How To Find Your True North - SOWT #2
How To Your Find True North?
It is pretty straightforward to find North in Vancouver; you tilt your head up, and if you see the mountains, you are facing north. I wish it was this easy to find your North in life. The world would be a more beautiful, simpler, and more accessible place to live in if everyone were doing what they desired (though it would be rather dull, in my opinion).
Discovering your true North can be challenging, not because it is a difficult goal to achieve but because it is a constantly evolving one.
What Does “True North” Mean?
First, let me define what "True North" means for those unaware; Google defines True North as "north according to the Earth's axis, not magnetic north." I believe I have the wrong definition, but there could be some truth to it, no?
True North is your personal guide, an inner compass that points towards your deepest values and beliefs, helping you stay true to yourself and live a life that aligns with your purpose and fulfillment. Not a life defined by the broader society (friends, family, media, education system, etc.)
Why It’s So Difficult To Find?
Now that we know what it is let's talk about why it's so hard to find? Consider the scenario of being on a boat with a slightly defective compass and being asked to reach a destination 10 km away. Knowing the extent of the compass's malfunction, you can adjust accordingly and reach your destination. But what if the defect is inconsistent and your destination is 5000 km away? Then you are in the shits.
Humans are good at calculating outcomes given limited variables, but when we deal with something as expansive as the purpose, values, and beliefs of our entire life, we lose sight. Mixing personal emotions into that equation creates a recipe for total uncertainty. This is why discovering one's true north is so challenging. It is a constantly changing target with millions of variables, emotions, and thoughts attached to it. Each decision can have either a detrimental or beneficial impact on one's life, but….. is it truly that simple?
My Journey - en bref
I started working in the film industry at the age of 18. My first experience was as a production assistant on a film set (serving water, cleaning, driving, doing every task imaginable on a film set) near the Qatar-Saudi Arabia border in a hot, 48-degree desert, with sand blowing into my eyes, ears, and mouth. It was terrible; I had to wake up at 3 a.m. and drive 1.5 hours every day, finishing at 9 p.m. with only enough time to shower and get a few hours of sleep. Despite the harsh conditions, I was certain that I wanted to be a filmmaker after my first week. However, fast forward 7 years, and I can't stand it anymore. I hate how most film sets still operate under the same conditions. Long working hours (15+), no work-life balance, terrible financial security, sexism, racism, and the list goes on.
At the end of 2022, I realized that even if I dedicated 25+ years of my life to the industry, the best-case scenario would be to make mediocre Hollywood films for white suburbanites to use it as a token of inclusivity. Furthermore, to achieve this, I have to attend superficial film festivals after parties where everyone is trying to subtly outdo each other. I'm getting off track and maybe a bit pessimistic, but the story is there. At 18, I thought this was it. With all the information available to me, I thought this was my true north. Over time, my priorities changed, and I sought better health, strong relationships, financial stability, and more. My idea of my true north shifted, but I now feel like I have finally found it. (which will be completely and utterly useless in 6 years).
So the question remains…
How do you find your true north?
Before answering the question, I need to set the stage with some things.
Discovering your true north can be achieved by identifying your core values and beliefs. The best way to do this is through experimentation.
Ask yourself, or someone else, what the best-tasting food is? Everyone will have a different answer, but no one will have the correct answer. There is no way of knowing what the best food is since we have yet to try every food out there. The more food you try, the better you can answer the question, but there will never be an absolute answer. Experimentation is kin to that. We need to constantly, I mean CONSTANTLY, experiment regardless of where we are. Experiment with each and everything you interact with in life. Experiment with work (try work that is entirely out of your field or scope), with food (try that weird vegetable you see at the grocery but never buy), with people (talk to people you disagree with), with travel (go to Nunavut instead of Costa Rica). Experimentation is the key to finding what your values and beliefs are.
You will not discover your values and beliefs within a few weeks or years; it will take decades, if not longer. But as long as you experiment, you will keep moving forward. Your values and beliefs come from experiences you face in life. There is no WatchMojo video of the top 10 values and beliefs. It's a very individual journey; only you can figure it out.
Now take these values and beliefs, and start implementing them in your life one by one. I know it's not easy to write something down and do it the next day, but this thought is getting very long, and implementation is a different can of worms. I may write about it some other day. Let me know, my nonexistent reader.
So here is the answer: there is no such thing as true North. You can hit a moving target once or twice after careful calculations, but there is no way of hitting it consistently day after day. It's better to head towards your goal, like heading towards the North, and see what opportunities or challenges arise as you progress. Use the mountains as your guide, but don't blindly follow them.
Don't worry if you've been heading in the wrong direction for a while (or a long time). You've gained valuable experience and knowledge about what doesn't work, so use that as a guide when heading north. Failures can teach you more than successes can in the long run. Take it easy; there is no definitive right path; we are all just guessing and trying our best.
This week, I did a lot of work. Some were successful, while others were complete failures. I'd like to share my experiences with you below.
I'm not sure if I would call this work a complete win, as I'm not happy with the overall result and how it turned out. However, I'm glad it's done and that I experimented with bold colors. A good artwork is one that is finished.
Most of these assets were collected and photographed individually. Although the process was enjoyable, it was also very time-consuming. Personally, I prefer to gather assets from the web and create the collage that way. Initially, I believed that collecting the assets individually would result in a more meaningful piece, but in the end, I found that it made little to no difference.
This week, I failed to post my SOWT on time. I am supposed to post it every other week on Saturday, but I got super busy with life and other work. However, I don't think it's a good idea to treat creative work in binary form (PASS/FAIL). Rather, it's better to consider it as a percentage. Having an acceptable range of failure can help you navigate when things are not perfect. I would consider this substack a success if I am able to post on time 75-80% of the time. So this week's successes and failures are mushed together.
While it can be helpful to observe the work of other practicing artists, I try my best to avoid it as much as possible. I'm afraid their work might influence my own material. I know it's impossible to completely avoid the work of other artists, but I do my best to limit my exposure. I only consume photography through photo books or galleries. This way, I can be more mindful and selective in my consumption.
I recently came across the "Walkie Talkie" series by Paulie B on YouTube, and I find it strikes a happy medium. The series focuses more on the process and practice rather than the end result. In a world driven by results, this series is a breath of fresh air. Check it out!
This week, I have decided to only take black and white photos for the next three years. I believe that I need to improve my composition, subjectivity, and interaction with my surroundings before I start experimenting with distracting colors. I want to learn the main principles of photography before I try color photography.
Please note that the pictures may not be the highest quality due to substack and online compression. Additionally, the third photo is my favorite from this week.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I had a very hard time writing this week but I am happy I pushed through the resistance and finished it anyways.
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Rest of my work can be found on my website; Alamin.ca