Last week I wrote about the idea of a “Vanishing Point” in perspective sketching. The convergence of receding parallel lines on the horizon gives the image coherence.
In life, our purpose is the vanishing point. The point towards which our decisions, effort, and goals should converge.
But we need more than purpose. We need boundaries.
In military operations, units are given defined areas of operations or A.O.s. These boundaries define where one unit’s responsibility begins and another’s ends. They prevent friendly units from making contact and make it clear who is responsible for the terrain.
Boundaries might seem to be unnecessarily restrictive, but when well laid out they provide greater freedom of movement.
Once a team knows their mission and has clear boundaries and rules of engagement, they can operate within them. They have responsibility for operations in their area and are safe in the knowledge that their actions are moving towards the overall strategic aim.
In life, purpose creates the vanishing point and our values create the boundaries.
Together they create freedom of action.
Without purpose, you can have boundaries but never fight. You are principled, but passive.
With purpose and no boundaries, you may reach the objective but may not be proud of how you got there.
You have to decide your own values but make sure they are ones you can live with. Ones that will serve as a guardrail when you are faced with difficult decisions.
I’ve talked before about Aristotle’s ‘Golden Mean’. It is the idea that any value can be taken to extreme in either direction. Too little courage is cowardice while too much is recklessness. Both are destructive.
The boundaries created by the golden mean will necessarily be set to either side of our vanishing point of purpose to allow the freedom of movement we need to execute our mission.
Our personal sketch/route plan must begin with our vanishing point of purpose.
Then add in the boundaries of values.
Next, add the checkpoints of goals.
Then, the standards under which you will operate.
Finally, the SOPs of habit that will keep you moving forward when you’d rather stop and rest.
It may take longer to reach your destination with strict boundaries in place, but they will ensure that you are still proud of who you are when you get there.
Until next week, Charlie Mike!
John - Your arms dealer for the war of life
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