Momentum & Inertia

- by Matt Leedham

As a child, I can remember riding my little BMX bicycle with pads on the handle bar and cross bar. I would run out of the house, pick it up off the driveway and go shooting off into the neighborhood to join my friends. My favorite part was getting started. I’d put the right pedal as high as it would go on its rotation and stand straight up on it so that I was well above the bike. My weight would push the pedal down quickly, and I would get my first jolt of movement.

Once I got moving though, it seemed much easier to increase my speed or just let my bike carry me down the road without much effort at all. Why is that?

The law of inertia states that objects at rest tend to stay at rest, and objects in motion tend to stay in motion – that’s why it takes a little extra effort to get started. But once momentum sets it, you’re on your way!

What’s true for bicycles, cars, trains, and planes is also true for motivation, confidence, achievement, and happiness.

“Momentum fuels motivation. It keeps you going” writes Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, founders of 37 Signals. They’re referring to employee motivation in their book Rework. But the same is true for personal goal setting and achievement.

The key to momentum and overcoming the law of inertia (while at rest) in our personal lives is small wins.

Small wins help you see your progress and fuel the fire to keep going. When setting big, aggressive personal goals, break them down into bite-size chunks by creating:

1. Achievable wins along the way that serve as signposts and milestones indicating your progression toward success,

2. Regular “pulse checks” with yourself to know that you are progressing as planned or need to tweak your path, and

3. A very specific action plan that you can work on today, checking things off as you go.

And there is one more step that is absolutely critical to keep the momentum going. You must celebrate the small wins!

Tell your friends and family, treat yourself to something you enjoy, or just pat yourself of the back and be proud that you are making progress!