What is momentum anyway?
While there are many definitions, this one is my favorite:
Momentum is the tendency of a moving object to keep moving
unless another force stops or slows it down.
When we set out to achieve a goal, we often experience slowed momentum. You may even think to yourself, “I have lost my momentum.” This statement usually brings on some negative self talk that lists reasons why are not capable enough to achieve your goal.
I would like to suggest that a slowed momentum is a natural and beneficial occurrence.
As humans, it is inevitable that we will have changes in our momentum. There are too many variables in life to expect that we will always maintain a constant speed. Releasing this expectation will do wonders for your self confidence and ability to achieve goals.
Think about this. If you were to maintain your fastest speed constantly, you would become tired quickly. You may become so tired or burned out, that you then take a prolonged break. Long term maintenance of goals is actually finding the perfect shifts in momentum and accepting them as the norm.
The perfect shifts in momentum remind me of a sinusoidal wave pattern. The peaks and valleys should be equal as they extend beyond the X axis. In physics terms, think of goal maintenance as a smooth periodic oscillation.
Believe it or not, periods of slowed momentum can be rejuvenating.
Slowed momentum can serve as a rest period, and it can also serve as a time dedicated to reassessing goals.
Reassessing goals is underutilized.
Let me ask you. Do you have the same goals for your body now that you did at age 18?
If your answer is “yes”, then reassessing goals is a tool that can be extremely useful to you. I can tell you, that the goals you had for 18 year old body probably should not be the same as your current body.
It is very important to reassess goals frequently because setting realistic goals is how we can practice mindful living. By creating this mindfulness, we are able to create peace with the idea that we are exactly where we are supposed to be.
In an emotional, mental, and physical sense, we are always changing. It is essential that we adjust our goals as we change. This is a step that most high-achieving individuals ignore. If we do not address this point, we are setting ourselves up for repeated disappointment.
By constantly reassessing goals, we naturally find a perfect balance in momentum. We can flex up and flex down according to our desires. By embracing the momentum, we are learning more and more about ourselves.
While this all sounds potentially confusing, let me simplify.
You will experience changing momentum constantly. Be prepared for it and embrace it. Changing momentum give you a chance to reassess your goals. If your goals are unchanged, your thought work generated during your reassessment will likely increase the speed of your momentum.
If your goals change, then the thought work will allow you to design a new goal which will create excitement and also increase the speed of your momentum. So, the bottom line. If you feel slowed momentum, that is an alarm clock telling you to reassess your goals.
All of these suggestions at the basic level are for you to understand your own thoughts. Your thoughts indirectly give you your results. To get different results, you need different thoughts. To reach your goals, you need changing momentum, so you have time to assess your thoughts to achieve the results you want.