Welcome back to the Launch Key 🚀

Last week’s issue on Mattering must have resonated because it generated unsolicited emails from a number of you. It was the first time I have used a topic that my AI research agent pulled from Reddit, so maybe we’re onto something here.

Patrick McLean was so moved he wrote back immediately that we could start a consulting business helping retirees find what matters. Everybody starts too big when trying to figure out their next phase. I told him to write it up because I’m not starting another consulting business 😉.

So, this week’s Launch Key is Patrick’s view on starting small.

Let's get into it.

Award winning guest author Patrick McLean has carved a career out of writing well. The entrepreneur has written 13 novels, envisioned plots and characters for Microsoft Game Studio, designed climbing accessories and encouraged yours truly to publish.

Once, a Russian Special Forces guy said to me, as if it were the most natural and expected thing in the world, "You know how to escape from avalanche." It was not a question.

I said, "No."

"If you survive, you are buried. Most people become afraid, struggle with whole body. Start with big movement, from torso."

Yes, I nodded, most people would become afraid.

"But this is no good, you become tired, and then you die. Instead you start with fingertips, make small circles, pack the snow. Little by little you make space. From fingertips to wrists, elbow, shoulders. Little by little, make space for body. Only when you have space, can you know which way is up and dig your way out."

I have never been buried in an avalanche, but I am old enough to have had life pile an avalanche of circumstances upon me.

When reinventing one's self, after a layoff or a resignation, after retirement, or even as a young person trying to find your way in the world as you leave the house -- everybody starts too big and wants to go too fast. They thrash and struggle and suffocate themselves.

When you're young, thrashing is inevitable. It's how you learn and develop wisdom. If any accomplished person has escaped the school of hard knocks, I haven't met them. Thrashing is survivable. But thrashing towards the end of your career -- that's an existential risk.

Have you seen what retirement does to people who don't know what to do with themselves? It's murderous.

If you've been on someone else's clock for 30+ years, you've had a lot of direction given to you. Someone else has pointed which way to go. Even if you were a CEO, you had a board, and the conventions of an industry.

Your real obstacle is knowing which way to go. Which way is up. And it takes time. I watched Rob fumble his way through what would eventually become this newsletter.

First it was a single talk. Then he immediately started to thrash. "I think I could do a little public speaking, maybe make some videos. Old technology guy who has the wisdom." And his mind was already on stage giving the TED talk. Being booked at companies around the country.

Thrash. Thrash. Thrash.

A few years later he said, "I'm thinking about doing a newsletter." And I said, in my best Slavic accent, "You know how to escape from Avalanche."

No, of course, I didn't. I'm not that cool. But I did say, "Write the first one." He posted it on LinkedIn. Got some traction, wrote another one. Paid attention to what resonated.

I don't tell you this because I'm proud of my friend Rob. I tell you this because I watched him wiggle his fingers and toes, make space, learn how to write a newsletter and grow it to 20,000 subscribers.

And I certainly don't tell you this because I think you should write a newsletter.

Maybe you want to start a charity that helps people with the credit counseling. Maybe you want to start something you’ve been turning over for years. Help one person first. Maybe you want to start a small handyman business to have something to do. Ask your neighbor if they need anything fixed.

Don't start with a domain name. Don't start with a strategy statement. Don't incorporate.

Take the smallest real action that will get you feedback.

Then do it again. And again. And don't stop.

That's how you escape the avalanche, figure out which way to go, and get back to the bright sunshine and the bar at the ski lodge. 

Now go launch something 🚀

Are you questioning how AI can really benefit you? Are you unimpressed with ChatGPT? Here’s a great first step to reduce friction in whatever you type.

Just talk into any app on your phone.

I started using Wispr a few months ago to streamline adding personal notes. Grocery store items, newsletter topics, To Do’s – the kind of stuff I typically typed into an iphone reminder.

Today, I’m dictating detailed ideas directly into my Notion inbox, framing up complete Launch Key issues.

Easy win making AI work for me.

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What you access on Percent:†

Review the performance numbers on Percent.

^{Alternative investments are speculative. No assurance can be given that investors will receive a return of their capital. †Past performance is not indicative of future results. Benchmark indices shown for market context only and are not directly comparable to Percent's performance. Terms apply.}

I had two long road trips over the past few weeks and used my drive time to refresh my history for our upcoming 250th 🇺🇸 birthday. David McCullough’s 1776 (Kindle or here on YouTube) is 10+ hours cued up for your next Summer Road trip. It is an outstanding reminder of the most important year in our country’s history.

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