The Compass - How to Set Goals

I've written about the Compass before, but I thought I would share our exact outline for how we use this important ingredient of Leadership Education. Personally, I think it is useful to all families anyway since it is about setting personal goals.

The Compass

The Compass is part of Ingredient #16 – The Binder, of “Core and Love of Learning: A Recipe for Success”. Also found on pages 101-102 of “Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning” by Oliver and Rachel DeMille. There is not a lot of detail about the Compass. Here is what we do in our family. Please adapt for your needs.

This should be done every six months. Keep it in the front of your binder and read it each week. If you have a mentor, going over this Compass and reporting back on the things that you have worked on or added will help you tremendously. Use a notebook, notebook paper or type it up on a computer document. Whatever works best for you.

Part 1 – Strengths

A . Things I Do Well – List all of the things that are your favorite things to do, things you excel at, and things that you feel confident about doing. This can include academics, hobbies, anything!

B. Top 30 Books I’ve Ever Read – This can be adapted for older Love of Learners to be 10, 15, 20…whatever number you feel fits. As people progress in their reading skills, this list can grow to 50! Do not list every book you have ever read. List those that really impacted your life.

Part 2 – Areas I Need to Strengthen

Include everything that you know need work – academics, life skills, self-improvements, etc. Don’t feel like this area is a “put down” of everything you have ever done wrong. It is simply a list of things that need work. We all have things on this list!

Part 3 – Objectives

A. Books I Want to Read – Strongly consider all of the classics, self-help, and especially your central canon, that you want to study over the next six months.

B. Skills and Things I Want to Learn – Life skills, social skills, academic skills…everyone needs skills in this life. Don’t forget to consider fun things that you love to do as well as things you know you need to do.

C. What is my mission? – This is hard to do the first time you write a Compass. But, still try to think about what you are created to do with your life. Over time, this step will get a little bit easier. However, don’t skip it! Write something even if it is a basic outline of what your mission might be. Children should not skip this step! My children have written profound things like “be a good dad” or “to help people”.