In many cases, direction is more important than speed. A fire truck responding quickly to a structure fire provides little use if it is dispatched to the wrong address. An Olympic marathon runner who misses a course marker does not medal if their error takes them too far off route, despite maintaining the quickest pace per mile. The Concorde was highly dependent on speed to stay aloft and amplify its brand. Yet, covering the distance from NYC to London in record time is irrelevant if the plane lands in London, France.

Pausing to confirm alignment with magnetic north (or a critical bearing point) might make our work more constructive, even if we arrive without securing the fastest known time.