A lot of solopreneurs think they have a time management problem.

They assume they need to get more organized. More disciplined. Better at planning their week. But sometimes the issue isn’t how you’re spending your time. It’s what you’re spending it on in the first place.

There are tasks that keep sitting on your to-do list for weeks. Offers you keep saying you’re going to launch. Projects you “should” be excited about… but somehow never touch.

And usually, we make that mean something about us.

That we’re procrastinating.

That we need to push harder.

That we just need to get it together.

But what if the resistance is actually trying to tell you something?

Listen to the Episode

In this episode, we revisit a conversation from our Honest Convos days and bring it into the Solopreneur CEO lens.

We’re talking about alignment, what it actually means, how it shows up in your business, and why it has more to do with your time than most people realize.

This isn’t the fluffy version of alignment you see all over the internet.

This is about the disconnect between what you say you want… and where your time, energy, and attention are actually going.

What We Talk About In This Episode

• How Vikki runs two businesses while moving toward a more hands-off role

• The systems and automations that remove her from day-to-day tasks

• Why staying involved in key moments still matters for trust and client experience

• The difference between content that goes viral and content that actually converts

• What led to her burnout point and how she rebuilt her business differently

Key Takeaways

• You can be productive and still be out of alignment

• Avoidance often points to something deeper than lack of discipline

• Not every skill or opportunity is meant to become a business model

• Misalignment creates friction, even when results look good on paper

• Clarity around your values makes decision-making much easier

• The more aligned your actions are with your actual goals, the easier it becomes to focus

Continue the Conversation

If this episode made you realize there are things in your business you’ve been forcing, avoiding, or questioning lately… you’re not the only one. This is exactly the kind of conversation we’re having inside the community every day.

👉 Join us here: https://thesolopreneurceo.com

A space for solopreneurs who are building real businesses and want camaraderie, perspective, and real conversations along the way.

Episode Transcript

Solopreneur CEO Show Episode 19: Below is the full transcript of this episode for those who prefer to read or want to revisit specific parts of the conversation.

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Marcia: Welcome back. We are talking all things about alignment today. This is a topic that Carin and I have touched on in a few of the past episodes, and so we wanted to dedicate an entire podcast episode about it. Yeah, we wanted to just talk about getting back into alignment if you feel like you're not currently in alignment.

Carin: I guess basically, you know, it is, it is a buzzword. I've been hearing it and seeing it on the social media. I think it's something that a lot of entrepreneurs talk about. But we wanted to just dedicate an entire episode to what it is.

Carin: Yes. Uh, you know, alignment, aligned, it, it's one of our bingo card words where we're like, "Oh, there it is again."

Carin: It just keeps popping up. And, and like Marcia said, like, in, uh, business, you'll hear it a lot. Like, you know, "You have to be in alignment. You have to take aligned action. You have to do things that are in alignment." And we just thought, before we say alignment 500 more times, maybe we should just re- you know, take a moment to get on the same page about what that even means.

Carin: Um, another one that comes to mind, which we'll probably have to do another episode on, is authentic. You'll hear that a lot. "Be your authentic self." What does that mean? So that's kind of, like, the spirit of this episode. And so alignment, like, is not about perfection. It's not about, like, things having to be just right.

Carin: It really is that you're doing things, you're spending your time, your energy, you're focused on stuff that matches your actual values, what you care about the most. Not what anyone else cares about, not what any internet guru told you you should care about, not the latest template that you just downloaded.

Carin: Like, you're spending, really spending your time, your energy, your focus on what matters the most to you, what you value. And, and if you're not, that's where you get out of alignment. That's where you start to have problems, where you're like, "Why isn't this working? Why isn't it wor- happening the way I thought it would?"

Carin: It's usually 'cause it's- Out of alignment. So yeah, so I'm glad we're talking about this today 'cause I don't wanna, I don't want anyone to be like, "What does alignment even mean? They keep saying that word." So it's good for us to break it down, talk through some times when we were in alignment, out of alignment, and make sure we're all on the same page.

Speaker 2: Yeah, and a great analogy is, like, when you think about when you get your tires aligned. You know? It's like, if you have three tires that are in alignment and then one is just off, like, a couple centimeters, it's gonna do a lot of damage to that tire. And then guess what? You can't just buy two tires, you have to buy four.

Speaker 2: It's like this whole scam setup thing. But I mean, it might not actually be a scam, but I like what Carin said, you know, it's feeling that something is off, and so that's like you might be dreading something. You might be f- avoiding something. But basically, like, just not feeling in the flow, feeling like you have to force stuff.

