The Business of Alignment

By Tricia Scott.

Last weekend, I found myself speaking in the most gorgeous room at the Success Shift Annual Conference, talking about The Business of Alignment.

It felt very on-brand. I arrived a little tired, a little stretched, and very aware that I was living the exact thing I was about to talk about. You know that feeling?

It was one of those days with dancing, sunglasses, laughter, sharing, and big energy all hosted by Bukie Signature Coaching, who truly has a gift for creating rooms that feel both safe and energising (a rare and magical combination)

Somewhere between the DJ and the deep conversations, I shared a quote that’s stayed with me for years. It’s often attributed to Carl Jung and goes something like:

“Humans can endure almost any pain — as long as it’s familiar.”

And whew. If that didn’t land in the room.

Because once you hear that, you start seeing it everywhere in business.

We don’t stay stuck because we’re incapable (as if).
We stay because what we’re doing is known.

And familiar discomfort can look very respectable on the outside, can’t it?

Like:
– offers that still sell but quietly drain you
– undercharging because you don’t want to seem excessive or “too much”
– visibility that feels heavy instead of exciting
– a brand that once felt like freedom, but now feels… a bit tight

Nothing’s broken. It just doesn’t fit anymore.

Another idea I shared - inspired by Trevor Blake in one of my all-time favourite books, Three Simple Steps (and I know he reads these letters, so hi Trevor 👋) was this:

You don’t know the business you’re in until you’re in it.

Another mic-drop moment. The room went silent as pens scribbled to catch the gravitas of that statement.

And if you’re in business, I’m guessing you already recognise yourself in this bit:

You build something.
You notice what feels uncomfortable.
You get brave enough to move.
You realign.
Things fit again… until they don’t.

That cycle isn’t failure. It’s the work.

It’s also exactly how The Female CEO has grown from a simple blog to a global platform (did you know we’re now read in 181 countries?! WILD), not through some perfectly mapped plan (or, honestly, much of a plan at all), but by paying attention to what no longer fit and having the courage to adjust when it mattered.

We also heard from Monica Walters, who travelled all the way from New Jersey to speak, and watching her was such a reminder that clarity doesn’t come from having it all figured out; it comes from being willing to be seen while you’re figuring it out.

So this is what I’ve been sitting with since:

If something in your business feels uncomfortable right now, it might not be a problem to fix — it might be a signal to listen.

And also… keep going.
Because you genuinely never know who you’re inspiring just by showing up and doing your thing. It matters more than you realise.

Let me ask you:  What are you tolerating because it’s familiar… even though it no longer fits?

Just notice.

Alignment starts there.

I believe in you, always.

👉🏼If you want to receive a Biz Love Letter directly to your inbox every week in 2026, I email our Hello CEO mailing list every Monday. To join, head to The Homepage and sign up! 

 Tricia Scott is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Female CEO — a global platform, magazine, and community dedicated to helping women build confident, aligned, powerful businesses.

A startup mentor and multi-company director, she’s spent the past decade helping women move from overwhelmed and isolated to empowered and intentional.

Most days, she’s juggling her MacBook, her next big idea, and a very necessary caffeine supply. Connect with her at thefemaleceo.com.