Why "Just Pick a Launch Date" Is Terrible Advice

You've heard it a hundred times.

"Just pick a launch date and work backwards."

Sounds so simple. So clean. So... doable.

And honestly? It's not bad advice. In theory.

But here's the thing — that advice was written by someone who either doesn't have school pickup, client calls stacked back-to-back, or the kind of exhaustion that makes "working backwards" feel like advanced calculus.

You've tried. You picked a date. You built a plan. And then... life happened.

Maybe you pushed through anyway and it felt like dragging a boulder uphill. Maybe you quietly scrapped the whole thing and told yourself "next time." Maybe you're still in the "planning to launch eventually" limbo — waiting for a week when everything magically aligns.

I'm going to hold your hand as I say this:

The problem isn't your follow-through. It's the advice.

You're Not Broken. The Plan Was.

Let me guess what happened.

You got excited. You picked a date — maybe three weeks out, maybe six. You started mapping the content, the emails, the sales page. You felt good about it.

And then:

• A client project exploded
• Your kid got sick (again)
• You hit a wall of exhaustion you didn't see coming
• Or honestly? You just couldn't make the pieces come together fast enough

So the launch got pushed. Or rushed. Or quietly abandoned.

And somewhere in the back of your mind, a little voice whispered: Maybe I'm just not cut out for this.

The Real Problem: Launch Advice Assumes You're a Robot

Here's what most launch frameworks assume:

• You have unlimited time to create
• Your energy is consistent day-to-day
• Nothing external will interrupt your schedule
• You can just decide to have capacity and — poof — it appears

But you and I both know that's not how it works.

Your calendar already has opinions. It has client work, family commitments, low-energy seasons, and invisible drains you can't always predict.

A launch date without context is just a wish.

It's a fantasy timeline. And fantasy timelines create pressure — not clarity.

Why "Just Pick a Date" Backfires (Every Time)

Let's break down exactly why this advice doesn't work for most people.

1. It ignores calendar reality When you pick a date first, you're essentially hoping your life will cooperate later. But conflict usually shows up after you've built the plan — when it's hardest to adjust. By then you're either scrambling to make it work or watching the whole thing fall apart.
2. It creates pressure instead of clarity Urgency without structure doesn't motivate — it overwhelms. You end up with a countdown and no clear path. That's not a plan. That's a stress spiral waiting to happen.
3. It skips the parts of launching that actually matter Here's what most people don't realize: 75% of what makes a launch work happens before you ever open cart. Most people jump straight to "sales emails and cart open" — the last 25% — and wonder why no one's buying. They skipped the trust-building. The warming. The relationship part. That's like showing up to a party no one knew was happening.

A Better Question to Ask

Here's the shift I want you to make.

That's a different question. And it leads to a completely different kind of plan.

Because capacity beats ambition. Every single time.

→ Get the free launch planning workshop here

The Alternative: Plan From Your Calendar Out

Instead of picking a date and hoping for the best, try this:

Start with your real availability.

Look at the next 90 days. Not what you wish your schedule looked like — what it actually looks like.

Identify high- and low-energy weeks.

When do you have breathing room? When are you already stretched? (Be honest. Over-optimism is how we got here.)

Choose one launch that matters.

Not three. Not a "launch stack." One offer. One window.

Build margin on purpose.

Assume something will go sideways — because it usually does. A good launch plan has wiggle room baked in.

This isn't about lowering your standards. It's about raising your follow-through.

You Don't Need More Pieces — You Need an Essentials-Only Launch

Here's a secret that might save you a lot of grief:

You don't need a perfect sales page. You don't need 47 emails. You don't need professional videos or a bonuses vault that took three weeks to build.

You need three essentials:

1. A way to collect payment (Stripe works fine)
2. Nurture content that builds trust before you sell
3. A visibility plan so the right people know about it

That's it.

The overbuilding trap is real. I've seen people spend months perfecting a sales page for an offer they've never actually launched. By the time it's "ready," they're exhausted — and the launch feels like an afterthought.

Done beats perfect. You can refine as you go.

→ Want help mapping your launch timeline? Click here

You Don't Need More Discipline

Let me leave you with this.

Your launch didn't fail because of you.

Plans fail when they ignore real life. When they're built on optimism instead of honesty. When they skip the trust-building and jump straight to selling.

You don't need more discipline. You don't need to "just push through."

You need a plan that actually fits — and the confidence that comes from knowing you can follow through on it.

That's what we're building here.

→ Join the free workshop: Plan Your Launch in a Day

Quick Reference: The 75% Rule

Most people only do the last 25% of a launch (cart open → close). Here's what the full picture looks like:

Phase	When	What You're Doing
Pre-Pre-Launch	4-12 weeks out	List building, lead gen, value content. No selling yet.
Pre-Launch	1-2 weeks out	Nurture, case studies, waitlist, building anticipation
Launch	5-10 days	Cart open, sales emails, urgency, direct asks
Post-Launch	1 week after	Thank yous, delivery, feedback, back to nurture

75% of your success comes from the first two phases. Skip them and you're launching to strangers.