Launch It! What Are You Waiting For?
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NEW ARTICLE (3 Minute Read):
I recently launched a consulting and coaching company, and I’m a bit embarrassed.
I love launching things, but I tend to HATE the process of launching the thing.
Anyone else?
My struggle is with perfection. I hate the creation work because I never feel fully finished with the project, product, or sermon that needs launching. I dread starting the process because I know the struggle to get it right the first time is real. Perfection is my enemy of done, and therefore my enemy of started, too.
An author friend once mentioned a similar struggle with writing. Her comment unlocked something in me.
Here’s what she said: “Every book begins with a terrible first draft.”
Duh! You know that. I know that, too, but I haven’t always embraced this truth in every aspect of my creating endeavors.
Every single message I preach begins as a bad first draft. I’m usually embarrassed by version one. Luckily, I preach revision five or six. I never preach version one!
Every organizational model change begins as an idea in need of more work and manipulation. It’s never quite right the first time.
This is true for everything we create. Launch perfection is mostly impossible, and that pursuit keeps too many of us from starting.
I’m trying to be better by actively living this out in front of you. At this very moment, I’m starting a consulting and coaching company. I’ve been doing this for years unofficially, but after completing my doctorate in November 2020, I wanted to help more churches in a more official capacity. Hence the beginning of Transformation Solutions.
But to be honest, my instinct was to get everything perfect before starting. I wanted the website to be perfect. The first ebook offering to be perfect. Several blog articles to be scheduled without a single typo. So I began the pursuit of launching perfection – until I realize this path would never lead to a launch. Transformation Solutions would never exist if it required complete perfection before launch.
So in February, I just began.
Since the launch, I’ve met over Zoom with several churches to present the Lasting Change Framework. The presentation wasn’t perfect at my first presentation. I changed it for the second and again for the third. The presentation has evolved to iteration six at this point. I want to meet again with those first few churches and ask for a “redo.” But I also know the only way to get it right is to get started. The path to version six is to have a lousy version one.
So welcome to my imperfect company — Transformation Solutions. We help churches discern what needs to change and coach pastors through the challenge of change. And I should add, “as I am changing, too.” That is the secret, I think. Just get started and allow the course to correct as you move forward. After all, it’s impossible to course correct a ship still tied to the dock.
I imagine you have things that need starting, too. I bet you are ready to launch something or fix something or try something. You are itching to make something better.
So just start.
You aren’t ready. You don’t have enough information or all the answer. Me either.
SO JUST START!
Starting is the best way to get it right. Please don’t wait for the perfect product. Start the process and allow the product to become perfect in time.
Like Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn, once said, “If you are not embarrassed by the first version of your product, you’ve launched too late.”
So Your Idea Isn’t Perfect…Big Deal!
AT A GLANCE…
Read this if…
You have ever hesitated try something, start something, or develop something.
This post in one sentence…
What should you do if you want to launch something new, but your something doesn’t feel ready?
How you can engage…
Share this specifically with people who have great ideas and need to move forward. Or any perfectionist you know! Lastly, leave a comment with your start story. I’d love to read about your experience.
HERE WE GO…
I have always loved Seth Godin. I’ve probably read all of his books. His blog. Basically everything Seth says resonates with my marketing inner-self.
Seth talks a lot about launching new stuff. He famously labeled it “shipping.” Seth’s stance is simple: “Ship often. Ship lousy stuff, but ship. Ship constantly.” I love that, even though it scares me to death.
Honestly, Seth’s encouragement is the reason I launched a blog. I partially wanted a new, fresh space to ideate and create content, but I also knew launching a blog would be an exercise in “shipping” something. Most likely, shipping something lousy, but at least shipping something.
Recently, I was reminded how true Seth’s stance really is. I was looking over some old blog post and I wanted more than anything to rewrite and republish them all, apologizing to anyone who accidentally endured these early writings in the process. As a blogging newbie, I didn’t know what to write about. I didn’t know how to blog. Once I posted all my Kindle highlights from a book. Who wants to read 5 pages of my highlights!?! And I was not a good conversational writer. For two years I had only written academically (insert incessant footnotes here…), and nobody enjoys reading a textbook! I had no clue how to take the oral communication skill I was developing and transition it to the written word. But I battled through the resistance (another concept I’ve embraced from Seth) and shipped. And I’m glad I did. I still feel sorry for my early readers, but I’m glad I pushed through. And while I’m still not an expert blogger or great writer, I’m learning and improving with each subsequent little shipment.