Permission to Un-Launch: Why Changing Your Mind Is Actually Brave

Photo by Elevae Visuals

Last fall, I did a workshop about mapping your year—the kind where you plot your personal commitments first, then schedule business launches around your actual life instead of the other way around. During that workshop, I had an idea: the Done Club, a six-week group coaching program for food writers who need accountability to finish their book projects. It felt exciting. I announced it. People were genuinely enthusiastic.

Then I spent two weeks over the holidays doing something radical: nothing. Well, not nothing—I cooked, read, nested, let myself just be without pushing to produce. And in that quiet space, something became impossible to ignore. Every time I thought about this launch, my chest tightened.

So I ran an experiment. I opened my calendar and deleted every single entry related to the Done Club. Every meeting, every launch task, every commitment. Gone.

The relief was immediate. Physical. Undeniable.

My chest unclenched. My shoulders dropped. I could finally breathe. Not because I was scared or procrastinating, but because my body knew before my brain did that the timing wasn't right. And here's the thing: just because I announced it doesn't mean I have to do it.

If you've ever felt trapped by your own announcement—scared that changing course makes you look flaky or unreliable—this is your permission slip. Because sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit: Not yet. And sometimes, even when you have everything perfectly in place, things still fall apart anyway.

The Fear That Keeps Us Stuck

Here's what I hear constantly from my book coaching clients: they're terrified of talking about their projects before everything is perfect.

They don't want to mention writing a book until they have a deal. They avoid opportunities because what if it never happens? They hide their dreams until every piece is in place.

But here's what nobody tells you: even when everything IS in place, things still fall apart.

Let me tell you about Hilary Rushford.

The Six-Figure Book Deal That Disappeared

Around 2017, I took an Instagram workshop with Hillary. She was a stylist-turned-business coach with around 200,000 followers. Her dream was to write a practical style book—something accessible for women without other resources.

Then she announced something huge: she'd landed a book deal. Not just any deal—a six-figure advance after her proposal went to auction with multiple publishers competing for it.

Her community celebrated. This was happening.

Except... then she disappeared. Months went by. Her podcast became confusing episodes about "grief" and "disappointment" without explanation.

Finally, she revealed the truth: she'd lost the book deal.

Her editor left (the book got "orphaned"). Production timelines conflicted with her business plans. The publisher wanted her to hire outside help for her writing, then said even that wasn't enough. She spent thousands in legal fees to exit the contract.

Within about a year, she closed her entire business.

Here's what struck me most: She did everything "right." She had the platform, the audience, the deal. And it still didn't work out.

The lesson isn't "don't try." It's that disappointment is built into creative work—especially in book publishing where you control so little.

What Unlaunching Actually Means

When Hillary closed her business (mostly because of what happened with her book deal), there was an edge in her voice on the final epiosde of her podcast. She seemed angry—at publishers, at the process, maybe at herself for stopping her business to focus on the book.

That's the mistake I want you to avoid: Don't put all your energy into one thing you don't control.

Publishers control timelines. Editors leave. Production delays happen. Your book launch date will move, sometimes by years.

But here's what you DO control: recognizing when something feels wrong and giving yourself permission to pivot.

John C. Maxwell says it perfectly: "Failed plans should not be interpreted as a failed vision. Visions don't change, they are only refined. Plans rarely stay the same."

My vision hasn't changed—I still want to help food writers finish their books. But my plan for HOW to do that right now? That needed adjustment.

That's not failure. That's listening.

Your Permission Slip

Here's what I want you to hear: You're allowed to unlaunch.

You're allowed to announce something, then change your mind. You're allowed to disappoint people who had expectations. You're allowed to say "this felt right then, and it doesn't feel right now."

The alternative—forcing yourself through misalignment—creates resentment, burnout, and work that doesn't serve anyone.

I could have stayed quiet about unlaunching the Done Club. Nobody had paid yet. I could have just stopped mentioning it. But that felt like lying by omission. And I think we need more honesty about when things don't work out.

Because the scary truth is: things WON'T always work out. Even when you have a six-figure book deal. Even when you have 200,000 followers. Even when you've done everything "right."

The question isn't whether your plans will change. It's whether you'll give yourself permission to adapt when they do. And whether you can tell the difference between fear (which is normal—push through) and wrongness (which is data—listen).

Your body knows the difference. When I deleted those calendar entries, my entire nervous system relaxed. That wasn't fear. That was alignment trying to get my attention.

The Done Club still has a place. Maybe this fall. Maybe next year. Maybe it evolves into something completely different. And that's okay. Because failed plans aren't failed visions. They're just plans that need refining.