The Inner Vision Checkpoint: A Creative Ritual for Directionless Days
A note from E ✣ WEST
Some days you wake up full of clarity.
Other days, you wake up full of tabs.
You have the ideas, the talent, the ambition — but something’s off.
The to-do list feels heavier than usual. The direction fogs. You scroll too long. You bounce between tasks without really doing anything.
This post is for those days.
Creative Direction Is an Inside Job
Before you blame your calendar or your Canva. Please, pause.
The biggest block for most creatives and founders isn’t strategy or skill.
It’s disconnection from vision.
A survey conducted by Founder Reports in 2024 revealed that 87.7% of entrepreneurs struggle with at least one mental health issue, with 34.4% experiencing burnout. (Founders Report)
And in 2025, when content is faster, platforms noisier, and “more” is always on the table — the most powerful thing you can do is return to your inner compass.
This is why I built The Inner Vision Checkpoint.
The Ritual: A Simple Practice to Recenter You
The Inner Vision Checkpoint is a 10-minute ritual I do when I’m scattered, overextended, or in a creative fog. I also offer it to clients inside The Quickie to keep their momentum post-sprint.
It’s not about productivity.
It’s about presence.
Here’s the flow:Step 1: The Honest Pulse Check (2 min)
“What am I actually feeling right now?”
Write without censoring:
Am I tired or uninspired?
Am I comparing?
Am I unclear about the next step?
Naming what’s going on helps loosen its grip.
Step 2: The North Star Prompt (3 min)
“Why did I begin building this in the first place?”
Reconnect to the moment you knew your idea mattered.
Who did you want to help?
What change did you want to make?
What part of you lit up at the thought of this?
Let that voice speak louder than the noise.
Step 3: Micro Clarity Reset (3 min)
“What would one aligned action today look like?”
Not five things. One thing.
One thing that nudges your vision forward — even 2%.
It could be:
Reaching out to a collaborator
Editing a section of your About page
Sitting with a new offer name and letting it breathe
Vision isn’t built in marathons. It’s built in micro-movements.
Step 4: The Visual Anchor (2 min)
“What image or feeling do I want to carry into today?”
Close your eyes. See your future self, mid-process. In the studio. On the stage. At your launch party. At peace.
Let that vision live in your body — not just your browser tabs.
Then, design from that place.
What This Does For Founders + Creatives
When practiced regularly, The Inner Vision Checkpoint:
Prevents burnout by grounding your why before you execute
Helps filter out non-aligned tasks or distractions
Turns your creative work into ritual, not reaction
The Mentally-Healthy 2024 survey by Never Not Creative found that signs of moderate to extremely severe anxiety had increased to 36% of respondents in 2024, compared with 30% in 2022.
Additionally, studies show that purpose-driven brands grow 2.5 times faster than their conventional counterparts. (Merchant North)
The message is clear: clarity and intention aren’t just nice to have, they’re essential.
Audiences are no longer moved by noise. They’re moved by meaning.
It’s time to get back to the soul of the world.