Momentum

Remember the merry-go-round on your elementary school playground? 

You may need to be over 40 to have experienced a merry-go-round. It was a round metal platform that spun and we all held onto metal bars while yelling “faster” and we screamed a lot. 

If you wanted to get onto the spinning merry-go-round but the kids wouldn’t stop to pick up new passengers, you had to start jogging along side it to gain momentum. When you were running as fast as it was spinning, you could jump on. 

It was impossible to jump on from standing still. The kids that tried that ended up on the ground. 

I use this imagery when I need to remember that I have to build momentum to reach my goals. We can’t jump right in and get to where everyone else is immediately. We have to start moving forward first and gain some speed to make progress. Then we can get to where they are. 

In Physics classes we learned that an object at rest will stay at rest. At rest, momentum is zero. And not only is there no momentum, there is inertia. Inertia can be thought of resistance to change. An object will stay still until we move it and it takes a little effort to get it started. Once there is momentum, then the laws of physics help keep it moving. 

Is there someplace in your life where you are struggling to find motivation?

For many of us, motivation actually follows momentum. 

Often we wait to feel motivated, but actually moving forward starts the momentum that feeds your motivation. 

Think about projects you’ve finished - did you have a slow resistant start but then once you were rolling you found a sense of motivation to keep going? 

Where could you use a little momentum right now?

Ask yourself: what small thing would help me get started? Doing this small thing will get you unstuck and moving forward. Then the motivation is more likely to show up. 

Momentum first. 

Consider this image of the merry-go-round next time you feel stuck. Start moving around the outside. It’s a little uncomfortable to get started, but soon you will be shrieking with delight in the middle of the merry-go-round. 

I want that joy for all of us! 

Let’s get moving today,