Navigating The Murky Middle
Several years ago, college educators discovered that a large segment of college dropouts did so after their first year. Out of that large group of students, about 45% are in what is called the “murky middle.” Most of these students are making average grades but with a big difference. One group of students makes Bs and Cs, while a second group makes As and Fs. The second group has a higher risk of dropping out even though, on paper, they look the same. The student making failing grades is losing ground because of failing classes. These students are in the murky middle.
However, another kind of murky middle causes people to give up on a goal. When a project starts, it is accompanied by zeal, anticipation, and aggressiveness, but at some point, the “newness” wears off, and hard work sets in. It’s no longer fun and exciting, and the goal seems miles away. Success appears murky, and many people drop out in the murky middle.
Authors are familiar with this term because, at some point in writing a book, ideas aren’t flowing freely, and writing becomes a chore. Due to the murky middle, thousands of unfinished books sit on shelves or are filed away in drawers. Writing a book takes hard work, self-discipline, and persistence, all of which wane in the foggy weather of an unfinished product.
Any endeavor of magnitude will contain a murky middle when you want to give up and quit.
I have a friend who works out nearly every day and has done so for several years. Every year, he complains about January in the gym. New Year’s resolution gym numbers increase enormously, and maintaining a routine can be challenging since so many people are vying for equipment. However, no worries; within a month, things will return to normal as the fog sets in and aspiring fitness buffs drop like flies.
Even the calendar has a murky middle, and we are in the midst of it. The beautiful fall season and the holidays have passed, and spring seems lightyears away. Meanwhile, it is thirty-eight degrees, foggy, and raining daily. The temperature will drop into the twenties within a few weeks, and snow will likely blanket the roads. Every year, we are reminded why people move to Florida.
Even Biblical personalities experienced the murky middle. Consider the weeks leading up to Jesus’ passion. The disciples heard promises of the Kingdom arriving in a big way, and they thought the Romans would be run out of town and those pesky Pharisees and Sadducees would be put in their place. Then, Good Friday happened, and for three lousy days, Jesus’ disciples endured the murky middle. Could their last three years ever be redeemed? Why did they ever start this journey in the first place? They thought, I left everything for this!
So, whatever your goals and aspirations for 2024, you will likely experience a period of seemingly no progress, discouragement, and the desire to throw in the towel. What is to be done? Here are some suggestions to fight the murky middle blues.
1. Know that it is coming and is part of the process towards victory. Knowing that something will happen means I won’t be surprised when it happens.
2. Use this period as a filter. Sometimes, the murky middle reveals that we didn’t want something as badly as we first thought. That’s okay. It is okay to set some goals aside. There will always be new challenges. What we say “No” to is as important as our “Yeses.”
3. Get a team behind you to kick you in the seat of the pants. Significant goals are not accomplished alone. People close to you will notice that you have entered the murky middle and can encourage you to stick it out.
4. Redefine your goals. We often set lofty goals and a strict path to get there. So, you planned to work out five days a week, and then life happened. Five was too aggressive in the first place, so adjust your goal and be cool with it. Recharting the course does not mean we must forfeit the objective.
5. This, too, shall pass. Spring will be here before you know it, as it has since the dawn of time. Friday was terrible for the disciples, but Sunday was coming, and suddenly, what was murky became clear.
6. Refuse to give up and quit. Allow yourself a little time to process your condition and then get back to it. Today is a new day.
7. No matter what, God is on your side, so talk to Him about it and ask Him to help you get through your fog. When Jesus hung on the cross in the murky middle between life and death, God did not abandon Him.
Wow, when I started writing a few hours ago, it was foggy and wet outside. Now, the sun is shining, and things are drying up. Maybe I’ll go outside for a walk. Work your way through the murky middle. You’ll be glad you did.
Live Inspired!
Don Mark
