It’s a place I am quite comfortable with…the middle ground. Near enough that completing the tasks that don’t quite move my goals forward in the now can still be rationalized. Far enough out that it may take some time for the payoff. The result…things pretty much stay the way they are with seeds planted for future opportunities. These opportunities will eventually pay off, as long as I am able to go the distance between now and then. But meanwhile, I’ve been hanging out in my comfort zone on some levels.
Loving the middle ground isn’t as big an impediment to reaching my goals as living in the long view might be. Being able to create a vision for the future and tap into the well of inspiration that motivates me is incredibly important. But consistently working today on action steps that belong in the later phases of realizing my goals is sure to trip me up.
I have a pattern of focusing on the middle phase and a tendency to avoid the immediate what needs to happen now phase. At least I did until my session yesterday with my coach. Through coaching, I identified my pattern, the what’s behind it and the opportunity to try something new. It was actually bigger than this. It created a mirror to reflect back to me the growth I’m experiencing as a person when faced with challenges these days.
While prepping for the call, I reviewed the notes my coach had sent me ahead of time on the strategy plan I’d created. I had outlined my immediate, mid-range and longer term phases of taking my coaching business to the next level. In his notes to me, he asked me to consider what percentage of steps fell under the right now phase which, of course, helped me to notice my pattern even before we got on the call. And I had an answer…one that would allow me continued access to my comfort zone.
I understood his point and the philosophy of the three phases but I was obviously going to have to explain to him that we had to take into account my ability to work extremely long numbers of hours at a high level of productivity. Therefore, I had the ability to schedule in not only immediate phase tasks but more middle ground phase tasks than the average person. Clearly, once I explained this I would be granted a pardon to continue with my current (and past) approach.
As a trained coach, looking back now on my “I’m special and different so I can handle giving nearly equal weight to immediate and middle goals” defense, I have to laugh. It was verging on a “does he know who he’s dealing with?” position. I was ready to throw down that gauntlet and prove to everyone I could do it all…my own way. Join me tomorrow to find out what happened on the call and whether I was able to step out of my comfort zone. And in the meantime, take this opportunity check in and notice where the bulk of your energy is being invested regarding your short, medium and long term goals.
