Learn how to create a North Star Filter—a powerful decision-making framework that cuts through complexity and helps you make better choices aligned with your goals.
We make thousands of decisions every day. Most of them drain our energy without moving us forward.
Should you take that meeting? Accept that invitation? Start that project?
The problem isn’t that we don’t have enough information. It’s that we don’t have a filter—a simple way to evaluate what matters and what doesn’t.
That’s where a North Star Filter comes in.
What Is a North Star Filter?
A North Star Filter is a compass question (or set of questions) you return to consistently that helps you evaluate every decision through a single, clarifying lens.
Think of it as your personal decision-making framework—one that cuts through noise, eliminates decision fatigue, and keeps you aligned with what truly matters.
Instead of agonizing over every choice, you filter it through your North Star and get clarity fast.
The Two-Question Framework That Changes Everything
Here’s the simplest and most powerful North Star Filter I’ve found:
1. What do I actually want?
2. What makes it more likely I’ll get there?
These two questions simplify almost every decision you’ll face.
Real-World Applications
Let’s look at how this framework works in practice:
Social decisions: Should I go to that party or stay home and focus on my project?
Filter: Does this align with what I want? Does it increase the likelihood I achieve my goals?
Morning routines: Should I wake up early to exercise or sleep in?
Filter: Which choice moves me closer to the person I’m becoming?
Career choices: Should I take the stable corporate job or join the risky startup?
Filter: Which path increases the probability of the outcome I’m working toward?
When you view life through the lens of inputs, outputs, and probabilities, you start winning more consistently.
Why Probabilistic Thinking Works
This framework works because it’s rooted in probabilistic thinking—the understanding that you can’t control outcomes, but you can absolutely influence the likelihood of getting what you want.
You’re not asking “Will this guarantee success?” You’re asking “Does this tilt the odds in my favor?”
Working Backwards From Your Goals
Once you’re clear on what you want, you can reverse-engineer the path:
- Does writing down my goals increase the likelihood I achieve them? Probably.
- Does learning from people who’ve already accomplished what I’m pursuing? Probably.
- Does building consistent daily habits aligned with my objectives? Probably.
- Does maintaining high energy through fitness and health? Probably.
- Does weekly reflection to course-correct when I drift off track? Probably.
Each “probably” is a small edge. Stack enough edges, and you create momentum.
7 Powerful North Star Filters You Can Use Today
Not sure which filter is right for you? Here are seven proven frameworks:
1. “Will this matter in 10 years?”
Best for: Cutting through short-term anxiety and trivial decisions.
This filter helps you stop sweating the small stuff. If something won’t matter a decade from now, it probably doesn’t deserve your mental energy today.
2. “What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail?”
Best for: Identifying when fear (not wisdom) is holding you back.
If your answer changes dramatically with this filter, you’re likely playing it too safe. Fear is masquerading as prudence.
3. “Is this a ‘hell yes’ or is it a no?”
Best for: Avoiding lukewarm commitments. (Concept from Derek Sivers)
Stop filling your calendar with obligations that drain you. If you’re not genuinely excited, you’re stealing space from something meaningful.
4. “What would the person I’m becoming do?”
Best for: Identity-based decision making and habit formation.
This ties every choice to your future self. You’re not asking “Should I work out today?” You’re asking “Am I someone who prioritizes their health?”
5. “Am I running toward something or away from something?”
Best for: Distinguishing motivation from avoidance.
Taking a job because it excites you versus taking it because you’re afraid of the alternative—these create completely different trajectories.
6. “What’s the downside if I’m wrong?”
Best for: Evaluating asymmetric risk opportunities.
Some decisions have capped downside but unlimited upside. Those are worth taking even when the odds aren’t perfect. This is how you find high-leverage opportunities.
7. “Does this energize me or drain me?”
Best for: Protecting your energy and avoiding burnout.
Your energy is finite. Decisions that consistently drain you—even profitable or prestigious ones—compound into exhaustion.
How to Create Your Personal North Star Filter
Ready to build your own? Follow these steps:
Step 1: Identify What You Actually Want
Get specific. Not what you think you should want, or what others want for you. What do you want?
Write it down. Clarity comes through articulation.
Step 2: Test Your Filter Against Real Decisions
Take three recent decisions you struggled with. Run them through potential filters. Which question would have given you clarity fastest?
Step 3: Refine and Simplify
Your filter should be simple enough to remember and use in the moment. If it requires a spreadsheet, it won’t work when you need it.
Step 4: Return to It Consistently
A filter only works if you use it. Make it a habit to check decisions against your North Star—especially when you feel uncertain or overwhelmed.
The Benefits of Decision-Making Frameworks
When you implement a North Star Filter, you’ll notice:
- Less decision fatigue – You stop burning mental energy on every small choice
- Greater alignment – Your actions consistently move you toward your goals
- Reduced anxiety – You have a clear method for evaluating options
- Faster decisions – You cut through analysis paralysis
- Better outcomes – You stack small edges that compound over time
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake #1: Making Your Filter Too Complex
If you can’t remember your filter in a moment of decision, it’s too complicated. Simplicity is the goal.
Mistake #2: Not Defining What You Want First
Your filter is only as good as your clarity about your destination. Spend time getting clear on your goals.
Mistake #3: Abandoning Your Filter Under Pressure
The whole point is to use it when decisions feel hard. That’s exactly when you need it most.
Mistake #4: Never Revisiting Your Filter
As you grow and your goals evolve, your filter might need adjustment. Review it quarterly.
Your Next Steps
Feeling lost, stuck, or uncertain about your direction?
Build yourself a compass question.
Start with something simple—something you can return to when everything else gets loud.
Maybe it’s the two-question framework. Maybe it’s one of the seven alternatives. Maybe it’s something entirely your own.
The specific filter matters less than having one and using it consistently.
Because when you filter every decision through your North Star, you stop wandering in circles and start moving with purpose.
What’s your North Star Filter? Share your decision-making framework in the comments below.
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