When I think of momentum what comes to mind is the idea of each goal achieved, informs us to what is possible and provides fuel and encouragement to tackle the next goal. With a series of small goals completed we start to build momentum; this becomes an invisible force propelling us successfully forward into areas we may have never dreamed possible.
Momentum can work for us or against us, in the same way hitting goals can amplify and work for us, a series of perceived small defeats can build a wall that seems to stop all forward movement. “When it rains it pours” is often said when bad events start to build on each other and we feel cursed. We have all experienced that moment when it feels like the world is working against us. This is when this idea of momentum feels like it is moving us backwards, not forwards.
I remember when I had just become a shiny new business to business sales representative. I had just graduated from college at the top of my class and was eager (and a bit cocky) to get started presenting and selling products my new territory. I prided myself in having a very “scientific” approach to sales and was very prepared going into my meetings. My confidence was high, and I was ready to make my mark, but slowly the wind was taken out of my sails, I kept hearing the word NO. So many NO’s, an overwhelming amount of them, for a multitude of reasons.
Everyday I would go home and lick my wounded ego and after about 6 months of what felt like a solid wall of NO’s I was starting to question my abilities and my choice of career. But just before I started to polish my resume something magical happened, a key (and hard to crack) customer said YES! He told me he liked my approach and wanted to say yes earlier, but he wanted me to “earn” his business. From this victory I felt validated and my meeting success started to climb. Don’t get me wrong, I still heard a lot of NO’s (nature of most business) but suddenly many of my days were sprinkled with success. My meeting momentum continued to build, with each success building on one another, and even a NO gave me an opportunity to learn and find a way to “earn” the business. I feel my career began that day, that YES was at an important crossroads for me and I have been riding the momentum of that moment ever since.
“Commitment is the ignitor of momentum” – Peggy Wood
If we agree that momentum is a force, we want working for us, how do we stack the odds in our favour and harness all the horsepower of momentum to move us in the direction of our goals and dreams.
Here are three important areas to think about when building positive momentum.
FOCUS
Where we put our focus our energy follows, putting a spotlight on what we say is important is key to steering momentum in our favour. Committing to and accomplishing small objectives will spark momentum and create movement towards your goals and dreams. New plateaus in life will be reached and from this new perspective we will have greater clarity to the next steps we need to take.
SELF-CARE
If commitment is the ignitor, then self-care is the fuel to keep the momentum moving in the right direction. Self-care can take many forms, yoga, running, weight training, group fitness, meditation, healthy diet, time in nature, lots of water, prayer to name a few. Taking time for yourself to feel healthy in body, mind, and spirit, and stay connected to what is important in your core is key to staying grounded to what is most important in your life.
SUPPORT
Shared goals have a significantly better chance of being achieved than ones keep to yourself. When we speak about our goals and dreams to others they come into sharper focus and become more real and achievable. We also gain the benefit of being held accountable to what we say is important by people close to us and we also can count on positive support when we inevitably encounter tough times.
“For any movement to gain momentum, it must start with a small action.” – Adam Braun
Positive momentum can take years to build or it can happen in an instant. A hard-earned victory can validate and fuel us towards the next level of success contributing to building our confidence. Momentum can be harnessed in every aspect of our daily lives, from our health, to relationships and business, each small victory snowballing into the next, until it gains a life of its own. As our confidence grows and our world expands, what we once thought was impossible is now achievable and positive momentum helped us get there.