As economic conditions tighten and shift unpredictably, Codie Sanchez is urging entrepreneurs to abandon outdated playbooks and instead learn how to navigate complexity with a different tool—what she calls a compass for chaotic markets.

“In a tightening, shapeshifting economy, the winners won’t be the polished or pedigreed,” Sanchez wrote in a recent post on Contrarian Thinking. “They’ll be the ones who know how to move without a map.”

Rather than waiting for perfect information or relying on legacy paths to success, Sanchez offers a four-point compass to guide decision-making in turbulent times. At the heart of it is ownership—of assets, time, thoughts, and capital. Together, these four directions help individuals chart a course that remains viable even as the economic landscape changes.

Ownership of assets ensures recurring income and leverage. Ownership of time allows for autonomy and strategic focus. Ownership of thoughts builds resilience and originality in thinking, while ownership of capital enables greater control over financial destiny.

Sanchez argues that in times of volatility, these principles create stability—not by predicting every turn in the road, but by teaching people how to steer through uncertainty with conviction.

Codie Sanchez is the founder of Contrarian Thinking, a platform that teaches people how to break free from wage dependency by acquiring small businesses and building financial resilience through cash flow, strategic thinking, and mental toughness.