The North Star

I was listening to a podcast the other day when the host shared something I thought was very important. She said she often struggles with feelings of inadequacy. (Haven’t we all?) But what struck me most was the metaphor her husband uses when she brings those feelings to him.

Sailors, he says, use the North Star to guide their course. It’s invaluable to them. But they don’t aim to reach the North Star. They use it to guide them.

The North Star is constant, visible, and reliable. It’s not meant to be the destination, it's the direction. Sailors look up, align their course, and keep moving toward where they need to go.

So often we look at other people’s success, other businesses, families, bodies, lives, and feel that uncomfortable twinge of jealousy or not-enoughness. We say, “I wish I were there. I wish I had that.” But maybe those shining examples are just North Stars for us, reminders of the direction we feel pulled to explore.

Someone else’s thriving business, creative expression, or joyful moment doesn’t take away from yours. In fact, it might just be the light you need to find your next true heading.

So instead of comparing or coveting, maybe we can say:
“That inspires me. That’s my North Star.”

And then we do what the sailors do: we turn our boat, adjust our sails, and move forward, never needing to reach the star, just trusting it to lead us where we’re meant to go.