• Does this feel like something I’m uniquely capable of?


• Is this how I want to spend my time and energy?*


• What is the right shape/size for this project?


• What stresses does this add to my life?


• How should this feel if it’s going well?

Who are you trying to change? What change are you trying to make? How will you know if it worked? Three simple questions, all easily avoided. We avoid them because purpose has a flip side, and the flip side is failure.

While we’re busy with the tactical stuff, we often skip the important first step—of reflecting deeply about the reason our idea or project needs to exist and the change we’re trying to create. This first step is harder than it seems, because asking these deeper questions makes us feel vulnerable to failure. We’d rather press on unenlightened, doing