Why a compass is essential
You've seen how to define weekly priorities.
But it's not enough.
To actually move your projects forward, you need to look much further ahead.
Your time horizon should be at least a quarter.
Without a clear direction, you end up doing what people ask you to do.
In other words, you work on other people's priorities.
The compass system exists to prevent that.
Where the compass system comes from
We came up with the name because we liked it.
But the system itself is largely inspired by Stephen Covey's book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
The core idea is simple:
-> start from your own goals, and derive everything else from there.
Step 1: define your quarterly goals
To set up your compass, the first thing you need to do is step out of the day-to-day rush.
Block a dedicated slot for reflection on purpose.
This is what Americans call the helicopter view.
Ask yourself one question:
What do I want to have accomplished by the end of the quarter to feel satisfied?
A concrete example
Imagine you're a head chef in a restaurant.
Your quarterly goals could be:
- Define the Christmas menu
- Get your restaurant listed in a food guide
- Redo the restaurant decor
These goals are:
- ambitious enough
- achievable within three months
- satisfying if you reach them
They become your compass for the quarter.
With every new request, you can ask a simple question:
-> Does this task move me toward my compass, or away from it?
Step 2: break the compass down to the week
Once quarterly goals are defined, you move to the week.
Each week, you define three big rocks.
These are the weekly priorities that help you move your quarterly goals forward.
Even if you don't progress every week on every quarterly goal, that's fine.
What matters is keeping overall momentum.
This logic is directly based on the rocks story and helps you prioritize your tasks without getting lost in urgency.
Step 3: act daily with one win per day
Day to day, you still have to handle operational tasks: orders, appointments, meetings, email, surprises.
Some of those tasks move your compass forward, others don't.
On top of that, define one single win per day.
Your win of the day is the thing you'll want to celebrate at the end of the day.
Not necessarily the most urgent, but the one that will make you truly satisfied.
A simple way to define it:
If a friend asks you tonight "so, what did you do today?", what would you like to answer?
One win per day can feel small.
In reality, it's huge.
It puts you in a positive loop, makes you want to do it again tomorrow, and helps you move forward sustainably.
Step 4: write it down and make it visible
For the system to work, everything must be written.
Writing your goals creates personal commitment.
Studies even show that simply writing down your goals significantly increases your odds of reaching them.
But most importantly, having your goals in front of you helps you spot relevant opportunities.
Our attention is selective: what you think about often, you start seeing everywhere.
That's what explains the frequency illusion.
When you have a clear goal in mind, your brain stops ignoring important signals.
Recommended layout
- Visible quarterly goals
- Three big rocks for the week
- Win of the day
- And only then the to-do list below
This setup lets you reread your compass at least once a day, effortlessly.
Key takeaway
- The compass system helps you avoid managing other people's priorities
- Goals should be defined for the quarter, the week, and the day
- Everything must be written and easy to see
- One win per day is enough to start a powerful momentum
Once your compass is in place, you finally have a clear direction.
And trade-offs become much easier.
Go further
To keep structuring your organization and protecting your time, the next step is learning how to block your priorities in your calendar with timeboxing.
One email a day.
No more.
Just enough to stay on course.