The Compass of Values

Defining What Guides You – Your Core Principles and Behaviours

Introduction

Every journey towards meaningful living begins with direction. Without it, even the sincerest intentions can drift into confusion.

The Compass of Values forms the first movement of the Jurnava Framework and marks the point where clarity begins. It helps individuals recognise what truly matters, understand the forces that strengthen their integrity, and identify what pulls them off course.

As Aristotle observed, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” The Compass of Values captures that principle by helping people define their guiding standards, identify supportive habits, and correct the influences that distort them.

The Compass as Orientation

The Compass of Values represents the structural foundation of moral and behavioural alignment. Rather than relying on instinct or impulse, it invites individuals and organisations to define a clear set of principles that provide consistent direction.

When those principles are consciously articulated, they become coordinates that act as steady reference points amid uncertainty. Psychologist Viktor Frankl once wrote that “Those who have a ‘why’ to live can bear with almost any ‘how’.” A well-defined compass gives that “why,” ensuring decisions and actions remain consistent even when circumstances change.

The Role of Constructive and Counterproductive Traits

Principles alone do not guarantee alignment, because behaviours are what sustain them.

The Compass includes two behavioural dimensions:

• Constructive Traits are patterns that reinforce alignment, strengthen integrity, and support clarity.
• Counterproductive Traits are patterns that distort focus, weaken discipline, or create ethical drift.

Understanding these opposing forces makes the Compass dynamic rather than static. As Carl Jung observed, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” By naming both supportive and counteractive tendencies, the Compass reveals where strength can be built and where self-correction is needed.

Read more about: The Constructive Traits →

Read more about: The Counterproductive Traits →

Core Principles as Coordinates

At the centre of the Compass are Core Principles, which are the foundational standards that determine direction. They may describe values such as honesty, fairness, respect, or accountability, but the framework itself remains content-neutral.

Each principle functions as a coordinate that guides behaviour under pressure. When decision-making becomes complex, these coordinates restore focus by asking one simple question: “Does this choice align with what truly matters?”

As management thinker Peter Drucker noted, “Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” The Compass enables both: the precision of doing things right and the wisdom to choose what is right.

Read more about: The Core Principles →

The Compass and Self-Awareness

The human mind has an extraordinary ability to justify inconsistency. Without reflection, people drift, not through rebellion but through neglect. The Compass acts as a mirror, helping individuals assess whether their actions still reflect their stated principles.

Daniel Goleman, in his work on emotional intelligence, described self-awareness as “the foundation of emotional competence.” The Compass makes awareness operational. It trains perception to notice subtle deviations from core standards before they become major ethical or behavioural faults.

The Compass and Wisdom

Wisdom, in the context of the Jurnava Framework, means practical alignment and the ability to act with discernment and consistency. Philosopher Socrates suggested that “The unexamined life is not worth living.” The Compass of Values exists precisely for that examination.

It asks individuals to consider:

• What principles consistently guide my choices?
• Which behaviours strengthen or weaken them?
• How can I bring intention back to daily decision-making?

Through this reflection, wisdom becomes measurable. It shows itself in steady choices, clear priorities, and balanced responses under pressure.

Living by the Compass

To live by the Compass of Values is to make clarity a discipline rather than a reaction. It means returning to one’s defined principles as reference points whenever confusion or conflict arises. This process demands honesty, consistency, and the humility to adjust when behaviour drifts from direction.

As organisational psychologist Adam Grant observed, “The mark of lifelong learners is recognising that what you believe may be wrong.” Living by the Compass is therefore not about rigidity but realignment. It involves continually refining understanding to stay true to the values that matter most.

Summary

The Compass of Values forms the foundation of the Jurnava Framework because it establishes where ethical and behavioural alignment begins. It defines principles, identifies supportive and opposing traits, and refines awareness into practical direction.

When individuals or organisations clarify their compass, they gain more than purpose; they gain consistency. It is not perfection they seek but orientation, a structured way to return to what matters, to act with integrity, and to navigate change without losing their way.

As Stephen Covey famously said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” The Compass of Values ensures that focus remains steady, clear, and aligned.