. But is the goal really to be financially free, or do they simply not want to work?

Let’s break it down. Financial freedom is the ability to live comfortably without being dependent on an income from work. It’s about having enough savings, investments, or passive income streams to support your lifestyle. For some, it means retiring early, for others, it’s about having the choice to work because they want to, not because they have to. But here’s the catch: many people who claim to want this freedom haven’t really thought about what they’d do once they have it. The question isn't whether you want financial freedom… it’s whether you’re trying to escape your current job, and what would you do instead?

Take a moment to reflect on your own situation. Are you genuinely motivated by the idea of managing your finances to gain control over your life? Or do you find yourself dreaming about financial freedom because you’re unhappy with your work? If it’s the latter, maybe it's time to look deeper and ask whether it’s the job that needs to change, not just your financial circumstances.

If you feel like you’re simply trying to escape the daily grind, it might be worth exploring new career paths, learning new skills, or even considering a job that aligns better with your passions. Financial freedom is a great goal, but make sure you're not chasing it just to avoid the things that really need changing. Because even when you do achieve financial freedom, your issues will not magically disappear.

October 3: Why Are You Really Doing This?

It feels like every conversation I’ve had lately is circling around the same question: “What’s my purpose?” Between the pressures of work, managing responsibilities, and trying to keep up with life’s demands, it’s easy to feel lost or stuck going through the motions. We spend so much time chasing goals - financial freedom, career advancement, and balancing it all… that we often forget to stop and ask, why are we doing this in the first place?

I once worked on a project that was highly demanding. Long hours, tight deadlines, the kind of grind that leaves you drained. In the middle of it, I realized that while I was great at my job, I didn’t feel connected to the work itself. The job had become a task, and I was losing sight of the bigger picture. Was I just working to meet the next deadline, or was there a deeper sense of purpose driving me? This was a pivotal moment for me. I had to step back and ask, “What is it that truly excites me, and how can I align my work with that?” In my line of work, I ended up finding joy in coaching juniors and leading teams as opposed to focusing solely on clients and project delivery.

Finding your purpose doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s crucial to figure out what motivates you beyond just external goals. Are you working long hours because you're passionate about your career, or because you feel like you have to? Are you chasing financial freedom because you want a better life, or are you trying to escape a job that doesn’t fulfill you? These are questions worth asking.

To start finding your purpose, it helps to reflect on the moments when you feel most alive, most engaged. Maybe it’s when you’re mentoring a colleague, creating something new, or problem-solving in a way that feels meaningful. Purpose is about finding those moments and expanding on them, even amidst the chaos of work and life.

Purpose isn’t just about the next job title, paycheck, or project. It’s about finding the things that make all the effort worthwhile and aligning your life around them. It’s about letting that sense of purpose guide your decisions, especially when life’s pressures try to steer you off course.

October 4: What Do You Dream Of?

To wrap up this week of insights about purpose, work, and reigniting our passions, I want to bring up a documentary I watched yesterday: "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" It’s a deeply inspiring story about Jiro Ono, an 85-year-old sushi master who lives his life with an unparalleled passion for his craft. His dedication to sushi-making is more than just about perfecting a skill, it’s his life’s purpose. Every single day, Jiro wakes up with the same drive to make his sushi better than it was the day before. He doesn’t settle for good or even great. His pursuit of excellence is relentless.

The film also portrays an interesting dynamic with Jiro’s eldest son, Yoshikazu, who works alongside him in their 3 Michelin starred restaurant. While Yoshikazu is incredibly talented and dedicated to the craft, the documentary subtly reveals a key difference - his passion doesn’t burn as brightly as his father’s. Jiro lives and breathes sushi, waking up in the middle of the night with ideas to improve his technique. On the other hand, Yoshikazu seems to be following in his father’s footsteps out of duty rather than the deep, intrinsic love for the art.

Passion drives true excellence. Watching Jiro, you realize that purpose and passion go hand in hand. It’s not enough to just be good at something - real fulfillment comes from finding that thing that excites you so much you wake up in the morning eager to dive into it. It’s a reminder for all of us to search for the craft, project, or pursuit that we are so passionate about, we can’t stop thinking about it.

There is a quote by Steve Jobs that I always liked and is very relevant for today’s topic:

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.”

If you are not waking up excited about what you’re doing, maybe it’s time to reflect and ask yourself: “What’s the thing I would chase with Jiro-like dedication? And how can I start moving toward that?” The pursuit of passion is the pursuit of a life well-lived.

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!