4 Questions To Align Vision with Reality
For anyone trying to stay values-driven while building something real
Last week I asked: What's your cornerstone? This week, let's explore how to check our alignment when translating values into everyday action.
Even with strong values and purpose, most of us face moments when clarity feels fuzzy - especially during transitions, growth phases, or when facing competing priorities. As I navigate my own shift toward supporting more purpose-driven work, here are four alignment checks I've developed for myself:
Am I showing up how I want to be remembered?
Not perfect. Not productive. But proud.
Not in a legacy-building way, just in a this matters to me kind of way. If I'm making decisions I wouldn't feel good explaining later, or if I'm acting out of fear, urgency, or approval-chasing, I try to pause. This question helps recalibrate without getting stuck in analysis paralysis (guilty!)
Is there clarity underneath the complexity?
Effective work happens when there's a throughline, even if implementation is necessarily messy. When projects feel scattered or disjointed, it usually signals mission drift or taking on work that doesn't align with my core purpose. That's when zooming out to ask: What's the actual point here? can prevent energy from getting diffused across too many competing priorities.
Am I creating spaciousness, or just filling a role?
This one's subtle. I notice I'm in alignment when I feel creative agency, even within constraints. Misalignment often looks like shrinking into what I think is expected. This isn't about blame. It's just a cue to ask: Is there room here for the kind of presence and contribution I want to offer?
I recognize the privilege in being able to ask this question at all. But finding spaces to bring your unique perspective, even in small ways, can shift both your experience and the systems you're part of.
Does this build the kind of future I want to be part of?
This question embeds long-term thinking into near-term decisions.
It helps maintain accountability when short-term wins get loud. Are my choices moving toward something more humane, sustainable, and regenerative?
That’s what alternative business models (whether B Corps, cooperatives, or other structures) try to institutionalize, but the question is valuable no matter what kind of organization you’re in.
I use these questions for my own decision-making as I build my practice. They're especially helpful at key inflection points: taking on new projects, evaluating opportunities, or redirecting resources.
What about you? What alignment checks guide your business decisions? Leave a comment with your most useful question - I'm collecting insights that might make their way into a future edition.
More soon,
Erika