Hardwood Floors February/March 2026

By Paul Reilly

I broke out the visual aids: a large box full of notes and papers and a copy of my book, Selling Through Tough Times. I said to my daughters, “You see my book, but do you know what’s in the box?” Looking at one another, puzzled, confused, (and hangry), my oldest said, “No, what is it?” I replied, “It’s the messy middle.” I pulled out an early, rough draft and fanned through the pages. It was a sea of red ink: typos, editing suggestions, and entire paragraphs (and pages) crossed out. The margins were covered with candid feedback: What is this? It makes no sense. Too much alliteration. I asked my daughters, “If you only saw these rough drafts and didn’t see the finished book, would you call this a success?” They shook their heads, no. I pointed to the box and said, “I experienced writer’s block, lost enthusiasm, and felt stuck. It was challenging. But I never quit. I never lost sight of this (holding the finished copy in my hand) …” “You’re in the ‘messy middle’ of the school year,” I continued. “It may be harder to focus; you may struggle to gain momentum. That’s normal. The messy middle is challenging. To help push you through, remember where you want to be at the end of the year.” My girls were engaged. We discussed other examples of the messy middle: learning a new soccer move, mastering a dance routine, or nailing a tumble turn in swimming. The messy middle is a struggle; struggle is where growth begins. I’d love to say this observation was an original thought, but renowned Harvard professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter popularized this concept of the messy middle. More formally known as Kanter’s Law: “Everything looks like a failure in the middle.”

You’re in the "messy middle" of the school year. It may be harder to focus; you may struggle to gain momentum. That’s normal. The messy middle is challenging. To help push you through, remember where you want to be at the end of the year.

Consider how Kanter’s “messy middle” applies to sales. Those painful moments when progress stalls, your vision blurs, and desired outcomes are uncertain. You’re working hard to build a

new territory with intense prospecting, yet nothing is materializing. You’re struggling to gain traction with a new product, and the initial enthusiasm has faded. Remember, the messy middle isn’t permanent. It’s a temporary pit stop on your journey to success. When you’re at that pit stop, use the following tips to keep moving forward. PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL REILLY

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