Momentum…

Goals.  There’s no telling what you can do when you get inspired by

them.  There’s no telling what you can do when you believe in them.

And there’s no telling what will happen when you act upon them.

~Jim Rohn

Scripture:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them

in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit.

~Matthew 28:19

Perspective:

Momentum in its simplest form is defined as mass in motion.  All objects have mass and so any object moving has momentum.  The amount of momentum, its strength or force, depends on two factors, the amount that is moving (mass) and how fast it is going (velocity). 

If we are moving, then we have momentum.  Consistent movement in the direction you want your life to go builds good habits and leads to goal attainment.  It seems the hardest part of any new behavior is getting started, basically because once you are in motion, it is easier to keep going.  Newton’s first law of motion says: a body in motion will remain in motion unless it is acted upon by an external force.  Have you ever noticed the hardest part to beginning any exercise program, for example, is getting started?  Once you are “there,” (dressed and outside, at the gym, or wherever) it is much easier to actively participate.  Also Newton’s first law of motion: a body at rest will remain at rest unless it is acted upon by an external force.  And if you can keep going until you feel the difference, until you feel better when you exercise, then you have added the ingredient of motivation!

Habits are rooted in our consistent choices.  Time then magnifies those consistent choices and actions!  What feels like slow, or even no, forward movement in a day can show great progress over the course of 6 weeks.  One example many of us can relate to is weight loss.  In a couple days of trying, we may lose very little or even gain a pound, but if we keep making healthy choices consistently we could feasibly lose 2 pounds per week, which can add up to 26 pounds in three months or even 104 pounds in a year.  Time passes quickly whether we are making good choices or not, and our good choices will add up over time if we just keep doing what we know we should and need to do to achieve our goals.  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9). 

So, how do we create the momentum that allows us to build good habits and reach our goals?  There is a recipe of sorts, research supported, time-tested actions you can choose to take, read on…

• First, identify where you want to have success?  What are your goals in the different life areas: spiritual, family, relationships, health and fitness, growth and learning, professional, and financial?  In my 53 years of life, I have learned that it is best to pray for guidance and to be in alignment with God’s will for my life; pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

• You must not forget to break your goals down into the smaller, manageable steps you will take to reach each goal, to give you small wins along the way.  The more “quick wins” we can achieve, the better; they help build an “I can do it” attitude, ongoing motivation, and encourage continued momentum and success.  A 2016 study explains that psychological momentum comes from the perception that success is possible.  Thinking that we can be successful unleashes our physical and mental effort. 

• Focus on what you can do first…what is a small step you can take now, that may have a big impact?  Sometimes taking that first step or few gives us a new perspective, additional ideas, and even fresh confidence.  To keep momentum building, we must consider sustainability.  Focus on taking one smaller, manageable step at a time, not on achieving the whole goal, especially if you feel overwhelmed.  The staircase may look big looming in front of us, but we only need to take one step at a time, and if we just keep moving, we will arrive at the top!  Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew 6:34). 

• Know your why.  We should always have a reason for the things we do.  What is that reason for you?  Do not settle for your first answer…if you want to eat healthy and exercise to lose weight, great!  But why?  Get specific.  Keep asking “why” after each answer that comes to you until you can no longer do so; get to the core of your reason, to what really matters most.

• Visualize your “picture of success” in your mind first.  Think about it often, and what your life will look like while and then when you achieve it.  Also, write down your goals and their necessary steps for attainment.  Put them somewhere you look often throughout the day and can easily cross off the steps as you achieve them.   Research has proven over and over that writing your goals down has power!  You can even create a vision board of the life you desire for added inspiration (mine is pictured above).  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

• Be intentional.  Creating momentum toward success at anything takes intentionality.  Over time, you must increase the actions that lead to success and decrease those holding you back or getting in your way of succeeding.  It requires extra effort to “get the ball rolling,” so to speak.  Show up every day, be consistent, and things will get accomplished in time and even get easier.

• Make a commitment to creating the best version of you and your best life.  Then, hold yourself accountable to making good choices and taking the necessary actions to achieving your goals, one step at a time.  Is what you are currently doing each day leading you toward your best self and life?  If not, YOU are the only one who can change that.  Regret does not bring back wasted time or change bad choices; NOW is the time to be intentional about what you are doing and why, to create your future!  Do you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you (1 Corinthians 3:16)? 

• What direction is your daily routine taking you?  Evaluate how you spend your time each day.  We all have the same 24 hours, seven times each week.  How are you managing your 24 hours?  Make sure your priorities are given significance and put on your schedule first, then add the less important want or have to tasks in.  This takes self-discipline.  The consistent doing, of making something part of your routine, creates a habit which causes you to want to do it again the next day.  Make an effort each and every day, even if you are having a bad day or not getting the results you hoped for.  That persistence is so very valuable to your overall success!  Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth (Proverbs 12:27).

• Planning is another powerful tool.  One of my favorite sayings is, “plan your work and then work your plan;” both the planning for and the work, or action steps, are of equal importance.  Again, research supports the fact that doing so makes an impact in starting and then in getting the work done. 

• Be open to opportunities along your life path that might not be what you expected or even wanted when you created your goals but are what you need as you gain momentum over time.  Stay flexible and openminded!  The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps (Proverbs 16:9).

“Most of us have two lives.  The life we lived and the unlived life within us.”

~Steven Pressfield

Life Applications:

>Ask yourself: what would you do if you had some time to work on your goals, what is the first (or next) step you would take?  Start with the smallest most impactful step and then move to the next, to build up those smaller, powerful successes!

>>Ask yourself: what would you do if you were not afraid?  Then, figure out how you can overcome, or move past, that fear holding you back, again, just one step at a time.  Our fears are usually either things we CAN overcome or things that do not actually happen if we just do not give in to them.

>>>Consider picking a goal and working to build “winning streaks” with a calendar.  I have a yearlong, 1-page calendar on my desk for speed walking, ever since my hip replacement in January.  Every day that I walk I put a diagonal line through that date and write the number of minutes walked above it.  If I do not walk, I circle the date.  I have a visual to help hold myself accountable to walking 5 days a week!  It has worked like a charm to keep me moving AND now I really look forward to those power walks!  I recently read that when Jerry Seinfeld was new to comedy, he had a calendar on which he committed to writing one new joke a day, in an effort to build up his repertoire of jokes.