Always be launching

When I first drafted my goals for 2023, I knew I wanted to launch a second podcast; but I always assumed it would be a podcast related to the world of work. Three months into the year I began questioning if my life needed to revolve around work and if not, what else was I passionate about? Four months into the year I realized that passion and purpose are complicated words and if I were to discover either, I’d need to experiment more than I have in the past years. Six months into the year, I realized that the concept of escape velocity is real and that if I don’t get things off the ground now, I never will. And now that we are into the eighth month of the year and it’s finally release month.

August was not supposed to be release month. It was supposed to be June. However, there was always one reason or the other to not release new projects just yet. Regarding the podcast, I have no idea where to begin with post production. Do I spend a lot of cash and outsource or do I pick up a new in-demand skill and do it myself? Regarding my second blog, I still don’t have a logo I like. Same question – do I outsource or use my highly stunted artistic skills to create one? Also, how necessary is it to really have a compelling logo before you launch a blog? Should I have at least five pieces written before I launch or do I write as I go?

The reasons to delay release are many. The reason to release is one – Escape Velocity.

Before you go searching for the definition of Escape Velocity, let me clarify what it means to me. In physics, escape velocity or escape speed is the minimum speed needed for a free, non-propelled object to escape from the gravitational influence of a primary body, thus reaching an infinite distance from it. It’s a term that has captured the imagination of the world of work and vastly interpreted as either the energy required to break free from the shackles preventing change or the point when the business grows exponentially, at a rate that is considerably greater than it was progressing previously.

In terms of new launches (my definition), escape velocity is launching before the enthusiasm and energy begins to fizzle. Once you’ve escaped the gravitational pull of the million reasons to delay launch by just a little longer, you finally create something real albeit imperfect. However, that first launch allows incremental improvements and finally reaching the stars. If you never launch, you never hit the stars. This is adjacent yet different from the concept of fail fast. Escape velocity acknowledges that the energy related to a new idea will fizzle if kept on the burner for far too long. If you don’t launch now, you will never launch.

The concept of escape velocity coupled with one of the favorite phrases from my favorite podcasts – always be launching has convinced me that August is release month. If I am to learn post production, I learn and release it now; no matter how terrible the quality. It can only get better. After all, who expects the perfect first episode? Not me. And how important can a logo be to release a blog? It can always come after.

In a recent email from Spotify for Podcasters titled ‘Stuck on that first episode?’, I received advice from podcasters that began with sentences like – podcast progress not podcast perfection, perfection is the enemy of good and each creator had to start somewhere and they took a leap.

I am not going to beat you over the head with my challenge for August but per usual, my challenge to self is my challenge to you. Thinking of releasing something new into the world but are held back by either some more pre-work required, not the right month or just flagging energy? Do it in August. Not September.  

Don’t let delay be the reason for death. And once you’ve released, come back and tell me about it. I promise I will check it out.