Are you a Pendulum or a Compass?

Ever caught yourself oscillating

Between love and hate depending on how someone behaves with you...

Between being happy and sad depending on your attainments...

Between stress and relief depending on your surroundings???

Go back, read the question more slowly and reflect on it once again!

If you say Yes to any of them then you are a ‘Pendulum’! –

A Pendulum is someone who could be easily moved from one end of the scale to the other.

The excuse you usually get from pendulums:

We are mere mortals, humans and hence can’t help but be his way, forcing you to maintain the status quo and permitting mediocrity to prevail where excellence is possible.

The bad news for you is that the quality of your life depends on things that are not directly in your control, leaving you drained, helpless and largely feeling like a victim.

The good news is that by being honest, you now know yourself better and can course correct towards being a ‘compass’.

A compass on the other hand has a very clear north which gives them a clear direction and they choose their energy and focus in that direction (which will eventually lead them to their destination).

They are mature and grounded in their values.

Their purpose and values determine their drive, energy and how they generally feel (internally generated) rather than depending on how other people and circumstances decide to behave.

The compass takes charge of the quality of their life and rather than being victims they are victors.

The switch from a pendulum to a compass is simple.

Live for a cause that goes beyond yourself and your immediate family. Being part of nature, we are meant to consume very little for ourselves and to give out in abundance.

We are meant to experience our uniqueness and express it every single day and in every possible way.

On this trajectory, we are in sync with our core values, our highest self which makes us honest and humble which in turn gives us the courage and enthusiasm to keep on moving.

Recently, during one of my workshops, I had a participant who seemed completely disengaged. Thankfully he wasn’t a nuisance to the rest but I could see that he was not there to learn. I did do whatever I could to grab his attention and pulled him up quite a few times; over time I began noticing a state of tension building up within…

It was not the best feeling I wanted to have in a session and realized that I got too over-involved and action-conscious, trying to control how others respond or behave and instantly shifted my focus to my own value of excellence in thought word and action, and my purpose of sharing…I would not allow this to get corrupted based on whether the other party appreciates that or not.

I saw an instant shift in my mental state and continued with a brilliant delivery the rest of the day. The true power of being a compass lies in this shift when you stop allowing external forces to dictate your internal state.

The moment you centre yourself on your values and purpose, you gain the clarity and strength to navigate any situation with grace. It's not about controlling others but about mastering yourself.

So, the next time you feel the pull of the pendulum, remember that you hold the key to your own compass. Align with your inner north, and let your values guide you. Life will always have its ups and downs, but with a steady compass, you'll chart your course with confidence and purpose, moving forward no matter the winds that blow.

Cheers!

Prakash Chugani