A News Letter -- Surviving The Middle

 

On Playing the Long Game

“You don’t need to be the fastest learner. You need to make your mind up about the few things that you really want to do, and execute with a much longer timeframe than most people. There isn’t much competition left after the first few years. After a decade, it almost feels lonely.”

— Orange Book

A reminder that the real edge comes not from talent or speed, but from time. Time is the great filter. If you can stick with your craft long enough, what once felt like a competition becomes a quiet path with fewer travelers.

On Mastering the Middle

“People only root for others at two times: First, when they’re at the beginning of the race. Second, when they finish. Neither is when you need it. So, you have to master the middle. The boring, exhausting, soul-crushing middle. That’s where the winning happens. On your own.”

This quote hits hard. Everyone shows up to clap at the start or the finish. But mastery is earned in that quiet, thankless stretch in between — where no one is watching, and nothing is glamorous.

On Embracing the Silent Struggle

“In any difficult pursuit, there’s a tough middle where motivation fades. The ability to ‘go dark’ — to block out noise, turn inward, and embrace the silent struggle — is a powerful advantage. Flow and resilience come when you stop explaining yourself and just keep moving.”

— Sahil Bloom

To “go dark” is to stop performing for the world and start performing for yourself. It’s a shift from needing applause to needing truth. The greatest work happens when you no longer need to be seen — only to move forward.

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THE DIP — Book by Seth Godin

Almost everything in life worth doing is controlled by the Dip.

And then the Dip happens.

• The Dip is the tough stretch between starting and becoming great — a grind that looks like a wall but is really the way through.
• The Dip is the maze of bureaucracy and paperwork you have to get through just to register your business — policies, forms, and red tape that test your will before you’ve even begun.
• The Dip is the long stretch between beginner’s luck and real accomplishment.
• The Dip is the set of artificial screens set up to keep people like you out.

Successful people don’t just survive the Dip. They lean into it. They push harder, adapt, and change the rules. Recognizing you're in the Dip doesn’t mean accepting it quietly. The Dip shrinks faster when you work it down with intent.

Thanks for Reading -

Cancelo Alvarez 🇿🇦