The Mission
Our mission: To establish new pathways for asking the right questions, and to build a culture of connected, unburdened living.
Our vision: A connected world that embraces the vulnerability of our reality beyond the illusions of separation.
Origins
What is Reality Check?
In the face of a very uncertain world full of ambiguity and distractions from every angle, what becomes most important is “How do we know what matters most to tackle?”
The 21st century is filled with significant technological advancement, yet when it came to responding to the challenges the pandemic presented, we struggled. From the smallest problems to the grandeur of dilemmas as climate change, we believe it all comes down to the questions we ask.
“Asking the right questions is paying attention. If we can see it, then we can ask about it. Thus, to pay attention, we need to be focused. To be focused, we need to be present.”
So how do we get better at asking the right questions? What we propose is to have more reality check moments and be in the now.
From within that lens, Reality Check Institute was born to guide you to be in the moment to be served the right questions when you need them.
Reality Check: In Pursuit of the Right Questions
A groundbreaking approach to transformation through presence, combining ancient wisdom with modern understanding to help you navigate complexity with clarity.
Read the BookTo ask the right questions is to pay attention
Learn to recognize what truly matters through heightened awareness and presence
Reality check is a clear reading of the 'now,' void of distractions
Develop the ability to see clearly amid complexity and change
True listening is tuning and connecting through our awareness
Access deeper levels of understanding beyond thought and ego
"A fantastic book! I love how Carlo drew upon his many experiences and personas to describe such a vast and abstract concept and relate it metaphorically to rehearsing and being on the stage. I am excited to explore the platform mentioned, engage with the community of readers, and compare notes!"
Pawla Ghaleb
Founder and CEO at PBG Consulting LLC
"Reality Check is a book I wish I had 15 years ago. It’s packed with examples and insights on how to get your questions right in order to improve and change. Carlo is a child of change, and this gem of a book will help you realize to not look for answers when asking questions. It sounds backwards, but it’s true. Read it and find out!"
Ola Helland
UX Design Manager at Laerdal Medical and Writer of the comedy/science TV-show Brille
"If you've ever wondered how you could actually perform a reality check, read Carlo's book. He reverse-engineered what it takes to "clearly read the now" by asking the right questions ... and not necessarily even trying to find an answer. Carlo unapologetically presents his themes from within a personal frame but takes great care to offer his insights as suggestions instead of anything like 'the truth.'"
Katrijn van Oudheusden
Community Builder and Mentor at NDLCA & Author of Selfless Leadership
Carlo Mahfouz
Technology executive · Author · Speaker & advisor
He helps leaders ask better questions about AI, as someone doing the work rather than commenting on it.
Alongside the Institute, he is Vice President of Strategic Technology Partnerships at Laerdal Medical, shaping strategy for AI and emerging technologies at a company whose mission is to help save one million more lives each year.
His 2022 book, Reality Check, argued that the questions matter more than the answers, before AI made the point urgent. He has been making that case ever since. A new edition arrives in 2027 as Volume I of The Founders Truth.
The Institute exists because of the question his work asks: as AI gets better at giving us answers, are we getting better at asking the questions that matter?
Become the one to ask the right questions
Reshape the conversation into one that pays attention to the problems that truly matter.