The salvation for Capricorn North Node people lies in becomingmore objective and goal oriented in all areas of life. Without a goal,they drift in a sea of emotions and are pulled under by their ownmoods and feelings—and those of the people around them. There’sno way out of the fluctuating emotional morass other than to attachthemselves to a goal that is larger than their personal life. Byholding to that goal, they can pull themselves out of the emotionalforce field.In any area of life where they feel bogged down by emotions andneeds, they must set a specific goal. For example, if they findthemselves bogged down by their children, they could set a goal forways of dealing with the children (for example, to concentrate onbreathing, to maintain a state of serenity). Actually, they may wantto establish a specific goal in relation to each child (to supportJohnny in being more lighthearted, to help Cindy gain confidence,etc.). By focusing on the goal rather than the child’s currentemotional state, they will be able to maintain their own emotionalbalance and be more effective as parents.Commitment is key for these folks: making the decision toachieve a role with dignity, self-respect, and the integrity ofactualizing their potential. In working toward their chosen goal,considerable character development takes place. Reaching a goal isextremely fulfilling for these folks; it validates their power,expertise, and competence in a way that nothing else can. In theend, the self-assurance and self-respect that has been gained fromthe process is their true reward.
Having a defined goal is an absolute necessity for CapricornNorth Node people. In the process of working toward a goal, theirwhole life takes on power and vitality. Thus, finding a goal that theyfeel is appropriate, and then going about attaining it, is the real keyto enjoying their life. Once they define a goal, their access toemotional power helps them get there; this is a highly positive useof their emotions.In any area of life, when they exercise self-control it’s healthy forthem. If they take control of their diet and pay close attention totheir eating habits, it’s positive and nurturing and they feel greatabout themselves. If they schedule a regular exercise routine, itgives them the self-respect of applying discipline to reach a goal.Capricorn North Node people have a desire to demonstrate thatthey can handle their life and prove their competence. They’re notafraid to work, but they don’t have much confidence—and the onlything that will give them confidence is the success ofaccomplishment itself. No matter how intelligent they are, if theydon’t put anything into practice they will fall short of realizing theirfull potential.For these folks, part of being able to achieve goals involves beingrealistic in terms of what they can do. Once they see the biggerpicture, they can set smaller goals to get there systematically. Whenthey set goals they know they can achieve, meeting each one givesthem confidence to go on to the next.For example, they may want to lose 50 pounds. Rather thansetting one ultimate goal of losing 50 pounds, they are better offsaying: “I want to lose 2 pounds in a month.” Then, if they losemore than 2 pounds in the first month, they can expand the goal to 4pounds in the second month. If the result is too difficult to attain,then the next month the idea is to set their expectations lower. It’simportant that they be flexible and not pressure themselves—theycan readjust the goal according to the results they achieve. If theyhave a smaller goal and attain it, it makes them feel good. Theyvalidate what they accomplished, and they have more confidence toproceed to the next goal.I once had a Capricorn North Node client who wanted to exerciseby swimming. At first he swam one lane at super speed and wasexhausted. He wanted to be able to swim back and forth, and hecould see people 70 years old who were going back and forth—howdid they do that? So he talked to them and he practiced, and after awhile he was able to swim back and forth. His next goal was to beable to swim a mile, and after that he set a goal of swimming hismile in 45 minutes. Then he got it down to 32 minutes—and afterthat he felt like he was training for the Olympics! This is how thesefolks become experts at accomplishment: They set attainable goalsand then expand them. They are learning how to accomplish goalsby staying focused and not getting frustrated. Then the entireprocess is exhilarating!
A primary purpose of this incarnation for Capricorn North Nodepeople is to learn the art of goal achievement, and they are destinedfor great success once they learn how. Ultimately, it is their destinyto learn how to take care of themselves. By postponing the timewhen they take charge, they waste the resources of vitality andyouth—after all, it takes energy to build a financial base or abusiness that will support them. The sooner they take control oftheir life and start to plan ahead, the better their chances for success.Their best bet is to identify a long-range goal they can beginworking toward energetically and get right to it!These folks often worry that by pursuing a larger goal, theirpersonal life will suffer. So they become immersed in their dailypleasures and problems, ignoring the fact that they’re not takingsensible steps to ensure their future. They don’t take opportunitiesbecause all they think about is what they don’t want to do, ratherthan focusing on the larger picture of what they do want to do—andthen going for it. They don’t want to disrupt the status quo to buildfor their future, when in fact putting their attention on planning forthe future ensures their happiness in the present.Because no one else is going to take responsibility for CapricornNorth Nodes’ happiness and security, there is no escaping theirdestiny. The sooner they take charge, the easier it will be and themore nurtured they will feel. For example, I had a Capricorn NorthNode client whose money from her divorce settlement was almostgone. She had an opportunity to buy a successful pet groomingbusiness with nothing down and an affordable payment schedule.She was good with animals and loved them, and she had the artisticability to do the grooming. This opportunity was truly a gift ofcircumstance.Immediately, rather than seeing the fortuitous nature of theopportunity, this client began creating emotionally chargedconcerns. Was it truly the “destiny” she was born for? Was it whatshe wanted to do with the rest of her life? Was it going to interferewith her community theater activities and her favorite morning classat the gym? She approached me with the question of whether sheshould accept this opportunity or, instead, sell her mortgage-freehouse to buy more time before deciding how to earn a living.Once again, Capricorn North Node people are learning to focuson the reality of the future in a sensible way. Selling the housewould only postpone a decision and leave this woman in a worseposition. And because she would have to pay rent somewhere else,she would need even more income. However, if she rose to theoccasion and accepted this business opportunity, she could easilyprovide for her future. It would require pouring her fullconcentration and energy into the business for the first year or two,but once it was established and operating smoothly, she could hirepeople to take over (and she could use her native talent to manageothers). After two or three years, she would have more free time andthe security of still living in a mortgage-free home, supportingherself with earnings from her own business.