Speaker 2: And I think it can be confusing for entrepreneurs too, because a lot of what we have to do is we're creating as we're going, and we're in unchartered waters, and so we don't know if, if we're working on the right stuff. But I think it is like what you said about the values, like bringing it back to what your values are, that's a good litmus test.

Speaker 2: Yeah. What's, what's coming up for you?

Speaker: One of the things that just popped into my head is, like, when you talked about avoiding, it's like sometimes procrastination can be really masking misalignment, right? Like, maybe it's not that... You're like, you're not being lazy. You're not, you know, you're not, um, 'cause it'll send you down a guilt and a shame spiral when you're avoiding stuff.

Speaker: So it is important to, like, just- Attack it. Like, why is it that I wrote this thing to do, you know, 20 weeks ago and it's still on my list and I haven't touched it? Um, and a lot of times it can be that it's, it's out of alignment. Like, it's not actually gonna get you to the goals that you truly want in your heart of hearts, in your, you know, the values that you've set.

Speaker: So you're not taking those actions because it's not really what you wanna do. And so, you know, coming to terms with that so that you can think about the goals that are in alignment and then take the actions that are going to lead to what you actually want is important. Because a lot of times procrastination will be masking some misaligned activity that if you don't unpack it, you're just gonna stay in a, a spiral of, "Oh, I shoulda, I coulda, I woulda.

Speaker: Why didn't I? I'm lazy. I'm frustrated." I mean, it's not a good place to be. So, um, it's really important if you're avoiding something to think about what is the reason. Because if the reason is that it's not something that you actually want to do, then you need to work on that. If it's something you do want and it is in alignment and you're not doing it, there's probably some other things.

Speaker: Maybe the, the chunks are too big, the steps, you don't know all the steps. You feel like you need to see the whole staircase and you haven't mapped out the actions. You know, that's all the kind of things you can work on with a coach. But it's really important to just not, don't stay in that avoidance area because then you're just gonna stay in a cycle of a swirl that is not helpful and it's not gonna move you forward.

Speaker 2: I love that you touched on guilt and shame because those two emotions can really wreak such havoc on your mental state. Sorry, I can't even say it without, like, my throat closing up 'cause it's like, you know, I just... Yeah, I think whenever we start to do that, that's when we start to avoid or, like, even over obligation, like saying yes to certain things, committing to certain things because we feel bad because we're not doing enough.

Speaker: Ryan or Ryan Sheehan Ice.

Speaker 2: Really? Okay. He's probably gonna call back. Anyway, I told him we were recording a podcast. So, um, I'm, I am glad that you touched on that because those, those emotions, I feel like they're the strongest, you know, and they're the ones that can do the most damage, too. It's like, you know what's a great emotion?

Speaker 2: Joy. And how often do we feel that? Not often. I want more joy. I want more joy. And being in alignment will bring more joy. Being in flow, doing what you're supposed to be doing, focusing on your strengths and the gifts that you have, the things that come natural to you, that's where you want to head. That's where you wanna spend your time and energy, and that's where you're gonna make the biggest impact.

Speaker 2: So, um- Feeling resentful even when money's coming in. So that was, like, that client I had where, you know, the money's coming in and everything, but yeah, like resentment, that's, that's a big one. Like feeling like I have to do this and, you know, I'm getting paid for it and everything, and yeah, that's, that's a good one.

Speaker 2: All right, what are some other signs that you're out of alignment that, that you can think of, Carin?

Speaker: Um, oh my gosh, that resentment one is a huge one, uh, because it's just not a good feeling when you have money coming in 'cause then again, you'll go down a guilt and shame spiral of I should be grateful, I should be happy, this should be good, and l- yet I hate it.

Speaker: So it really, that's such an important one. Just, like, losing excitement for your business is a big one. Like, if you're kinda finding, like, that you're just, like, not really feeling it and, and you're like, "Oh my God, like, do I just wanna close my business?" Like, it probably is just that you're pursuing a path that's not in alignment, and so that kinda happened to me with the agency that I started in 2020 maybe.

Speaker: I can't remember when it was, but I think it was 2020. I was like, this is great. I mean, it's very easy for me. Like, I do things that I think are easy for me, and I'm like, "Oh, I should do a business based on this." No, I shouldn't. Um, so it's like, is it gonna move me forward towards my goals? Is it really part of...

Speaker: Like, does it come from a value that I have? Like, those are the questions you ask when you wanna start a business, not, oh, I'm good at this, let me do a business. So, you know, I started that agency, and again, loved the work, and I had great clients. I mean, I was very happy when I saw those, those, uh, invoices get paid.

Speaker: However, one of my values is having some freedom and some time and putting my lifestyle first, and the agency was doing the opposite, right? I was literally glued to my computer because I'm building funnels, I'm writing copy, I'm setting all the tech up. I'm, like, doing all the things. I'm meeting with people on Zoom.

