“Change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end”.
Robin sharma
Have you ever noticed when you attempt something new or you get a group of individuals together things get messy? Sometimes the starting point is disarray, other times it’s when people start integrating into the group where conflict and messiness occur. And, after you have been figuring things out through consistent action or working together focused on learning each other’s strengths – things seem to come together.
When I think of Robin Sharma’s quote, I think of when my children played hockey. The players come together in September – October, all with different skillsets. There are moments of frustration as they are waiting to receive a pass of the puck and the pass does not come or the pass comes and the play is whistled down. They seem out of sync. Over time, every year, through practices, games, and tournaments something magical happens. By February- March, we often see a cohesive team with the odd outlier. A team that can pull together, communicate with each, and celebrate the wins, and takes the losses together.
Another example I can share with you is baking in the kitchen. Do you remember mixing things up in the kitchen to bake a cake or some cookies? You get all these ingredients together and things can get messy. You need to make a mixture; pour it out or scoop it out into a pan. After baking it at the right temperature for the right amount of time, you get to see the cake or cookies evolve. Tasting is the best part.
Life can be messy as involves changes to the way we are used to doing things. There are so many things going on simultaneously that we are often not aware of. The best thing to do is to keep putting in the work and taking forward action. Learn as much can about the process and people. Explore your potential and expand your capacity. Give yourself time and grace in the process. Some things need to unfold at their own time. You can’t take the cookies out of the oven 5 minutes early and expect them to be complete and ready to eat. They may fall apart. You cannot put a new player on the team thinking your first game out that the team will immediately integrate and win.
Now, I am not saying it is not possible. Just know – when you get through the “messy”, amazing things can unfold.
They didn’t let the weather stop them. They tapped into resources and found money or earned it. They learned new skills and developed them. They committed to continuous learning. They blocked time off in their schedule to work on their goals. They learned that they did not need validation from others they needed to value themselves. Their childhood was in the past and they have control of the present and they can create their future with developing a new story. And, the best day to go after your goals is TODAY!