What's your point?

Have you ever watched a debate, read a series of comments, or participated in a discussion and wondered if the various voices were even discussing the same issue? You may shake your head and wonder,

What’s your point?

For many of us, our attention swirls around a small set of fixed points from which all other things take their meaning. Be it a matter of faith, value, belief or assumption, the fixed points ground our thinking, guide our notice, and color our interpretation.

Sometimes we formalize these points as aspirations: personal mission statements or statements of purpose. More often, they remain hidden. Given sufficient reflection, awareness rises of our less intentional yet more influential guideposts – those that anchor our soul.

Our vulnerability rests at the level of these assumptions. Here also reside our reasons, justifications, and inclination toward compassion, love, and forgiveness. So, consider:

What are your fixed points? What does this awareness tell you?

Quote
Nothing contributes so much to tranquilizing the mind as a steady purpose – a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye. Mary Wollstonecraft

Web
Daniel Goleman (Emotional Intelligence and Focus) offers this TED talk on compassion and the power of noticing (watch now).