Speaker: I was like, "I'm about to throw this computer out the window." Like, and then I had to unpack that. Okay, why do I wanna throw my computer out the window? And so that's where I... That's, you know, and then I kinda quietly sunset, no fanfare. I mean, I still get inquiries here and there, and I just write back like, "I can tell you where to find someone 'cause it's not me," you know?

Speaker: But I just... You have to think about that type of stuff, too. Like, it really is. Like, if your business is kinda like... If you're just not that excited about it, it might not be close the business. I still have my coaching business, too, which is why, you know... It, the agency wasn't my only thing. But you have to think about that.

Speaker: Like, if it's not exciting you, it's probably not in alignment.

Speaker 2: Yeah. Talking about this has brought up, and this wasn't something we discussed before, but it made me think about- that job I had and how, like, one of my values is honesty and integrity. Like, that's not one, I guess that's two. But some of my values, um, are honesty and integrity, and I was very aligned with the position I was in, but then I overheard somebody taking credit for, like, a relationship that I had started with a sponsor.

Speaker 2: And at that moment, like, it was just, like, a, it was a break. It wasn't even a crack. And I was like, "I, I no longer can trust this person." And I had to deal with all the mental drama of that, 'cause, like, it's not even, like, a partnership, like, you know, our partnership or a client or whatever. Like, this was an employer, you know, and a supervisor.

Speaker 2: That's another thing too is, like, being in alignment with the people that you are working with, that's huge. 'Cause, like, if you lose that respect or you feel, like, unsafe and that you're not gonna be protected or you're not gonna... Like, it, it affects your work. I don't know what you were saying, but that just came up and I was like, "Oh, yeah.

Speaker 2: Like, you gotta be aligned with the work you're doing. You have to be aligned with the people that you're working with." Yeah, and little plug, I mean, we'll talk about it a bit later, but the Success Secret Society, we do have an application. So, like, anybody that joins does have to actually fill out, you know, a membership application, and that's part of it, is because, like, to have this community, it'll be a safe, structured environment where people can share openly, and people have to be aligned.

Speaker 2: And yeah, that, I don't know where that came from, Carin, but I'm glad it came out.

Speaker: Yeah, no, I'm glad that did too, 'cause it is important, the people. I mean, that makes me think of even in, like, the corporate, like, nine-to-five world, like, there's a quote that people don't quit jobs, they quit bosses. You know what I mean?

Speaker: Like, it's people. Like, that, a big part of everything that you're gonna feel and, and what you're gonna be motivated to actually do comes from the people you're around, and that... So I'm glad you brought that in, 'cause that's important too. Thank you.

Speaker 2: Let's talk about when you are in alignment, what that looks like.

Speaker 2: I feel like that looks like and feels like you feel safe, you feel warm and cozy, and you feel like you're being propelled forward by something, like, either, like, maybe it's faith or maybe it's synchronous, synchronous... Oh my God. By the way, we're recording in the afternoon, so, like, the coffee has worn off.

Speaker 2: Like, this is just, like, nap time Marcia and Carin, so this should be pretty funny. It might get a little, uh, a, a little, uh- Whatever. It might get more like this, but yeah, synchronicities and god winks, those are whenever I'm in alignment and whenever I'm starting something new, like the universe literally puts things in front of my face, and it's pretty awesome.

Speaker 2: So I love that. What are some other ways that you can think of?

Speaker: Definitely when you are, like, in alignment, you get into that momentum, and it feels like everything is lining up. Everything, like you said, the synchronicity, and you're seeing the signs, and you feel good taking the action, and you don't have any of those, like, negative, no dread.

Speaker: Like, you're just like, you're in a groove. You're in, you're, you know, you got your, your mojo going. Like, all of that is alignment, and that's what happens when you're in alignment. Like, things just seem to work out. You seem to be focused. You, you know, you're doing the things you said you were gonna do.

Speaker: It's a miracle. It does not happen all the time for me. I understand how exciting it can be when you're like, "Ooh, I wrote a to-do, and it's to-done. Ooh, ooh." You know, it's like celebration. So it, that's really what alignment is. It's not that big of a thing. Like, it feel, like, you know, you hear about it so much, and it's like you're looking for it to be, like, some separate, like, huge thing.

Speaker: Like, it's just you being in flow, doing what you said you wanted to do. You know, having those little check-ins with yourself if things are getting off track, and just really your goals are becoming reality because you said you wanted to do it, it's in alignment with your values, you're taking action that is gonna get you there, and then things are happening.

