Lift off.

The phrase 'soft launch' refers to a particular way of releasing or unveiling a service or product. It usually means that there is awareness that things will need to be improved, but there is no way to achieve this without a test period. This time of testing will require the involvement of a larger demographic or user group. The 'soft' refers to only partial or limited portions of the product being unveiled. Soft launches are normally followed by hard launches.

I'm bringing this up because last week at work, we had a soft launch of our product.

This brought me to thinking (as most things do). These postings are a soft launch of sorts. I am aware that I have kinks to work out (like my grammar and sentence structure), yet I'm ready to be run across a bigger audience. Speaking is my thing, not writing, but the practice of insight is the real product. The main difference being that when you are speaking one on one with a person, the insights you discuss seem have more 'meaning'. Most of my posts have been about the weather, but that's not to say it's not important in some way or another.

At work, the service that's being provided during the soft launch phase seemed to be menial. So distantly far from the final product, I mentally pushed myself to go further than the scope of the current objectives. I was trying to give it a purpose.

As I went through the motions I found that feedback started coming to me (from management) to pull on the reins. Slow down, think about the basics, do what we can, not what we hope to one day. I found that resonating very solidly with me. My talk about discipline, this blog, friends and just about anything else in life- all have to be practiced through soft launches. The practice demographic was also giving me feedback about the soft launch. Apparently there is value in the limited service being provided! Who would have thought?

I've started to be a little more social again and I'm remembering the importance of interacting with other humans. It has shown me that there is endless opportunity to "soft launch" everywhere. You can fully provide the product that is now available (even if unpolished). So go ahead and prepare yourself. Distribute your services to the larger demographic. Polish it, find the kinks, improve your technique and you will add valuable perspective. Patience once again comes to mind. Because by enjoy the process the wait for that final destination won't be as hard.

With that, I close with an offering to remember. I urge everyone to remember the soft launches in your life. Cherish and utilize them, because in the end, *it all matters.