Where does momentum come from? I’ve been asking myself that question lately since I lost a bit of momentum.
Google defines momentum as the quantity of motion of a moving body, or even better, the impetus gained by a moving object.
What I mean when I refer to momentum is the energy I have around a project, fueled by my own motivation and tied to my ability to take action.
Momentum comes in many forms, both internal and external—personal energy for a project, gaining traction on social media, having a ton of business, feeling good about the work, having an external deadline.
When I’ve had momentum, it’s felt good. It meant being in the flow and having clarity on what to do next.
Losing Momentum
What takes away that glorious feeling of momentum? Just like momentum can come from internal or external sources, that deflated, psssstttt feeling that takes the energy out of you can come from anywhere:
Decisions - what technology to use, which direction to take. If you’re not careful, you can end up in analysis paralysis, stuck and unmoving.
Complaints - a client doesn’t like something and ouch. Complaints can lead you down the aisle of self doubt, frustration and fear.
Imposter syndrome - that feeling like maybe you don’t really know what you’re doing.
Christmas - a child’s birthday party, a vacation, etc. Events that require planning and effort can take away the energy you have for business.
Emergencies - Sometimes things happen that require your immediate attention.
My loss of momentum came from a recent family emergency, combined with Christmas and raising a family, and I’m working on regaining that momentum.
How to (Re)-Ignite Your Momentum
The New Year is a great opportunity to reinvigorate, get excited and refocus our efforts. Here’s my approach:
Define what is success for you in 2019. What is it you’re trying to achieve? Whether you create a vision board, a mind map, a list of what you want to do each day or write down your revenue goals, knowing what you want to achieve is the first step.
Identify what’s been holding you back. Again, think of the external and internal shackles that have kept you from meeting your goals. Then systematically walk through each of these things and examine whether they are limiting beliefs or reality. The Work of Byron Katie is very helpful in this process. She tells you to ask:
Is it true?
Can you absolutely know that it's true? (Yes or no)
How do you react (what happens?) when you believe that thought?
Who would you be without the thought?
Find your battery. What turns around that deflated feeling for you? It may be a person, a room in your house, taking time to meditate, a walk in the woods, etc. I was at a networking event recently and realized that the energy of the other people was really helpful in reinvigorating me. So, I need to get out there more.
Create a plan. Antoine de Saint-Exupery once said a goal without a plan is just a wish. This work doesn’t get you anywhere if you don’t have a plan. That means you need to set aside TIME TO CREATE that plan and TIME TO IMPLEMENT the plan.
Commit. TIME. Commit to spending the time to achieve your goals. I like to think of it in terms of DAILY, WEEKLY and MONTHLY. Ask yourself what am I willing to do each day, each week and each month to achieve my goals? Then, set aside the time to do that. Put it on your calendar. Make it happen.
Make 2019 the year you keep your promises to yourself.
I’ve designed a workshop for DFW area folks on January 10 to give you a jump start on this process. You’ll leave the event with everything you need to begin implementing your plan, plus some tips and tricks to get you there. Learn more about Define Your Climb and register today!