By Paul Reilly
During a recent family dinner, it felt like an opportune time for a dad-lesson—the kind my siblings and I experienced growing up. It felt like one of those Progressive Insurance commercials where children become their parents.
Like any lesson, timing is critical. My kids are in the middle of the school year. The enthusiasm of a new school year has faded. Teachers are stretching their minds. Schoolwork is challenging. Summer break feels like a distant dream. In short, students are hitting a wall.
I broke out the visual aids: a large box full of notes and papers and a copy of my book, Selling Through Tough Times.
I said to my daughters, “You see my book, but do you know what’s in the box?” Looking at one another, puzzled, confused, (and hangry), my oldest said, “No, what is it?”
I replied, “It’s the messy middle.”
I pulled out an early, rough draft and fanned through the pages. It was a sea of red ink: typos, editing suggestions, and entire paragraphs (and pages) crossed out. The margins were covered with candid feedback: What is this? It makes no sense. Too much alliteration.
I asked my daughters, “If you only saw these rough drafts and didn’t see the finished book, would you call this a success?” They shook their heads, no.
I pointed to the box and said, “I experienced writer’s block, lost enthusiasm, and felt stuck. It was challenging. But I never quit. I never lost sight of this (holding the finished copy in my hand) …”
“You’re in the ‘messy middle’ of the school year,” I continued. “It may be harder to focus; you may struggle to gain momentum. That’s normal. The messy middle is challenging. To help push you through, remember where you want to be at the end of the year.”
My girls were engaged. We discussed other examples of the messy middle: learning a new soccer move, mastering a dance routine, or nailing a tumble turn in swimming. The messy middle is a struggle; struggle is where growth begins.
After the conversation, my three daughters looked at me and said, “Oh, wise and learned Father. Thank you for being such an amazing dad and for teaching us life lessons to help us succeed. You are truly inspiring.”
Okay, maybe they didn’t say that exactly. It was more like, “Thanks, Dad. Messy middle. Got it.” (with a side of eye-rolling). And my wonderful wife gave me a nod of approval. I walked a little taller that night.
I’d love to say this observation was an original thought, but renowned Harvard professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter popularized this concept of the messy middle. More formally known as Kanter’s Law: “Everything looks like a failure in the middle.”
Consider how Kanter’s “messy middle” applies to sales. Those painful moments when progress stalls, your vision blurs, and desired outcomes are uncertain. You’re working hard to build a new territory with intense prospecting, yet nothing is materializing. You’re struggling to gain traction with a new product, and the initial enthusiasm has faded.
Remember, the messy middle isn’t permanent. It’s a temporary pit stop on your journey to success. When you’re at that pit stop, use these tips to keep moving forward:
Idea #1 – Stretch your time horizon.
Get out of the present moment causing you pain. In the messy middle, look to the future.
- Where do you expect to be in three years?
- What is the three-year potential of your territory or region?
- Five years from now, will the struggles I’m currently facing really matter?
- Fast-forward three years: your best prospects are now loyal customers. How would you describe that relationship?
We move in the direction of our thoughts; we behave as we believe. The clearer our vision, the easier it is to bust through the blocks. A clear vision is like a sharpened pickaxe, used to break through the boulders in our way.
Stretch the time horizon backward as well. In the painful present, we tend to notice the gap ahead of us more than the progress behind us. Take stock of how (and where) you started and recognize your progress. In this moment of clarity, you revisit your vision, which motivates you to move forward.
Tip #2 – Focus on small wins to generate momentum.
If you improved by 1% every day, you would be 100% better in 70 days. Consider how this concept applies to a sales opportunity. Moving forward 1% daily could amount to a 100% sales increase in a few months. Even half a percent generates progress. Fractional improvements still lead to movement. Success is rarely a giant leap; it’s often created through a series of small wins. Ask yourself these questions to define your 1% improvement:
- What is the next immediate best step to generate progress?
- What is one additional step to further align this solution with their needs?
- What is another touchpoint I can use to differentiate our solution?
- How can I take this project one step further so it’s easier for them to say yes?
Everyone makes a pit stop at the messy middle. Sometimes it’s writer’s block. Other times, it’s pursuing a sales opportunity. Although this stage is uncomfortable, take comfort in knowing it’s part of the process. Keep going! Revisit your vision for the future. Look to the past to gauge progress, and focus on small wins to generate momentum. Everything looks like a failure in the middle. Soon, your messy middle will be a distant memory.