Monday, June 21, 2010

The Middle Stage...

I just got back from Mexico on a wonderful vacation. I'm fully refreshed and ready to rock and roll! Today, I want to share with you an experience I had before I left though. I have a friend who is a Locktician... meaning that she locks peoples hair (also known as Dread Locks)... and she recently opened her own salon here in Chicago. The only way that I can support her business is by sending her customers because I have no plans on altering my hair style to locks, but I was joking around with her and here is how the conversation went:

Mel: You know what, I think I'll grow my hair out so you can lock it.
Alma: Boy, quit playing! We both know you won't do that.
Mel: I thought about it before, but I don't want to go through the middle stage of growing it out.
Alma: Middle stage?
Mel: You know, when it doesn't look exactly how you want it to look because you are growing into the process.
Alma: Mel, what have you ever been successful in where you didn't have to go through the middle stage? I'm willing to bet that every process has
that middle stage if you really want what you say you want...

I'll stop there. Again, I was only joking about my hair. What is so powerful though is that her reference was right on point! There is no way to avoid the middle stage! You have to go through... or better yet GROW THROUGH whatever it is you are dealing with. The light at the end of the tunnel is not a train heading in your direction! The light is the destination that you are trying to reach, and you can do so by dealing with whatever adversity comes your way and getting through that middle stage!

Suggested reading: Good to Great by Jim Collins