The space between where you are and where you want to go is often the most uncomfortable place a leader can reside. It is a cocktail of impatience, confusion, and fear. We often call it the “in-between,” and for many executives and business owners, it feels like a period of stagnant waiting. However, the truth is that this gap is not a void. It is a period of essential development and preparation.
If you are currently feeling the frustration of a slow transition, here is how to navigate the middle without losing your mind or your momentum.
Master the Law of Process
John Maxwell famously speaks about the Law of the Process, which reminds us that leadership and growth are developed daily, not in a day. You cannot leap from your current reality to your ultimate vision in one bound. It is unrealistic to expect immediate results when the goal requires a version of you that hasn’t fully formed yet. Give yourself grace. Understand that this phase is meant to shape you into the person who can actually handle the success you are chasing.
Embrace “Pathways Thinking”
To move forward, you need more than just a dream; you need what Benjamin Hardy calls “pathways thinking.” This involves identifying a clear plan and, more importantly, identifying what to cut out. The “in-between” is often cluttered with distractions that feel like work but are actually diversions. Determine your next best step. Don’t worry about step ten or step fifty. Ask yourself: What is the one thing I can do today to keep moving? Movement, even when slow and painful, is still progress.
Look at the Gain, Not the Gap
One of the most destructive habits leaders have is measuring themselves against an ideal future. As Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy teach in The Gap and the Gain, if you only look at how far you have left to go, you will always feel like you are failing.
Instead, turn around and look back. Assess how far you have already come. When you have a roadmap with actionable steps, you can check them off and physically see your advancement. Review your progress weekly. This practice turns “the middle” from a mountain you have to climb into a series of small, celebrateable wins.
Persistence and endurance are the names of the game. By focusing on your next best step and celebrating the “gain” of your weekly progress, you ensure that you aren’t just spinning your wheels. You are becoming who you need to be for the destination that awaits.
Until next time, make today GREAT!
P.S. Ready to turn your “in-between” into a season of breakthrough? Apply for a free strategy session with me at www.mcclurecoaching.com/free-strategy-session to learn how I can help you build a clear roadmap for your leadership or personal growth journey.
