North Star Conversations | Unlock Your Potential, Performance & Purpose

Originally aired: December 2024
Episode Number: 186
Success isn't about achieving perfect balance. It's about understanding yourself, embracing your strengths, and finding a way to show up for the people who matter most in a way that feels authentic.
In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, Resilience Coach and mental health advocate Josh Connolly shares some daily habits to help you stay grounded, and why there's no one-size-fits-all approach to living a meaningful life. Explore the importance of aligning your actions with your values, letting go of unrealistic expectations, building resilience through life's challenges, and creating deeper connections with your family by discovering what genuinely works for you.
Listen to the full episode here: 
https://kite.link/joshconnolly

Originally aired: November 2024
Episode Number: 185
The way we respond to stress, conflict, and difficult emotions is often shaped by unconscious patterns we've carried for years. Lasting change begins when we learn to recognise those patterns and respond with awareness instead of reaction.
In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, Founder and CEO of the Momentum Institute Vered Kogan shares practical techniques for regulating the nervous system, releasing emotional patterns, and leading yourself with greater awareness. Learn how approaches such as heart coherence, EFT tapping, and self-compassion can help you move beyond reactivity, strengthen emotional resilience, and create a positive ripple effect in every area of your life.
Listen to the full episode here:
https://kite.link/veredkogan

Episode Notes
In this episode, I sit down with James Hadley, a pensions and property investment expert who has completed over 4,000 property transactions using pension funds. We talk about his journey from accountancy to pensions to property, the nine-year ordeal of being investigated by the HMRC, FCA, and SFO after a business deal went wrong, and the life-altering discovery in his 40s that he's autistic and bipolar. James shares the mindset shifts, daily habits, and hard-won lessons that got him through the darkest period of his life, plus practical advice on how business owners can use pensions to build wealth and protect themselves from risk.
Don't miss the opportunity to take the first step towards a more fulfilling life. Book your complimentary clarity call today and discover how Will Polston can help you achieve the success you deserve. 💡 https://willpolston.com/book-a-call/
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Video Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and how James and Will first connected
00:53 - Where James's determination comes from
02:57 - Grit and lessons learned from playing rugby
03:27 - School life and almost becoming an Army officer
04:59 - Why he ultimately didn't join the Army
05:37 - Training as an accountant
06:51 - Early business exposure: washing cars and his dad's business
07:59 - Moving into pensions at a global life assurance company
09:39 - Combining property investing with pension tax advantages
10:56 - Why property appeals to entrepreneurs as an asset class
13:15 - Business owners' preference for hands-on investing
14:00 - Pension tax advantages for business owners, part one
15:17 - Reducing corporation tax and protection from creditors
16:45 - Personal guarantees vs. pension protection
17:14 - Carry-forward contributions and director pension schemes explained
19:15 - Into the property investment rollercoaster
20:19 - The Richard Branson advice that backfired
21:09 - The pension scheme product that went wrong
22:07 - Investigated by HMRC, FCA, SFO and more
23:09 - "Guilty until proven innocent" - the early morning raid
23:58 - Nine years under investigation, then the case dropped
24:37 - Getting out of bed each day amid the pressure
25:27 - The life audit: family, sleep, and alcohol
27:38 - Cutting out alcohol and fixing sleep hygiene
28:44 - Discovering he's autistic and bipolar
29:49 - Developing empathy for others through adversity
31:06 - The moment the case was finally dropped
32:34 - How James and Will first connected, through Emma Mills
34:41 - The impact of coaching and accountability
35:33 - Quantum leaps vs. marginal gains
36:52 - The power of environment and peer groups
38:55 - Managing reputation through the ordeal
40:04 - "What other people think of me is none of my business"
41:09 - Choosing radical candor over hiding the story
42:39 - Why business owners are more understanding of failure
43:39 - Getting the ADHD and autism diagnosis
45:24 - Understanding pathological demand avoidance
45:59 - The bipolar diagnosis
49:32 - Nature vs. pressure: is neurodivergence innate or triggered?
50:29 - Masking and "special interests" in autism
51:17 - Giving up alcohol and realizing the mask
52:08 - Neurodivergence as a gift or a curse
53:14 - His North Star now: pension-led business funding
55:17 - Why pension-led funding beats expensive business loans
56:33 - How to connect with James
56:52 - Final reflection: "Can you help?"
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Relevant Links For the Viewer and Citations
Website - https://www.willpolston.com
Instagram - https://instagram.com/willpolston
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/willpolstonmih
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/willpolston/
Twitter / X - https://x.com/willpolston
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@willpolston
Connect with James here: https://www.jameshadleypensions.com/
About Me: I am dedicated to helping individuals and businesses unlock their true potential through expert coaching and training programs. I'm passionate about empowering others to achieve their dreams and live a life they love. Subscribe for more insights and tips on personal development, productivity, and achieving your goals. Let's embark on this journey together!

Originally aired: November 2024
Episode Number: 184
Building a successful business isn't about holding onto what's worked in the past. It's about staying adaptable, understanding what truly drives you, and creating a business that supports the life you want to live.
In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, accomplished entrepreneur and digital marketing expert Dawn McGruer explores why the most sustainable success comes from designing your business around your values rather than society's definition of achievement. Discover how embracing change, trusting your instincts, and focusing on work that energises you can lead to greater fulfillment, stronger business growth, and a life built on freedom, flexibility, and purpose.
Listen to the full episode here: 
https://kite.link/dawnmcgruer

Originally aired: November 2024
Episode Number: 183
Many of us spend our lives trying to silence physical or emotional symptoms without ever addressing the deeper issues that may be causing them. But true healing often begins when we're willing to confront the emotions we've spent years avoiding.
In this episode highlight of North Star Conversations with Will Polston, mindbody health consultant and author Steven Ray Ozanich explores why unresolved emotions can manifest as physical symptoms and how the body often reflects what the mind struggles to process. Discover how facing difficult emotions, rather than simply managing symptoms, can open the door to lasting healing, greater self-awareness, and a more authentic way of living.
Listen to the full episode here:
https://kite.link/stevenrayozanich