The mechanics of momentum
Beginning one thing — whether or not it’s an organization or a brand new train behavior — is like pushing a boulder up and over a hill.
When you apply sufficient pressure, the boulder will begin shifting. When it reaches the best level, gravity will take over. Then you definitely received’t need to push so arduous anymore.
When you don’t push arduous sufficient in the beginning, nonetheless, the boulder received’t transfer (in physics, that is known as inertia).
Crucially, it received’t matter that you simply push virtually arduous sufficient — you are able to do that for eternity and nothing will occur.
With no sufficiently big concentrated pressure, the boulder won’t ever acquire momentum.
And right here’s the factor: ‘virtually arduous sufficient’ nonetheless requires a lot of effort!
When you get caught on this lure, you possibly can find yourself grinding for years with little outcomes, like so many others have.
That is symptomatic of one of the crucial frequent errors that holds us again: we underestimate the pressure required to get the boulder rolling.
So, we tackle too many tasks without delay. We hedge our bets and unfold ourselves too skinny. Because of this, we’re left with out sufficient focus or conviction to direct the required pressure towards the one factor.
This not solely prevents you from gaining momentum, however working virtually arduous sufficient on a number of issues is the definition of exhausting.
Ultimately, you’ll burn out…
“The principle factor is to maintain the principle factor the principle factor”
– Kevin Kelly
Perhaps you acknowledge your self within the above — all the time tinkering on numerous tasks, however by no means actually getting any of them off the bottom.
So, what do those that succeed do otherwise?
The most effective creators and entrepreneurs are good at calculating the precise mass of their boulder and what course they should push it earlier than they begin working.
This enables them to collect sufficient sources and make the suitable choices to create the suitable, concentrated pressure.
