From the Front Porch
You know that story about the miner who quit three feet from gold?
Everyone loves that story. It's supposed to be motivational. "Don't give up! You're so close!"
I used to hate it.
Because it makes quitting sound stupid. Like if you just pushed a little more, you'd win.
But think about what they leave out.
The miner didn't know it was three feet. He'd been digging for months. Maybe years. Every single day looked exactly the same. Dirt. More dirt. No gold.
His back hurt. His hands were raw. He was broke. And every shovel of dirt looked like the last one. No progress. No proof. Just the same damn hole getting deeper.
At what point is quitting smart vs. stupid?
You don't know. Not until after.
That's the unglamorous middle. The part nobody talks about because there's nothing sexy to say about it.
You're not at the beginning anymore, so the excitement is gone. You're not at the end yet, so there's no victory to celebrate. You're just... in it. Day after day. Doing the work. Seeing nothing change.
This is where most people quit. Not because it's too hard. Because it's too boring.
The pull back to comfort was loud yesterday. But today? Today the voice is different.
It's not "go back to the old way." It's "what's the point?"
You've been making the choice every day like we talked about Monday. You've resisted going back like we covered yesterday. And for what? Nothing looks different. Nothing feels different.
You're still in the hole. Still digging. Still seeing dirt.
This is the part that breaks people. Not the difficulty. The monotony.
The miner quit because he couldn't see the gold. And you can't either.
But it's there. Or it's not. You won't know until you keep digging.
A Hard Truth
The middle doesn't reward you for showing up. It just asks you to keep showing up anyway.
No progress reports. No gold stars. No proof it's working.
Just the same work. Day after day. With nothing to show for it.
You want to know why most people quit here? Not because they're weak. Because the middle offers zero evidence that continuing matters.
The beginning has excitement. The end has results. The middle has dirt.
And you're supposed to keep digging through it on faith alone.
That's not inspiring. That's brutal.
But it's also the only way through.
The miner who struck gold three feet later? He didn't have more talent. He just kept digging when it looked pointless.
The middle breaks you or builds you. There's no in-between.
Today's Shift
The Middle Survival Framework:
You can't make the middle shorter. But you can make it survivable.
Step 1: Redefine Progress
Stop measuring results. Start measuring reps.
The miner's progress wasn't the gold he found. It was the hole he dug. Every shovel counted, even when it looked like nothing.
Did you show up today? That's progress. Even if nothing looks different.
Step 2: Shrink the Timeline
Don't think about the next six months. Think about today.
Can you do one more day? Not forever. Just today.
The middle is survivable in 24-hour chunks. It's unbearable when you're staring at the whole stretch.
Step 3: Expect Nothing
This is the hardest one. Stop waiting for proof it's working.
The middle doesn't give you evidence. It gives you a choice: Keep going or quit.
That's it. No signs. No validation. Just the work.
The gold might be three feet away. Or three miles. You won't know until you get there.
So stop asking "is this working?" and start asking "did I show up today?"
What's Next
Tomorrow: The Proof - You've been in the middle. Digging. Seeing nothing change. So how do you know it's actually working when nothing looks different yet? I'll show you what to look for when the results aren't visible.
Spoiler: It's not what you think.
Bottom Line
The miner quit three feet from gold. Maybe you're three feet from yours. Maybe you're three miles from nothing.
You won't know until you keep digging.
The middle doesn't give you proof. It just gives you a choice.
Keep going or quit.
I'm still digging. You?
— Damien
