Lunar Launches

How one question changed my perception of launch day.

On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American to travel to space in a suborbital flight. Just 20 days later, President John F. Kennedy stood before a joint session of Congress and set an audacious goal: The United States would land a man on the moon and bring him home safely within the decade.

“Recognizing the head start obtained by the Soviets with their large rocket engines, which gives them many months of lead-time, and recognizing the likelihood that they will exploit this lead for some time to come in still more impressive successes, we nevertheless are required to make new efforts on our own. For while we cannot guarantee that we shall one day be first, we can guarantee that any failure to make this effort will make us last. We take an additional risk by making it in full view of the world, but as shown by the feat of astronaut Shepard, this very risk enhances our stature when we are successful. But this is not merely a race. Space is open to us now; and our eagerness to share its meaning is not governed by the efforts of others. We go into space because whatever mankind must undertake, free men must fully share.

I therefore ask the Congress, above and beyond the increases I have earlier requested for space activities, to provide the funds which are needed to meet the following national goals:

First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important for the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish.”

Fast forward to July 16, 1969, when a three-man crew boarded Apollo 11 and launched from Cape Kennedy. Their destination: the moon. It took about 109 hours and 42 minutes after Apollo 11 launched before Commander Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the moon.

Who would have thought in the week I launched ElucidCX I’d be thinking about lunar launches? Certainly not me, even if my launch day was the anniversary of America’s first man in space.

We were sitting around the dinner table as a family debriefing launch day. The kids, full of eager questions, asked how many clients I booked. My youngest son prayed the night before that I would get five new clients on the first day; my goal is one by the end of the month.

All their faces turned toward me as the skies opened up outside and rain lashed the house, fierce raindrops filling the silence.

“I didn’t get any new clients today,” I said. “And I feel like I’ve let you down.”

Even though I knew it would take time to build trust and book clients, I still dared to dream. What if… (My sweet friend Casey recently wrote that dreaming just might be a glimpse of heaven. ElucidCX coming to life sure has felt that way, so I have to wholeheartedly agree.)

The kids talked over each other as they assured me I wasn’t letting anyone down. “Maybe tomorrow!” they shouted. Their enthusiasm and belief in this venture has been beautiful to behold. They could be frustrated with me that our family budget is much tighter; they could be indifferent to what’s going on with my professional life; they could be worried about the uncertainty of the whole thing and what that means for them. But they choose hope. Joy. Peace. Excitement. They’ve leaned in fully and buoyed my spirits daily with affirmations and encouragement.

Across the table, my husband looked at me.

“Does a rocket land on the moon the day it’s launched?” he asked, his voice steady and calm.

“Um…no,” I responded, a bit confused by the question.

“Ok, so today wasn’t about getting to the moon. Today was about launching. And you launched.”

He went back to eating as I sat and processed the wisdom in his statement.

He was right.

I launched.

I LAUNCHED.

And I didn’t just launch — I launched well.

By the end of the first day, the website was fully indexed in Google, the feature story on Woodlands Online received over a thousand views, and my press release was published by an industry news source. My phone buzzed all day with congratulatory messages and prayers. Flowers showed up on my doorstep in the most dazzling hue of blue.

It was a launch day I’ll never forget.

There’s still plenty of work to be done to land my first client. I’ve had to avoid knee-jerk reactions and second-guessing the plan. I’ve had to remind myself that pressing all the buttons in Mission Control won’t magically make the rocket land faster or safer. (Loving this metaphor yet?)

Stick to the plan.

Follow the process.

Stay the course.

Whatever motivation I’ve needed this week has been readily available as I’ve found myself more passionate with each passing hour than I was before. This journey is thrilling. Uncertain. Difficult. And the best thing I’ve ever done.

PS: Despite being on a tighter budget, I splurged and bought another bouquet of peonies this week. I think I’ve found my new favorite flower.