Back to the basics: Your engine + your compass

I’m not a big New Years Resolution-type. It never made sense to me to set splashy goals in a season when I typically just need a good veg on the couch. 

Instead, this January, I thought it could be fun to return to some of my core concepts — the things I tell clients day-in, day-out. The basics we all need.

For today: Let’s talk about the two things you absolutely cannot do without, to have a life that works for you: 

1. An engine

2. A compass

A compass is what tells you what direction to go in. And an engine is what actually takes you there. 

You need both. 

If you have an engine but no compass, you can be driving around all day (or all decade), but it never quite feels like where you truly want to be. 

If you have a compass but no engine, you know what you want but cannot freaking make progress towards it. 

Typically, if someone finds their way to me, they’ve got an issue with one or both. 

(If it’s both, I tend to treat the compass first, because there’s no use in having a functioning engine if you exhaust the car driving in random directions). 

In the next few weeks, I’ll give a couple of ideas on helping you with both your Compass + your engine, but two questions + two ideas to start us off right this new year: 

1. Question: Which of these do you tend to rely on more? Your compass, or your engine?
   
   Idea: It could be an interesting experiment, this January, to let yourself give your dominant mode a rest, and let the other take the wheel for a bit. Compass-dominant people might have a really powerful month of checking in with themselves less, and powering forward. Engine-dominant people might have their minds blown if they slow down for a bit and really get directionality right.
   
   
   

2. Question: Is any of these completely broken and needs to be taken to the mechanic to be repaired, or completed revamped?
   
   Idea: If so, what would your “mechanic” be? A game-changing book? A podcast? A conversation with an insightful friend? A therapist or a coach? Here’s more about working with me, if you’d like. 

…

As always, I’m rooting for you in the week (and year) ahead. You’ve got this. 

Katie

p.s. Ready to work on both your compass and engine in 2024? I’d highly recommend working with me 1:1. Learn more here.