Finding True North

I have been caught up in a whirlwind schedule the last two weeks and got into an auto pilot mode where I was going through the norms of the day with little or no conscious attention to details. It is a mode that many of us are familiar with due to the nature of our work or commitments. It is a dot com syndrome that has consumed many without their notice.

Have you ever stopped to wonder why you do the things you do and why you actually do them the way you do?

I am structured in my approach to life and tend to want to work with clear plans and schedules though sometimes I get caught up in the dot com syndrome and lose touch with my true self. As we go about our businesses, we get a lot of unsolicited advice and input from people we interact with that soon clouds our true north. One of the interesting things about living in Kampala is being around people who feel obliged to give you their opinion about your life and actually expect you to act accordingly. Shocking and interesting but true.

My nature of work requires me to network and interface with people from all walks of life. It is interesting as well as overwhelming sometimes, especially if you have to take in a whole lot of unsolicited input that you have to sieve through continuously so you don’t throw out the baby with the dirty water.

Recently while taking a ride, I began to have an internal dialogue with myself about my true north. We each have those underlying factors that define us as people and shape the choices we make about life. True north is when you align your entire being and actions with these underlying values. They are fundamental to one’s ability to being authentic and integral. That which is unique about you may not make sense to the people around you. Being true to self is being true to the things that define you as a person. This principle cuts across in all aspects of life.

There is a tendency to think that since someone’s true north seems to be heading in my opposite direction then they are off course but this is far from being true. Your true north has nothing to do with where everybody else is heading. You are destined for a specific purpose which is unique to you as a person.

After a series of meeting with various amazing people, I came to the realization that I am cut out for a special cause and the key for me to stay on course lies in my ability to keep track of that purpose. You understand the blue print of your life more than anyone else and you have the power to stick to that course if you choose to live consciously.

Make time for solitude and personal reflection before you get drowned in the vast flow of wise counsel, insights, information, advertisements and researched approaches. The key to being successful in life is being able to identify your life purpose and sticking to it no matter what happens. True fulfillment comes from doing that which we were cut out for.

Find your true north and stick to it.

Noeline Kirabo