The Personal Compass

Productivity requires clear direction. Set your Personal Compass by considering your six compass points of Career, Health, Money, Relationships, Fun, and Contribution. It’s a simple system which I put together many years ago; your six directions are unique to you and only you can decide them.

I have reviewed my Personal Compass monthly for a couple of decades.

Too many productivity systems focus relentlessly on work: get more done; hit your targets; optimise your output. But humans are not machines, and work is not life. Your Personal Compass ensures you’re moving in the right direction across the areas that matter to you, bearing in mind that those areas will undoubtedly shift during your life.

Every month-the end of the calendar month is a logical point-spend thirty minutes reviewing the six points. Normally a couple of minutes on each will suffice:

Career: am I learning? Growing? Moving toward something meaningful? Health: am I treating my body with the respect it deserves? Money: am I earning enough, spending wisely, saving appropriately? Relationships: am I present with the people who matter? Fun: am I experiencing joy, not just achievement? Contribution: am I making a difference beyond myself?

Rate each direction on a scale of 1 to 10 where ten is perfect and 1 is miserable; if your rating is not ten, decide the action you will take this month to close the gap and note that on your Master List.

Perfect balance is not the goal. But regular adjustment through regular attention, is. Neglect any compass point too long, and you will drift off course without realising it.

The Personal Compass does not tell you where to go. It simply reminds you to navigate consciously.

Action: do a Personal Compass review in the next 48h and then repeat at the end of each-and every-month.

Fifty Years of Apple

The original 1984 Mac had 128K of memory. Imagine you are lucky enough to have the latest iPhone with 1 terabyte of memory.

Your storage is 8 million times larger. Your processing power is 1 million times faster. Τhe size is 150 times smaller.

Seven Things

which are therapeutic:

  1. Writing.
  2. Walking.
  3. Slow cooking.
  4. Tech-free conversation.
  5. Gardening.
  6. A balanced period of isolation and reflection.
  7. Re-reading one of the great classic novels, now with your added life experience.

Old School

Principle 5: I Speak Plainly

Mantra: No exaggeration. No evasion. No gossip. And frankly, no bullsh*t.

Daily Practice:

  1. Choose precision over drama. Say ‘The meeting was challenging,’ not ‘It was a disaster.’ Say ‘Revenue declined 15%’ instead of ‘Sales collapsed.’ The facts will always outweigh hyperbole.
  2. Address issues directly with the relevant people. If you have concerns about Pete’s performance, talk to Pete or their manager, not to colleagues who cannot solve anything, but the gossip and lack of real data might make things worse.
  3. Ask yourself: ‘Is this true, necessary, and kind?’ before speaking. Not every true thing needs saying, but necessary things should be said truthfully and with consideration.
  4. Plain speech builds trust faster than clever words. People relax around those who mean what they say. Clarity creates confidence but ambiguity breeds suspicion.

The remaining principles and more explained in Old School. Instant. Kindle. Budget. Worldwide.

Future-proof Yourself. AI-proof Your Career.

Paul McCartney’s Greatest Love Songs

  1. The Beatles

“And I Love Her” (1964) Perhaps the purest, most tender love song he ever wrote. Acoustic, intimate, timeless. “Here, There and Everywhere” (1966) John Lennon called it one of his favourite McCartney songs. Lush, romantic, flawless. “Michelle” (1965) The French-tinged melody and the line “I love you, I love you, I love you” sung in three languages. Irresistible. “I Will” (1968) A delicate White Album gem. Simple, devoted, perfect. “P.S. I Love You” (1963) An early classic that shows the gift was there from the very start. “Things We Said Today” (1964) Slightly melancholic, but deeply romantic in its own understated way.

  1. Wings

“Maybe I’m Amazed” (re-recorded live with Wings) Originally solo but became a Wings anthem. Raw, aching devotion to Linda. One of his greatest ever. “My Love” (1973) Soaring, orchestral, and unashamedly sentimental. A massive hit for a reason. “Silly Love Songs” (1976) His defiant answer to critics who mocked his romanticism. “Every Night” (Band on the Run era) Quietly beautiful and deeply personal. “C Moon” (1972) Breezy, joyful, Linda-inspired charm.

  1. Solo

“Maybe I’m Amazed” (1970, McCartney) The original studio version. Written for Linda during the Beatles' collapse. Arguably the most emotionally raw thing he ever recorded. “The Back Seat of My Car” (1971) Operatic, ambitious, and romantically defiant. “No More Lonely Nights” (1984) A gorgeous ballad, somewhat underrated. “From a Lover to a Friend” (2001) Underrated, reflective, emotionally complex.

“Here, There and Everywhere” is-in my view-the most perfectly crafted love song of his career.

Go re-listen!