Motivation in THEMIDDLE

Life coach and entrepreneur Travis Gale spoke to Shelley Seid about his new book, The Middle, which equips people through the vital territory on any journey

On January 1, 1999, Durban

boy Travis Gale joined Stephen Bonaconsa on a round-the-world cycle tour following his final year of high school. At 17, Gale was the youngest person to attempt such a feat. Their mission? To raise R1-million for children in KZN living with and affected by HIV and AIDS.

On December 18 that year, the pair peddled back into Johannesburg, having successfully cycled over 16 000km across four continents and 16 countries, and raised R1,7-million for their cause. Gale was frequently asked about this experience and rarely spoke about the start or the end of the tour – and instead focused on the time in the middle. It is the middle, he says, that tests us. “That is where we need to dig deep, push through the barriers, show ourselves what we are capable of.”

Twenty-one years after that massive endeavour, Gale – now the director of the Appletree Group – has written a book, a reflection on what he learnt from his experience. It is, understandably, titled The Middle.

In the middle is where we deal with curveballs and contexts that you hoped you would never face, where barriers and giants exist to stop you from taking another step. “The middle is what we as human beings were designed for. We can all pitch up at start lines. We can all celebrate a finish. But no finish is without a middle – we need to navigate the middle in order to reach the finish – and every middle is where who we are is revealed.”

In the middle is where we are shaped, he says, where our potential is realised and ultimately, where our stories are written.

“Since that day – January 1, 1999 – I have pitched up at many

more start lines, be it my career as an entrepreneur, my marriage, parenthood, leadership positions, adventures and sporting endeavours.

“Many of these journeys have been far more significant and challenging than that initial tour itself. But I found that I was applying insights I learnt from

Mini milestones all add up. Think big, plan small. Plans change. Be present and agile. Barriers sometimes win. Embrace and learn from failure.

the ‘middle’ of the cycle tour, into the ‘middle’ of all my subsequent journeys.”

The book is a consolidation of stories and the lessons they taught him.

“The book is intended for anyone who is in the middle – the middle of a career, a project, a relationship, a challenging circumstance or a sporting

endeavour. This book is meant to support their ability to fuel their endurance, increase grit and resilience and keep going. I hope to develop a community of people who encourage each other through the middle and look forward to celebrating the many finishes that that community reach. “It is also fitting that the book is being released during the middle of a very tough year!”

The book is a practical read, with chapters that could be consumed in one sitting. It comprises eight chapters, each covering a key day from the tour, with relevant insights.

Chapter one, for example, deals with Day five, the ride between Bloemfontein and Trompsburg. It was the first time the young Travis’s expectations of the tour and the reality of what he was experiencing didn’t line up. “I came face to face with what I had signed up for and it wasn’t what I expected to see. I wanted to give up and was consumed with doubt around my ability to complete the cycle tour, let alone the ride to Trompsburg. I call that challenging moment a ‘Day five’ moment. I believe every start is followed by a ‘Day five’. It may not be five actual days after you start, but it will come.”

How we keep going when we face up to Day five, and how we move through the barriers and challenges that stand in our way, are some of the questions Gale answers. The aim? To help navigate the middle and enjoy the journey.

“If this book supports people to keep going in pursuit of their goals, then I have achieved what I set out to do.”

The virtual launch of The Middle took place at the end of a two-day run (of course) on Saturday July 4, and was shared on social media.

The Middle is available at all good bookshops and online at Amazon.