Pre-Launch Jitters - Any Suggestions?
April 28th, 2008So, typically I do the advising but today I come to you, my loyal readers and summon thy advice 
From the lack of posting you’re obviously aware that I’m 1 cheese slice away from pulling my left eye brow out during our latest launch - boy has it been a TON of work and I’m not even near done yet. Once again, it seems it will be down to the wire…
Here’s the thing though, for the first time in a long time, “I’m a nervous wreck.” Hear me out…this is easily my fifth or sixth major product launch. Of all the product launches I’ve ever done, the response from our readers has been about 10 times more positive and radiating on this one than ever before.
All sounds good, right?
Then, why the heck do I have knots in my stomach?
My only wish is that we had a few more promotional partners banging away at this with us - the response has been so incredible that the launch could have been even bigger.
I guess my fear is that we don’t have enough MASS attention to make it a home-run, but that the ones that are observing our pre-launch are going to definitely buy. My god, I sound like a 16 year old girl before her PROM dating wondering if she looks pretty or not…(I’m not used to this feeling, I don’t like it).
My question to you:
When you get nervous or feel a bit trapped - what do you do to snap out of it?
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Tags: nervous
April 28th, 2008 at 6:31 am
Breathe slowly and deeply.
April 29th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Hope that it goes well! I’m gunning for you on this one.
April 29th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
When I get anxious about something new and big, I take a step back and look at my past.
A journal is great for this, and of course, this blog is your journal.
Where have I been successful before? Was I able to handle the unexpected in this situation before? Who are my support systems? Are they reliable?
My kids, who are now young adults, always said…take a chill pill, mom, and breathe…he, who, he, who, he who!
For those that don’t know, the “he,who” is the breathing exercises during childbirth…IT WORKS!!!!!
April 29th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I thrive on nervousness… so I don’t exactly understand the problem. You don’t seem to be suffering from nervousness but self-doubt, this is an incredibly evil monster especially for entrepreneurs. Slay this beast before it take you down and your company with it!
If you are a shaking wreck, take a few hits of methadone and you will be smooth sailing (joke)
Jon
http://dreamclue.com …get the message!
May 1st, 2008 at 3:51 am
Kuldip, great tip - I try to “calm my brain down” and always say that I’m going to take a step back…
OnTheCouch, all I can say is, YES YOU ARE SO RIGHT. This blog is something I’m SO happy to get back to today, the last few days have been very trying to say the least.
Jon - Very interesting observation, I think you’re right - but “self-doubt” is a part of the game I think. If you have nothing to doubt, then you have nothing to protect…
But you’re very right that it alone can KILL an entrepreneur - it has certainly massive tolls on me the last few days.
- The Fighting Mystery CEO
May 1st, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Self-doubt has its place, I agree but NOT when you are a leader of a company… people are looking at YOU to provide leadership whether you want to or not, whether you know the correct answer or not.
I will always remember an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation in which Picard gets stuck on a planet with the good doc, they can read each others minds for some reason. She then asks him which direction they should head once they exit a cave to which he says “THIS WAY” with 100% certainty… she then replies “You really don’t have a clue do you” (or something to that effect). He never admits it but even knowing this fact, she follows him.
Jon
http://woodmarvels.com - Create Unique Memories
May 1st, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Hey Jon,
Interesting and very true.
Question for you.
So, you would agree that even when the ship is sinking or there are troubles a true leader will not let it show to anyone on his team?
In other words, smile and act as if the world is rosey? What about your lead executive team?
Mystery CEO
May 1st, 2008 at 2:15 pm
When i get nervous it’s usually when there’s some sort of “silence”.
So i simply break it!
Example i got nervous at a exam.
It was in 3d modeling and i was unprepared as always (i always pull out the aces the last second).
I went in there and was told to sit down i was a nervous wreck and the teacher and the other guy was just starring at me.
So instead of sitting down i said no thx and told them i’d be going trough a 3d scene mixing 2d and 3d i had made a month before the exam.
Taking action is really my best way of dealing with nervousness.
I passed the exam but later switched to a new education because i realized i really wasn’t the type of guy that’d want going into detailed modeled 3d characters.
And for the “a leader doesn’t show his feelings”
I agree partly.
He should remain calm and show he’s the authority but that doesn’t mean smiling if the building is on fire.
If i was a leader of a team and we where on a very tight deadline and wasn’t gonna make it.
I’d tell them straight out that we where screwed but also encourage them to take it as a challenge and give the deadline the best beating they could preform and show why they where on my team.
As an example anyways.
Regards,
Daniel.
May 2nd, 2008 at 1:43 am
Daniel,
I agree - I guess I meant more like, if things are not good, maybe THATS the best time the team needs to see confidence in the leader so the leader should not show panic?
MysteryCEO
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Well a leader should never panic or at least try not to.
But i also think that the leader doesn’t have to put everything on his shoulders when the water is boiling over the top.
If he have professional people below him they already are educated to take responsibility themselves.
So i think instead of the leader try being the stone to keep up the roof he should also let his employers know that he trust they’ll do their fair share to keep it up.
Employers do know the boss is a person like them and even though they know if he/she say something thats what they should do, but lets say a leader had a person employed to take care of finances for the company.
Then that person would be a corner stone, and then another person for something else ect ect.
Then I’d view the leader being the stone in the middle doing his share to keep the roof up cheering at his cornerstones to keep holding on.
Looking at it that way the leader even though his title points at him being above the others he climb down and be a part of his team instead of above them.
As said in my last comment telling them straight out about the situation and encouraging them to take it as a challenge you show them you depend upon them as professionals and as a teammate.
But I’m not either a boss or anything else that’d point towards i know what I’m talking about, I’m just saying my point of view here
And MysteryCEO you really need a “subscribe to comments” plug-in.
Keep up the good work and I’ll be checking back.
Daniel