When Capricorn North Node people focus on the goal they wantto attain, they can easily create success. Thus, it is crucial for themto see the big picture—truly understand the larger goal—so theyhave confidence in playing their part. If they don’t understandexactly how their part affects the total picture, they lose confidence.
To transform their needs for dependence into strength, thesefolks would do well to align themselves with a spiritual presence orHigher Power that they can depend on to take care of them. Thiswill help them focus beyond their scattered emotional needs andretain a sense of being in control without being controlling. If thesefolks feel they aren’t in control of a situation, they go nuts. Fotexample, if they’re driving and the traffic is slowing them down,they often overreact. Actually, it is valid for them to want to feel incontrol of their lives. However, as in the example, this is not alwayspossible; they need to understand that they are ultimately in controlof themselves, regardless of outer circumstances.One way of doing this is by recognizing that a Higher Power isalways in control and, thus, whatever is happening will ultimatelywork to their benefit. In the example, being delayed in traffic mightmean they won’t meet someone they would rather avoid! Whenthey keep their eye on the bigger picture, it prevents them fromfeeling helpless. Then, when they are in a position in which theyhave no apparent control, they can say: “There’s a reason for this,”and just let it go.Capricorn North Node people have a feeling that there is a jobthey were born to do, a “higher mission” that is part of their destiny.If they don’t realize this life purpose, part of them feels deeplyunfulfilled and guilty. That destiny is different for each of thesefolks, but inwardly they know which direction to take. It willalways involve achieving a position of authority, acceptingresponsibility, representing an ideal, or demonstrating a truth that ismore important than their personal lives.They will know their mission because it is the natural pathwaythat opens before them. They may even pursue it for a while, feelwonderful about themselves and achieve remarkable success, andthen abandon the path for one reason or another. Until they go back,pick up the pieces, and follow that sense of mission, they will feelrestless. The issue of success or failure is far less important thanmaking the commitment and actively pursuing the goal. These folksmust rise above the temptation to get so bogged down anddistracted that they accomplish nothing beyond meeting personalneeds. When they exert themselves and put a social good abovetheir personal desire to remain comfortable, they are filled with asense of love and the feeling that “this is right.” Then they knowthey are performing their mission.
Capricorn North Node people love role models—they want tobe like their ideal of someone else who has a good wit, “presence,”a command of the language, or success in achieving a goal theyadmire. This can be positive for Capricorn North Nodes. When theyhave a role model to emulate, it helps them grow and everyonewins!It works for these folks to emulate successful people. They cantake courage from how the role model does things and learn how tosucceed themselves, if they really pay attention. In past lives, theyinvalidated the authoritative part of themselves that tookresponsibility for guiding the ship. In the process of allowing othersto be in charge lifetime after lifetime, their own capacity to takecharge became weakened. But in this incarnation it is their job todirect the ship; like it or not, others are depending on them to do so.Every time they take responsibility, others appreciate and supportthem and all of life supports them as well. It’s up to them to fill therole for which they were destined and, in the process, become a rolemodel for others.Capricorn North Node people tend to let others take credit fortheir work. Secretly, a part of them doesn’t want to be publiclyacknowledged as being responsible for the outcome—even if theoutcome is successful. They’re happy just to see their missionfulfilled; they aren’t particularly motivated to get the credit. On apractical level, however, it’s in their best interest to be willing toaccept credit when they’ve earned it.For one thing, public recognition is a healthy energy for them—itvalidates their self-esteem and acts as a barometer to show whenthey are on track and fulfilling a public need. Someone has to takecredit for the success, and it might as well be these folks becausethe energy of acknowledgment is not an ego trip for them and doesfeed an area in their psyche that lacks energy.Moreover, accepting recognition gives them more credibility asindividuals who can create success in the projects they undertake.For example, if they organize co-workers to make a change that isgood for the company, and accept recognition as the one whoheaded the project, their managerial talents will be validated andthey may be promoted to positions where they can better use theirabilities. Recognition is a key to opening up more opportunities toexercise their sense of public responsibility.