Speaker: Like, there's no way you're not gonna get the result. Like, obviously there could be hiccups. You could have offers that flop. You know, maybe the launch didn't go exactly how you thought. I mean, that's all... That's not what alignment is. The alignment is that you know your values, you have clarity on what you want, you set goals, you took action to make those goals reality.

Speaker: Like, you have to focus on your effort when you're thinking about alignment. It might not always be the result, but your effort is in alignment. That's where you wanna put your, your energy.

Speaker 2: I find in my life that the biggest lessons that I get are from the struggle, like when I'm on the struggle bus, and I can look back on it.

Speaker 2: So whenever you're not in alignment, it helps you to point out, like, this is, this feels wrong because it's going against something. So it can, you know, those things can be triggered by being disaligned. And it was funny when you were saying that. It was like, you're like, "Things just start to line up," and I'm like, "Align A-" L-I-N-E.

Speaker 2: Like I saw the word, like things just start to line up, and things get so much... It's like the whole domino effect, you know? Like things get so much easier it feels like, because you're not forcing, you're letting things happen, you're not questioning it. And that's not to say that, 'cause we had this conversation before we hit record, I'm always mapping my menstrual cycle because I have PMDD, and so I have to track, which it's real fun when you're in perimenopause 'cause it's all over the map.

Speaker 2: But like, I look at hormones too, like if I'm not sleeping right, you know. So life is never gonna be perfectly perfect, even if you are in alignment. So sometimes there are gonna be psychological, physiological issues that are happening, but I feel like when you're in complete disalignment, that's when things kind of start to fall off.

Speaker 2: You know, that's when one tire just kind of g- goes into the curb while the other three are going straight, you know? So just keep that in mind, like yeah, like Carin was saying, you know, it's never, like it... What did you say? Did you say it like won't be perfect, but it's just things are easier? Mm-hmm. Is that...?

Speaker: Yeah.

Speaker 2: Yeah.

Speaker: Yeah, it's not about it being perfect, it's just about your effort being, uh, being what you actually want to be putting effort into. Yeah. Yeah.

Speaker 2: Yeah.

Speaker: And another thing, I don't know why this popped into my head, but another benefit of alignment is it helps you avoid shiny object syndrome, because you, things will always be coming at you, right?

Speaker: There's always gonna be opportunities. There's always gonna be new ways of marketing, new offers you could put out, you know, new things, all, all the stuff. But when you're like really, you're clear on your goals, you know that this is what you want, you're doing the things in alignment with that, like you can easily block out noise because you're not missing out on nothing.

Speaker: Remember, everything works. It all is good. You can all, a g- you can make a good strategy out of just about anything. So it's like, what is the strategy that I want to follow, that I want to do? And when you like know that and you've dialed it in and you're focused, like you can just tune out everything else, which is very hard in the online business world, like super hard.

Speaker: So that's like your super weapon against that shiny object syndrome.

Speaker 2: Yeah, I love that you mention that, 'cause I've been seeing a lot about like Instagram and the algorithm and everything, and I think we are in a huge shift where people no longer want to be sold information. People wanna be sold how to activate.

Speaker 2: Like it's, we're in a activation environment now. Like, people are like, "I already have all the information. I need you to tell me how to actually do the things that I know I need to do." When you know what it is that you wanna do and you take aligned action, then it just- doors open for you. It's magical.

Speaker 2: The universe, the universe has your back

Speaker: Yeah. That's manifestation. That's all the, we, you know, we, we're not too woo-woo here, but we do have some w- woo essence, so. But that's really what manifestation is. People like think like, "Okay, so I'm just gonna make up goals, and I'm gonna think about them real hard, and then they magically appear."

Speaker: No, but that's part of it. Yeah, you make the goals. Y- they're in alignment with your, your values. You're really clear on what you want, and then your effort and action that you're taking is in alignment with that, and then magic happens. That's literally what manifestation is. It's not, it's not really that woo if you think about it.

Speaker 2: The, the book that I've been reading since November, it's all about metaphysics and everything, so that is like, yeah. That's Florence Scovel Shinn. The book was written in 1925. She self-published. She was a divorcee. Yeah, like this book is... It's good, but it does, it talks about basically like the subconscious and the thoughts that we have and everything, and how that creates our reality.

Speaker 2: And so there's so much research too on just the neural pathways and all of that, like how thoughts, they get ingrained and... But there is neuroplasticity. They say that your brain can change and evolve up until the day you die, so I think we're at a cool time. I think, I think we're in a good time right now.

Speaker 2: But anyway, that's my, "I'm not woo, but I'm extremely woo," so.

Speaker: I love it.

Speaker 2: We just, we just don't talk about it too often, 'cause it's easier to talk about strategy, right?

Speaker: It is, so much, so much easier.