What Is Your True North?

True North is a geographic term that represents how you would get to the north pole. It is different from magnetic north, which is what your compass will show you and varies depending on the earth’s magnetic movements. While magnetic north points us in the general direction, True North is an absolute end point.

In business/life terms, True North represents the place that you are absolutely committed to get to, no matter the obstacle in your path.  True North is your end game & your final measuring stick. Nothing else is acceptable.

Many of us have struggled in defining what our True North actually is – we think we know and attach things like a particular job or title, a house in a certain neighborhood, or a certain annual income.  But do these things really represent what your want your life to look like?

I would submit that these things can be a by-product of working toward your True North but they cannot be the end game. They are temporary and fleeting.  We have to go deeper than that within ourselves to find that passion, that drive, that focus for what we represent and what we really want to do with the amount of time we have here on this earth.

It sounds cliche , but our annual incomes won’t matter when we’re dead. We have to define what does matter to us and those we care about. Once we do, we no longer will struggle – we may meet some challenges along the way, but those will be enthusiastically met and overcome. We will be working on something we love with an enthusiasm most of us have never known.  If we are aligned, we are unstoppable.

So, what’s your True North?

Patterns of Belief

As you have no doubt observed, I am using this blog much like a personal journal for ideas and self-improvement.  For me, the more I read and write, the more the different thoughts become a part of me.  As I strive to improve myself, these posts become another in the long line of resources I depend on.

I was reading an article the other day that inspired a long-dormant chain of thoughts I heard from Tony Robbins many years ago.  Some of you may read that and already have a perception of what comes next.  While Tony Robbins is far from perfect, there are times when his ideas can trigger a different pattern for me.  So it happened with this one.

When many of us are presented with a new idea or opportunity, we generally approach it like this:

First, we identify the potential which leads us to take a minor action based on that potential.  The minor action we take leads to a minor result, either positive or negative.  Once we see the minor result, we then formulate a belief in the idea or opportunity.  So, the formula says…

Potential —–> Action —–> Results —–> Belief

This formula can become a vicious cycle because we are looking for the product, service or idea to validate itself before we truly commit ourselves.  But what if we changed it to look like this?

Belief —–> Potential —–> Action —–> Results

The only way to make anything go is to create the result in your mind first.  The belief becomes so certain that you are able to realize the potential and then take massive (not minor) action.  Once you create the certainty, the results you get (again, based on MASSIVE action) reinforce the belief…and it gets even stronger!

How much of a difference can a simple change in thought process make for you?

Dogma

Just read a tremendous article about Steve Jobs, the dynamic co-founder of Apple, and his approach to building and delivering presentations. He made the following statement in a commencement address at Stanford University in 2005:

“Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out the noise of your own inner voice. Stay hungry, stay foolish.”

Pretty powerful stuff.