The Middle

TheMiddle

With none of the glory of the finish, nor the promise of adventure of the start it’s no surprise that few engage in discussion about the middle. Some thoughts I shared earlier examined the challenge of connecting our desired future from our tangible present.

What I’m about to suggest now may sound counterintuitive. But the joys, triumph, and greatest glory we get to share with eachother is in the heart of the middle. What strikes our fancy and beckons us to action is of little importance after the start. Completing a project, life’s work, or heartfelt goal can leave one nostalgic for past experiences. Often our initial reaction is to huddle up in a ball when the enormous barrier of the middle rears its ugly head.

Could it be that we are deceiving ourselves? The goal is merely an illusion, a head fake to get us moving, to get us experiencing. The middle my friends is where the greatest treasures can be found, shared, and spun into fine tapestries of life and knowledge. We should be thankful for the start, but not overestimate it’s import. It’s merely a moment that triggered the middle.

Surrounded by an open world while in the middle, while acting and experiencing, we are at our best. Embracing our abilities, mustering our courage and will to move onward, and to move others. Our life condition, ever evolving through continued iterations of the middle.



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  • ifnhaa

    seems we r always in the middle of something, perhaps that is why the pyramid on the dollar bill is unfinished, my favorite part about acknowledging the middle as they place i lay is to know i can go another way

  • http://www.victusspiritus.com/ Mark Essel

    It sure does feel that way. Sometimes I let it get me frustrated “ugh I have so much to do”. This post was written to counter that feeling. Being in the middle of things is not so bad. It's the perfect position to be in if you need to change direction, after all at least you're moving.

  • http://twitter.com/Vukicevic Vladimir Vukicevic

    This post is definitely a different perspective on what Seth Godin famously called “The Dip.” But it also goes with the famous saying that it's the journey which really brings us joy. I like it.

  • http://www.victusspiritus.com/ Mark Essel

    Notice my blog posts getting shorter/simpler? I just haven't had time to dig through some of my recordings while out walking and write something fancier. Too busy with code. Eli is tied up studying for his Actuary exam. Things will pick up, just gotta keep on pushing my sleep back and hangin' in there.

  • Eli

    The Middle is often the worst part. The beginning is where we imagine the goal, and think about how good it will be. The end is where we reach the goal, and, if we were correct in the beginning, it is good. The middle is toil and effort, pain and hardship.

    As an example, sometimes I buy a bunch of vegetables and some meat to make a stir fry. I imagine how tasty and good it will be. This is the beginning.

    Then I take them home, and begin the middle. I chop up the vegetables very finely, putting them in separate dishes because I want to add them at different times. I then get the meat out, wash it, and slice it as well, very finely, removing any undesirable parts. This is by far the worst part of the middle. This chopping usually takes me about half an hour to forty-five minutes, and my feet begin to ache from standing in one spot chopping away.

    Finally, the last part of the middle, I begin to actually cook the ingredients. This part isn't so bad, because it smells nice, and I like fire.

    Shortly after this, we have the end, where I take my hot food, go sit down, and eat it. This is the best part.

    Another quick beginning-middle-end example: riding a roller coaster. The beginning: see the coaster and decide to ride it. The middle: wait in a line for an hour or more. The end: roller coaster fun!

    The middle sucks :)

  • http://www.victusspiritus.com/ Mark Essel

    Chopping vegetables can be fun. Riding the rollercoaster can be fun (isn't that part of the middle? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman).

    There's some awesomeness in the doing that I think you may be missing.
    Look for it carefully, is all I can suggest. I'm hoping you surprise yourself. I wouldn't consider myself an optimist normally. Although recently, I think my reality distortion field has shifted my views :D

  • Eli

    The Middle is often the worst part. The beginning is where we imagine the goal, and think about how good it will be. The end is where we reach the goal, and, if we were correct in the beginning, it is good. The middle is toil and effort, pain and hardship.

    As an example, sometimes I buy a bunch of vegetables and some meat to make a stir fry. I imagine how tasty and good it will be. This is the beginning.

    Then I take them home, and begin the middle. I chop up the vegetables very finely, putting them in separate dishes because I want to add them at different times. I then get the meat out, wash it, and slice it as well, very finely, removing any undesirable parts. This is by far the worst part of the middle. This chopping usually takes me about half an hour to forty-five minutes, and my feet begin to ache from standing in one spot chopping away.

    Finally, the last part of the middle, I begin to actually cook the ingredients. This part isn't so bad, because it smells nice, and I like fire.

    Shortly after this, we have the end, where I take my hot food, go sit down, and eat it. This is the best part.

    Another quick beginning-middle-end example: riding a roller coaster. The beginning: see the coaster and decide to ride it. The middle: wait in a line for an hour or more. The end: roller coaster fun!

    The middle sucks :)

  • http://www.victusspiritus.com/ Mark Essel

    Chopping vegetables can be fun. Riding the rollercoaster can be fun (isn't that part of the middle? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_true_Scotsman).

    There's some awesomeness in the doing that I think you may be missing.
    Look for it carefully, is all I can suggest. I'm hoping you surprise yourself. I wouldn't consider myself an optimist normally. Although recently, I think my reality distortion field has shifted my views :D

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