Introduction

Some people call it your True North. No matter; the questions are

Do you have one?

If you have one, what is it?

Why is that your True North/Moral Compass?

Do you follow it?

That’s the subject of today’s 10-minute podcast.

Continuing

Having a moral compass is a recurring theme for those of us at Revolution 2.0™. I refer to its importance frequently in my semi-weekly blog/podcast, so it is entirely appropriate for us to return to the subject from time-to time. The last time was over a year ago.

If you don’t have a solid moral compass that you follow, then nothing else matters. Nothing. You will simply be a cork on the oceans of life, following the changing paths of the tides, currents and waves. I know; I have been there. And I still have to fight to stay with and strengthen my adherence to my moral compass.

Pause for definitions. For purposes of this discussion, Moral compass and True North are interchangeable. I like the term moral compass because it means more to me, it anchors me better. I will use both here in the event that your preference is different from mine. A mechanical compass works because when used at all correctly, it points to a fixed point outside of itself, allowing the user to stay on track. The location of the magnetic north, which is what the compass points to, is not in the exact location as true north. To get to true north using a compass, you would need to apply declination to the compass heading. But precision like that is entirely unnecessary and beside the point. We are working to find our way in life, not shoot missiles 5K miles with the intention of hitting a precise location.

What are some examples of an effective moral compass? And how do you know? Two things: 1. Your north has to be something born and fueled outside of you--with externally inspired values, goals and checkpoints. The danger is that our own internally generated principles may lull us into a false sense of commitment. There must be an outside entity to learn from, and to act as a touchstone--a place to check in to see how we are handling ourselves. This does not mean that you don’t need to internalize the external teachings and examples; all is certainly lost if you don’t. But it is equally certain that it cannot be just you. 2. That outside entity must be powerful enough to keep you on track even when it is hard. If your north’s power and influence in your life is weak, so will be your adherence to it.

What are some examples where both criteria are met? God comes immediately to mind. Whatever your definition, God meets both criteria--external and powerful. Depending upon your path to God, the external writings, religious leaders, ceremonies, legacies, etc. will be different, but each path has its external--and powerful--teachings, values and inspirations.

Teachers, whether more well-known masters like Confucius and Buddha, or somewhat lesser lights like Rumi and Lao Tsu, qualify as external and, if taken seriously, powerful. As do more modern leaders like Rick Warren or Tony Robbins. Philosophers such as Aristotle can also be a solid foundation for a true north. Look no further than his Nicomachean Ethics for support for this claim.

Are there some examples of wrong places to seek help to form and maintain your true north? Well, Snapple bottle caps are one example (no laughing here--I have seen worse). And Satan worship would be out. Better the Snapple cap.

Even harder than developing a true north is staying true to it. You will be besieged by teachings and cliches like, “You have to get along to go along.” and “If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t trying.” Perhaps the most diabolically tempting is, “Just this once. You will have plenty of time to correct things later.