FIELD NOTES #004
We don’t like to talk about Having.
It feels materialistic.
Too worldly. Too shallow.
But it’s not.
Having is the third Coordinate in The Compass - and it’s not about greed.
It’s about stewardship.
What you have in your life - physically, emotionally, relationally, financially - is evidence.
It reveals the quality of your habits.
It reflects your standards, the stories you tell yourself, and the strategies you live by.
It shows what you’ve committed to.
And what you’ve neglected.
And if we’re being honest, many people have less of what they want and more of what they don’t.
Cluttered calendars.
Overdrafted accounts.
Shallow relationships.
Constant fatigue.
That’s not a coincidence.
It’s a result.
I used to think the lack in my life was bad luck.
Wrong timing. Unfair circumstances.
But the truth?
It was misalignment and mismanagement.
I wasn’t aligning my habits with the outcomes I claimed to want.
And I wasn’t managing what I said I valued.
I wanted peace, but I allowed noise.
I wanted structure, but I operated on impulse.
I wanted to feel refreshed but repeated exhausting patterns.
What I had was the byproduct of what I’d been committed to — consciously or not.
What did I actually possess?
And what needed to be reclaimed, repaired, or released?
Having isn’t about hoarding.
It’s not about trophies or titles.
It’s about traction.
It’s about whether your external world reflects your internal commitments.
It’s about building a life that can elevate you — not just one you can endure.
This week, scan your environment:
What around you affirms your values?
What undermines them?
Where are you overextended, under-resourced, or avoiding ownership?
Because if you want to build something that lasts — health, wealth, relationships —
You can’t just want it.
And you can’t just wing it.
(Believe me, I’ve tried.)
You have to plan for it.
You have to work for it.
You have to support it and sustain it.
That’s the quiet work of Having.
It’s not sexy.
But it is central.
And it requires a system.
Because without one, your outcomes will be more accidental than intentional.
Compass Question:
What am I currently neglecting that, if I stewarded it better, would change everything else?
Trail Task:
Choose one neglected area in your life — your space, finances, your energy.
Commit to a 7-day stewardship ritual. Track the impact.
Anchor Spotlight
Anchor Focus: Supplies
Your tools help you to operate according to your standards.
Clean the kitchen. Organize your calendar. Refill your supplements. Revisit your budget.
When your environment is in order, your behavior has a place to land.
Resources from the Trail
Book: Essentialism by Greg McKeown
Until next week —
Engage. Adapt. Overcome.
- Remy