How to Live A No Compass Life (and still hit epic goals)

(Jackson Pollock quote)

This is a field guide. A manual for anyone who feels lost but also pulled in many directions; for the punks of society who wanna live a free life full of authenticity, creative pursuits, adventures and serendipities.

Those who crave something unknown but aren’t sure where to start…or feel trapped by perfectly safe, well-structured plans.

This is not for everyone.

And though I cannot give you a compass, what I can give you is something better. A map to a creative, reality-building life, one that many only think of or daydream about.

There’s a shift that happens when you go from “I’m lost…” to “I’m free”.

To “I’m exploring.”

If at any time while reading this post, your heart raises its voice (clipping a bit and hitting a peak) then you’ll know. You’ll know there’s something here for you, something true; that a no compass life is maybe worth looking into.

If so, welcome; you’re not lost. You are however starting down a path toward something unknown…

And that is far more exciting than any perfect plan where you know exactly what’s around every corner.

What Is A No Compass Life?

A No Compass life is one that prioritizes intuition, flow and exploration. It’s my life philosophy and pretty much describes my journey and approach to everything.

It means you don’t always know what will happen or how, but you go anyways. It means stepping into the unknown and creating the path as you go.

You’re a mix between an artist, an anthropologist and a traveler.

For those that feel lost, you might throw away the compass and instead, become curious and open to the unknown path.

You are a researcher.

You will create experiments to test your different hypotheses, but you’ll stay open to results or how paths unfold.

You are an anthropologist of your own life, performing ethnographic research, where you are both the participant and the scientist observing the participant, completely open to what happens, how things unfold or where the ‘research’ ultimately leads.

This is how to unlock true creative clarity and self discovery. This replaces the generic compass with something much more personal and adventurous.

And this openness and experimentation are key.

Experimenting is the action-taking part, the actual steps you take down a path unknown; what unfolds or happens on that path is the exciting mystery you’re documenting and learning from, adjusting from, growing through.

A no compass life doesn’t mean you never arrive anywhere. It means you embrace the present and arrive in the right and most authentic place for you.

Why Try the No Compass Life?

When you celebrate the journey (regardless of the outcome), you’re more likely to find flow, enjoy play and act in alignment.

Working on your self, your projects or your goals from this state of curiosity and joy might even lead to better results.

But the whole point of no compass is to shift focus away from the results.

Still, all of this isn’t to say that a No Compass strategy doesn’t have visions, guardrails, checkpoints, growth or momentum.

Au contraire!

It’s to say that this approach to those things will suddenly feel lighter and looser, which can give you more freedom to explore things authentically and without pressure.

In my experience, this creates more clarity, consistency and sustainability.

I’ll be updating this post over time, adding more strategy, stories and resources. This is a living document and the foundational ethos for No Compass.