Not sure what you want next? Scrolling job boards and nothing feels right? Asked “So, what are you looking for?” and hearing yourself ramble? Stuck between a safe move and the one you actually want? This article gives you the Clarity Chart, a simple 10-minute worksheet that helps you define your personal North Star in nine words, so you can search, interview and decide with confidence.
Start with clarity, not a job title
When I work with founders, leaders or high achievers, I always start with one exercise. It isn’t about their goals, their team or their metrics. It’s about their clarity. It works just as well when you’re between jobs or thinking about your next move.
Why does clarity matter? Because clarity isn’t about goals or metrics. It’s about identity. It’s about how you want to show up, day to day, for yourself, for others and in situations. After working with hundreds of people, I’ve learned this: if you don’t define who you’re becoming, your environment will.
That’s especially true in a job search, when every rejection and every opinion from a recruiter can start to feel like a verdict on who you are.
Clarity Compass
The Clarity Compass is a straightforward exercise that helps you define your personal North Star for this phase of life in nine words. It’s simple, honest and effective. You choose three words that describe your best self. Then three words for how you interact with others. Then three words that define what success really means to you.
Here are mine, not yours, mine:
What that means is I show up for myself every day mindful, energetic and full of joy. That’s my goal. My personal bar. If you’ve ever been on a call with me, or we’ve met in person, that’s what you get. You’ll also see I’m present with you, not distracted, most of the time. I’m not perfect. I’m optimistic and grounded in realism. And we’ll celebrate. It sounds silly, but honestly, we don’t celebrate enough. I love celebrating the simple fact that we are hanging out, talking about life, goals, dreams, desires, and real world sh!t.
That’s how I keep myself grounded in who I am, how I show up and what truly matters. The words guide every decision, every conversation, every day.
Put your clarity to work in your job search, your work, your life
Your three words that represent your best self are a filter to find the right company, roles and cultures worth your time. Your three words for how you interact with others are your answer when someone asks how you work with a team, and a checklist for the kind of manager and colleagues you want. Your three success markers are the honest answer to “What are you looking for?”
Come back to it
This is not a one-and-done exercise. It’s something I’ve returned to, and you will too. You’ll come back to this worksheet multiple times in your life, across your career, as a leader, as a parent and through every life transition, because your clarity evolves along with you at every phase, every stage and in every role.
Whether you’re a leader or a future leader, you can’t lead others until you can lead yourself. And you can’t lead yourself until you’re clear about who you’re becoming.
Here’s the TL;DR in a single quote:
“What you focus on and practice is what you become.”
Clarity creates confidence. Confidence builds consistency. Consistency compounds into legacy.
A life of intentionality is a life well lived, and it starts with knowing what you stand for and setting reminders to live it daily. That’s how you get better results, faster, with more margin for what matters most.
Try it now
If you’ve never done an exercise like this, start here. Grab the Clarity Compass worksheet, then invest 10 quiet minutes defining your nine words. Watch how quickly your decisions start to line up.
For career seekers, there are two more pieces of the puzzle
Once you have your Clarity Compass, two things help it land. The Green Thread Exercise: Turn Years of Experience Into Your Story. The second is knowing how to handle the “overqualified” label before it ever comes up, read Told You’re Overqualified? Five Questions That Change the Conversation.
One last thing
Getting clear doesn’t take a new system. It takes nine words and ten quiet minutes.
Take a minute with these
Which three words describe you at your best?
Which of your success markers would a new job need to support before you’d say yes?
Where in your week could you put a reminder of your nine words, so they stay in front of you?
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Quick answers
What is the Clarity Compass?
It’s a simple exercise that helps you define your personal North Star in nine words. You choose three words for how you show up for yourself, three for how you interact with others, and three for what success means to you.
Why start a job search with clarity?
Clarity gives you a filter. When you know who you’re becoming, it’s easier to spot the roles, teams and cultures that fit, and easier to answer “What are you looking for?” without rambling.
How often should I redo it?
Any time life shifts. Come back to it across your career, as a leader, as a parent and through every transition, because your words will change as you do.
Know someone who’s ready to find their North Star? Send this one their way. And subscribe for daily practices on clarity, leadership and performance.
Originally shared as a LinkedIn post. Read the original on LinkedIn.
The worksheet lives here.