A compass tells you direction, but it doesn’t include a destination. It’s not a map or a plan, it’s just feedback on which way you’re pointing.
In life design, your personal Compass does the same thing. You’re free to choose directions and destinations. These change as we learn and life shifts, but the compass helps us keep oriented to a direction. A direction we choose based on what we value.
The compass is made up of two key elements: your Workview and your Lifeview.
Your Workview is your philosophy of work.
What is work for? What makes it meaningful? What does good work look like to you?
Your Lifeview is your broader perspective – the bigger question about the meaning of life.
What matters most in a life? What do you believe about the world, people, purpose? What role do relationships and spirituality play?
These two views are like coordinates that help you steer toward choices. When your workview and lifeview complement each other, you’re more likely to experience fulfillment and joy because you feel like your choices are aligned with what you actually believe. This alignment is called coherence, and the science says it’s one of the predictors of flourishing.
Try This:
- Write your Workview. 250 words or less. Don’t overthink it—just write what you believe about work. We encourage a pen and paper for this exercise. It activates the brain differently.
- Write your Lifeview. Same length. What’s your take on how life works and what it’s for?
- Reflect. Where do they align? Where do they clash?
- Read them to someone else, out loud. This can feel vulnerable, but it’s important: we learn a lot about our fears and dreams when we say these intimate thoughts out loud.
Your answers don’t have to be perfect. They just have to be yours. From there, you’ll have a clearer sense of what “good direction” looks like with the freedom to explore any destination.
Need help exploring? Check out the Odyssey Plan
