By Mary Ann Faremouth, CPC
Recently I had a visit from my granddaughter dressed up like a ballerina after her ballet class. She’s an amazing child, and in a metaphorical way, she reminded me of the different dances we all have had to do the past several years. With it being the last quarter of the year at this writing, I, like many of us, am thinking about how to plan our steps forward in the New Year. My recent book, “Revolutionary Results,” contains a chapter titled “Finding Your North Star.” I’ve outlined it below as a helpful guide during these changing times.
For thousands of years, travelers have used the stars to navigate the wilderness, on land and on sea, without getting lost. At the center of such navigation lies Polaris, commonly known as the North Star, which holds a stable position at the celestial north pole. This constancy has served as a guiding beacon for those who wander, physically or otherwise, inspiring hope amid the unknown.
The rocky terrain of the past few years has left many feeling lost, and finding and following our path can sometimes feel impossible. But let’s explore some concrete steps for determining the values that make up your North Star and how they can guide you toward happiness and success within the New Work World.
1. Study the Map of Your Inner Self
The first phase of any form of navigation is determining one’s current location. With regard to the New Work World, this involves assessing not only the current facts of your career—employment status, career field, position level, pay, benefits, and more—but also its emotional impact. Does an individual day leave you feeling satisfied, drained, angry, or apathetic? What about a week? A month? Longer?
Once you have a sense of where you currently reside in the New Work World, the next course of action is to consider the destination you want to aim for. For example, what dreams light up your soul? What sparks a fire within you, invigorating you and making you feel alive despite months of struggle, challenge, alienation, and change? If you’re not sure, it might help to eliminate possibilities by considering the opposite: What, in particular, makes you feel deflated and lifeless? For more in-depth exploration, consider completing assessment tests or seeking the assistance of a mentor or coach.
2. Take Time to Plan Your Journey
These days, with satellites, GPS, and similar technology, physical navigation is often only a click away. Spur-of-the-moment travel is more likely to result in the enjoyment of fun destinations than the despair of getting lost.
Navigation by the stars, however, was not a quick process, especially for long journeys. Ancient travelers had to study the sky and make calculations, keeping in mind the time of year and other details. Similarly, finding your North Star and using it to navigate your personal and professional journeys takes time and careful planning.
As you work to pinpoint your North Star within the sky of possibilities, remember that Polaris symbolizes constancy. It neither shifts its position nor fluctuates in brightness. Likewise, the values you claim as your North Star should be deep-seated and steady, unlikely to shift on a whim or disappear at the first provocation. Such a North Star can guide you along an unwavering path toward constancy and long-term retention in your career. Yet distinguishing what it is and how to let it guide your career requires planning and skillful determination, preparation that can yield a long and fulfilling professional journey.
3. Take the First Step
No matter how thorough your plans, you will never achieve them if you cannot take the initiative to implement them. Though your destination might seem distant and the path to get there daunting, remember what Lao Tzu wrote in the Tao Te Ching: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
If you’re having trouble taking that first step, align your mindset with your North Star. Allow its constancy to buoy your own so you can undertake your new career journey with unshakable determination. And when obstacles cross your path and you find yourself faltering and falling into negative thoughts, return your focus to your North Star and recognize that, no matter how far into the journey you may be, the next step is simply the first step from where you are.
Navigating unfamiliar terrain can be daunting, but identifying your North Star—the values you hold constant—can provide a steady light to guide you. Study the map of your inner self to discover the values that make up your North Star, take the time to plan your journey around your guiding values, then own your values by taking the first step. Never lose sight of your North Star, and your own light will shine bright in the New Work World.
I am so glad my granddaughter paid me a visit to spur me on to thinking about my own dance steps going forward. And in a real sense, new dance classes are even in my calendar already! Don’t be afraid to plan and take your own new dance steps in the New Year and beyond.
Mary Ann’s award-winning first book Revolutionary Recruiting has been listed by Book Authority as Number #1 Best 100 Recruiting Books; #1 Best Seller, Non-Fiction, Amazon (2019); Top 20 Recruiting books, Recruitics; Readers’ Choice finalist (2019), Houston Literary Awards; Best Non-Fiction (2018), Best Cover (2019), and Best Self-Help (2018), Authors Marketing Guild. This was followed by “Revolutionary Reinvention”, a workbook for job seekers giving advice on how to rediscover your skills and passions and reinvent your career. Her most recent book is “Revolutionary Results” , a collection of life lessons about relationships, integrity and contributing to the world.
Check out more lifestyle stories here.
Explore more insights at https://usadailypost.com/.
