You’re a Champ. (Getting through the “Messy Middle” of your Goals)
Have you seen the trailer for the upcoming Sylvester Stallone biopic “I Play Rocky” ?
It looks like the veritable Rocky of… movies about "Rocky."
**(For my younger readers who don't know: “Rocky” was a classic underdog-tale of a boxer who went from being a nobody to a champion. Lots of sequels, including the “Creed” movies).
I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that I watched the movie Rocky III at least 20 times as a child.
This was back in the days of yore (pre-streaming-revolution) when HBO would play the same movies over & over for weeks at a time.
I loved Rocky III. “I pity the fool” who missed seeing Mr. T. play the villain (IYKYK).
Best of all, the movie introduced me to the glorious phenomenon of the movie montage.
A montage is a great tool for films to compress time, so that you see the hero make progress toward the big goal as inspiring music plays in the background.
80's movies did this impeccably:
*Kevin Bacon as Ren, helping Willard find rhythm in Footloose.
*Daniel doing karate moves by the ocean (and later advancing in the tournament) in The Karate Kid.
*Baby's moves transforming from awkward to elegant in Dirty Dancing.
(If you haven't seen these movies, now you've got some great flicks to check out on your next rainy weekend).
Montages create a satisfying sense of excitement and progress –with great songs to boot.
What you don't see in a montage, though:
The tedium of long training days & repetitive practice,
The deep frustration of trying, and falling short, over & over & over.
The silence (main characters can't hear that inspirational music–they just hear their own breath + their self-doubting thoughts).
The daily courage it takes to step out of your comfort zone again & again… and again.
Here's the thing:
While I deeply believe that making progress in your business can be fun, it's important to recognize that there are moments of tedium, frustration, risk and anxiety that happen between “montage scenes.”
In this “messy middle”, it's tempting to get “shiny-object syndrome” and:
Start an “Affair Business" or “Affair Project” (a side-business that lets you get back in the fun dreaming-phase), or
Look for easy-fixes (like “5 steps to make millions while you sleep” programs), or worse,
Decide that “I'm just not cut out for this" and give up on your goals.
So, before you yell “squirrel!” or give up, here are a few ideas to keep you going:
Know that you're normal. It's common for the shine to wear off a bit and to dislike some of the in-between work. It doesn't have to mean you're off-track.
Learn to embrace the hard parts. It's hard because you're being courageous. It's hard because it's stretching you. It's hard or tedious because it's just… gonna be hard or tedious sometimes.
Build in rest. Not only do breaks & sleep allow you to prevent burnout, integrate learning and keep you in shape for the long haul; they help you get in touch with your intuition. Rest helps you get insight into whether there are changes that can make things go more smoothly, or whether you just need to stay the course.
Have a mentor or helper. All of the best movie montages include an encourager/coach/teacher who keeps the hero moving forward. (I love playing this role with my coaching clients! Let's chat).
Choose your theme song or phrase. It's easier to get through the tedious parts when you've got one of those great montage-theme songs (like “Eye of the Tiger” from Rocky III!) playing in your head or your earbuds.
What's your favorite movie-montage?
How can you let it inspire you, by seeing yourself living out your own business-building movie?
You've got this,
Jane