Welcome to the 12th edition of North Star Blueprints! In this weekly newsletter, we embark on a journey of personal and professional growth, offering observations, strategies, and inspiration to help you navigate life’s challenges and reach new heights of success. This edition will provide a summary of the daily insights I posted throughout the week, packed with valuable tips, thought-provoking ideas, and actionable advice designed to provide you with inspiration from some of my favourite poems and the lessons and we can learn from them, hopefully helping you to unleash your better self along the way.
May 6: A Journey Through Adversity
Poetry has always played a big role in my life – a few lines that can completely change the way we see or approach the world, often written decades if not centuries ago. I want to dedicate this week’s insights to some of my favourite poems, ones that have lessons applicable to our professional lives, but also remind us of the human element of every moment and how we can benefit personally from them.
For today’s insight, I’m bringing the classic “If” by Rudyard Kipling. An inspirational poem that provides advice on how one should live life, taking you through various adversity scenarios and how to rise above them with lessons on humility, willpower, composure, and living a virtuous life.
My favourite concept about this poem is the various dichotomies presented in each line, showing us the fine balance between opposing actions, and that if we are able to maintain that delicate balance, if we can continue persevering, if we can live our lives to the fullest and make every moment count, then we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.
Over the years this poem has been my reminder, that true strength isn’t just about physical power, but also about having the courage to hold onto my values and beliefs even in the face of adversity. It has been a reminder to never give up and always find the strength to try again, and that the road to success is not linear but rather a rollercoaster of ups and downs. In simple yet profound language, Kipling managed to lay out a roadmap for being a good leader and a decent human being, which keeps drawing me back to these 4 stanzas again and again.
May 7: Find Your Balance
“So much to do, so little time” – how do you interpret this saying? Do you see it as a call to start doing more work because time is running out? Or do you see it as a reminder that there’s so much that can be done, that time is fleeting, and you should cherish every moment? One of my favourite poets, Robert Frost, covers this in his poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”.
The conflict presented in this poem, is between an attraction toward the woods and the pull of responsibility outside of the woods (“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep”). Are the woods merely a distraction that should be avoided if the traveler is to complete their journey? Are the woods a form of escape, a chance to get away from it all? Or are they a temporary oasis serving to recharge the traveler? That’s for you to decide.
Just like any other piece of creative work, there are many interpretations and each one of us will assign different meaning to the words. When I read it, I see a traveler pausing to admire the beauty of a snowy forest. It’s a reflection on the allure of the unknown, the importance of taking moments of rest and contemplation, and the ultimate responsibilities that call us back to reality. We often find ourselves caught up in the daily grind, constantly moving forward without taking time to appreciate the journey or reflect on our choices. To me, this poem serves as a reminder to pause, to appreciate the beauty around us, and to acknowledge the obligations and commitments that guide us forward. Finding a balance between ambition and mindfulness.
May 8: Act and Live Today
“Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, is our destined end or way; But to act, that each to-morrow, find us farther than to-day” is one of my favourite parts in the poem “A Psalm of Life” by Henry Longfellow. A poem that encourages readers to embrace a proactive and optimistic outlook on life, urging you to live with purpose and determination. It emphasizes the importance of seizing the present moment and making the most of every opportunity, rather than dwelling on the past or fretting about the future.
In just a few lines, we learn several critical lessons:
- The importance of seizing the present moment and taking action in the here and now.
- The significance of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity.
- The concept of leaving a lasting legacy by living with integrity and purpose. To strive for excellence in all our endeavors and to make a positive impact on the lives of others.
- The intent to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives characterized by purposeful action and unwavering determination.
Over the years, this poem played different roles for me – it was a call to press on when times were hard. A realization that each day has meaning and that the past is gone and the future is yet to come. An inspiration to take initiative, innovate, and continuously seek growth and improvement in all things. And a reminder of our purpose and connection to the world, people, and legacy, stating that “we can make our lives sublime, and, departing, leave behind us footprints on the sands of time”.
May 9: The Beauty of Perseverance
I write, erase, rewrite
Erase again, and then
A poppy blooms.
A haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry consisting of three lines, aiming to evoke emotions or capture a specific scene with vivid imagery and simplicity.
I first read Hokusai’s haiku above a few years ago and it has resonated with me since (and even more since I started writing my daily insights!) – it outlines how an individual writes, erases, and then rewrites again, emphasizing the repetitive process of creation and refinement. Through this, the poem highlights the perseverance needed in creative endeavors. Eventually, after much effort, it concludes with the image of a poppy blooming, symbolizing the beauty that emerges from the process of trial and error.
This haiku reflects on themes of creativity and perseverance, capturing the essence of the journey to creating our vision, and the satisfaction that comes from seeing our efforts blossom into something beautiful.
Of course, it’s easiest to relate to this poem if you are a writer, but this will equally apply to you if you are building a new product, developing a business, writing code, or simply putting in repetitions at the gym. The message is simple – you shouldn’t expect to create the end product on the first go. Set backs are inevitable, but they’re all part of the process. Keep at it long enough and you will see progress.
May 10: Left or Right, You Must Decide
“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both, and be one traveler, long I stood”. Every single day we are faced with decisions – do this or that, go here or there, act or not. Some choices have very minute impact on us, others completely change the trajectory of our lives. Decision making is one of the most important elements of being human, that’s why you and I are here today. But making decisions can be hard, and Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” explores this theme of choices and consequences.
The poem follows an individual who is faced with a decision and decides to take the road less travelled, anticipating to later reflect on it and say that it has made all the difference in their journey. However, this poem is not about the cliché that taking the road less travelled by always yields better results… after all, the individual in the poem reflects on that decision with a sigh, was it the right choice or the wrong?
It challenges the notion of regret. While the speaker wonders about the path not taken, there’s an acknowledgement that both choices were equally valid. This speaks to the unpredictability of life and the importance of embracing the choices we make. It’s about knowing how to best use the information we have at that moment, and making the best decision we can with no regrets. Being decisive and following through is one of the most important qualities you can develop.
Next time you feel uncertain or wish you could rewrite the past, find solace in the knowledge that every road we take contributes to the richness of our experience. Life is about the paths you do choose to walk through, not about “the road not taken”.
Thank you for joining me on this journey of growth and discovery. I hope these insights illuminate your path forward as you pursue your aspirations with purpose and determination. See you in next week’s edition!
