Life as a Beta Test: It’s All Journey

Considering Some Existential Personal Viewpoints

I’m one of those people who sometimes like to process thoughts out loud.

In certain contexts, especially with colleagues, I’ve been known to “spitball” ideas without too much forethought.

This is in stark contrast to the way I can be quite thoughtful when choosing my words, taking an extra second or three to be judicious in my word choice, normally in response to a question.

A while back during a peer group call, the leader announced that we’d be trying something new when we reconvened after the summer, and that we would “beta test” a new way of operating together.

I quickly noted that in many ways, “life is a beta test”, and then added this discussion to my “blog ideas” folder to simmer.

Section 01

A Healthy Way of Being in the World

I probably talk about the difference between “what I do” and “who I am” more than most humans.

One of my beliefs is that “who I am” is way more important than any specific thing that I do.

The idea of living my life as a beta test has everything to do with that, because it’s actually much more of an attitude than anything else.

When a parent asks me what one of their offspring “did” to alienate a sibling, I usually reply that it’s rare for siblings to be distant or cut-off because of a specific one-time occurrence, but rather a persistent way of being, that is off-putting.

So where am I going with this “beta test” stuff?

I’m glad you asked, so I will enlist the assistance of my friend, Mr. Google.

Section 02

Just What Is Beta Testing?

Let’s start with some basics about beta testing in general.

My friend says that:

The key phrases from my perspective are “pre-release”, “near-finished” and “official launch”.

The idea of an official launch certainly conveys a destination that we’re aiming for, and I normally avoid looking at life that way.

See There Is No Destination, from 2018.

Section 03

What About Life as a Beta Test?

When I ask my buddy about “life as a beta test”, he responds with some really useful ideas that resonate with me.

Here’s his first highlight:

The key words and phrases here are “accepting”, “work in progress” and “not failures”.

He then adds even more good stuff to the already roaring fire, with:

I love the way this gets to the heart of the journey idea, the fact that it’s a mindset, and that perfection should not be the goal.

The concept of “continuous iteration” is also something that is worthy of further exploration.

Section 04

Working with Multigenerational Families in Beta Mode

When a family welcomes me into their system to accompany them on their journey towards and eventual intergenerational wealth transition, I am always in beta test mode.

Of course, it isn’t always easy to get family buy-in to this way of operating, because many won’t hire anyone for this work without some specific deliverables.

Last year in Ideas on Dealing with the Family CRAP, I shared that my main overarching goal with such families is to have then continue to Convene Regularly And Productively, i.e. C.R.A.P.

The idea of continuous iteration fits this like a glove.

Section 05

Keeping Them Moving in the Right Direction

I recognize that the family’s ultimate goal is for the rising generation to someday be able to manage and share the family’s wealth together.

That takes time, effort, and intention.

The idea of getting ready for a launch fits here, but not in a good way.

What the family is preparing for is the eventual loss of the current leading generation.

Families who prepare for this eventuality long in advance do better than those who avoid this work on the assumption that everything will just work itself out.

It’s lots of work, and most of it needs to be done by the family members themselves.

I’m not there to help them reach perfection, just to make sure they understand what’s all involved and get them working together productively.

We don’t want to think about the destination.