“One’s vision is not a road map, but a compass.” – Peter Block
The compass is one of the earliest tools used for navigation. It works by reacting to the magnetic field of the Earth. The needle aligns with the north magnetic pole, allowing the user to identify “North”, and thereby discern the other cardinal directions in reference to that point. There have been many navigational tools used throughout history, and many have been replaced by newer technologies, but the compass is one of the few that has remained relevant and useful.
As the cliché tells us, life is a journey; not necessarily one with a particular destination, or a planned route from point A to point B, but a journey all the same. We can further this metaphor by identifying our career or personal calling as the car, our friends and family as road trip buddies, and the progression of our life decisions as the road on which we travel. Our direction would then be determined by a compass, which represents an idea of where you want to go and what you want to experience on your journey. A compass gives you a general direction to follow, from which you can then chart a course.
Everyone has a vision for the kind of life they want to lead. Whether it’s focused on a career and professional ambition, or a family and personal relationships, or something else altogether, we each have an ideal of a lifestyle we’re striving to reach. If you’re a landowner, your property, one way or another, fits into the vision you have for your life. Maybe you want to hunt there on weekends; maybe you want a place where your kids can climb trees and roll in the grass and play in the dirt; maybe you want to build a cabin on it and retire there; maybe it’s simply an investment. Whatever your property is to you, it’s a means to achieving your desired lifestyle. But in order to achieve it, you first must identify your direction, and then determine a route. A property management plan is the compass that can guide you through that process.
A well-written, custom-tailored plan will help steer you through all of the phases and years of caring for and enhancing your land. You wouldn’t build a house without blueprints; likewise you shouldn’t tackle property management without a management plan. It should be a living document, updated regularly to reflect changes throughout your life journey. It has been said that “the story of navigation is also one of gradual knowledge and readjustment, of looking to the constant objects of the physical world — the sun, the moon, the stars — and using them to understand, ever more precisely, how to find our way in the world.”* Plans, ideals, and visions can evolve with you as you experience new things, gain knowledge, and grow wiser.
One of the best things about land ownership is that it doesn’t just contribute to your own life and journey; it’s also an opportunity for leaving a legacy. Managing your property well will not only help you realize your vision, but the land will become an heirloom to be passed down through the generations of your family. Our plans are designed to help document your journey and hold place as the first chapter in the story of your stewardship. It will establish the foundation for the legacy you’re building and leaving for your family. Watch “Carving Out Your Legacy”, episode 3 of our Nature Based Life series on YouTube.
Citation: 1) Garber, Megan. “Time and Navigation: How We Found Our Way in the World.” The Atlantic. Apr 14, 2013.