True North

Life does not remain calm just because there is a destination.

There will be conflict, uncertainty, failure, criticism, disappointment, anger and anxiety. People will behave unexpectedly. Plans will fail. Things completely outside our control will demand our attention.

The problem isn't that these things happen.

The problem is how easily they can take over.

One difficult conversation can occupy an entire day. Anxiety about something that hasn't happened can consume attention that could have been spent acting. Anger can turn a minor event into the most important thing in the world. Ego can make winning an argument feel more important than reaching the actual destination.

Slowly, the destination disappears from view.

That is the problem True North is meant to explore.

Stoicism provides the navigation system. Its ideas on control, judgment, emotion, adversity and action offer a way to repeatedly recalibrate—to return attention to what matters and continue moving towards the destination.