“Leaving the old, both worlds at once they view, That stand upon the threshold of the new.” – Edmund Waller
My project for the past few months has been preparing the first floor of my house for new vinyl plank flooring, replacing old linoleum, carpeting and laminate. It started with exploring different samples of flooring and paint, then choosing colors followed by a whole lot of prepping and doing.
Painting first, clearing clutter, a trip to the dump, moving an entire first floor into the garage. When the flooring contractor came out to measure my floors for the estimate, he said that I needed more clearance on my front door prior to install. I had a door contractor come out to determine the best way to deal with the door. A day later, he came back with a $3500 solution of replacing the entire door and frame, also noting that he couldn’t do it for 8 weeks when I needed it in 3 weeks. Another contractor, same answer. I removed the weather stripping on the bottom of the door which created enough clearance for the floors. I will be putting on new thinner weather stripping to fill the gap on the threshold.
Two contractors offered solutions that didn’t work and were just fine with a lame answer. Rather than going to the extreme, the “do-able” answer was found in simplicity and looking at the same situation in a different way. So often we think we have to “gut” and start over rather than shift and build up what is already present in front of us.
When we think we have to “remove the entire door” before starting, we don’t start. It’s too overwhelming and big. When we look at thresholds differently, we can simply cross over and move into action.
Starting exactly where we are in this moment, not getting too far ahead and allowing the road to unfold as we cross over one threshold at a time to build confidence, clarity and momentum.
Daily actions, exploration, reading and quiet reflection all add up, accumulate and create results. No grand gestures, no climbing mountains, no impossible feats. Daily action repeated.
The flooring contractor finished up the floors on Wednesday and new appliances arrived on Thursday. As I am reassembling my house, I am mindfully putting things in new places and not stuffing everything back in. I am keeping more open space, using what I already have in new ways and getting a few new pieces to create a brand new home without leaving my address.
As this project wraps up after months of preparation and planning, I am reminded that it all came together by defining and doing specific tasks, in order and driven by a deadline.
As you think about something you want to start or are still in the exploration stage, look at it like you would a home remodel project or your job. Define the end goal, the finish line, and work backwards to layout the daily steps needed to complete the process.
We need structure, a framework and accountability to get to the finish line which leads to new start lines. We are never finished and it’s an evolutionary rather than revolutionary process. So break it down and do three things each day to gain momentum and make progress over time. Daily commitment and action gives meaning and purpose to the destination.
It’s time. Cross the threshold.
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” – Walt Disney