Anybody who has ever tackled a huge challenge knows that there is one period of time that requires the greatest resolve and determination--the middle.
It can be a perilous moment for any endeavor or undertaking: You are too deep into the project to be propelled solely by the passion, enthusiasm and optimism that inspired you to begin, yet you are not close enough to the finish line to see the great results of your accomplishment coming into view.
Often, you have weathered some setbacks and see more ahead. Most challenges, by their very nature, are more complex and difficult than we first anticipate. After a few unpleasant surprises, it is easy to get discouraged and allow your efforts to wane.
Easy--but unnecessary.
Because, really, there is no such thing as "the middle." At least not when you are deeply focused on the moment at hand.
Staying in the moment allows you to devote complete attention to what is most critical and important in a way that does not burden your efforts with either the false confidence or discouragement that comes from focusing on the past or future. It is the most effective way to draw from your own experience and expertise to find entirely new, creative and relevant solutions--while maintaining the vision and endurance needed to stay on course.
It really doesn't matter whether you are striving to meet goals for your health, your relationship, your family or your career: Being present in what is happening right now and focusing on your next best move offers two huge advantages. It gives you new levels of energy and confidence. And it transforms even the most daunting of challenges into a series of small, manageable steps.
Without such an approach, the scope of your objectives can easily become overwhelming, and your efforts disjointed. But with it, an amazing contradiction can take place. The more ambitious the challenge, the more energized you will feel. Rather than feeling stuck in the middle, you are able to look back on how far you have come and recognize it has been a journey of individual steps--each bringing you closer to your goal. And with that perspective, one more step can at times feel almost effortless.
Will there be more work to do? Will there be setbacks, mishaps, unforeseen complexities and even failures? Absolutely. How dreary it would be if there weren't! Our challenges are the catalysts for our creativity. We should try to find new ones every day. And when we do, we should greet them with confidence and even gratitude.
Most of all though, keep pushing forward. A body in motion stays in motion. It is immeasurably better to do even just a little rather than nothing. And if you combine that commitment to your own momentum with the clarity of staying present, you will soon be amazed by what you can accomplish. Not only will you be living in the moment, you will be seizing it.