I’ve often likened “momentum” to a locomotive… once it’s moving at 75 mph it can plow straight through a six-foot thick wall of concrete, reducing it to dust. But that same locomotive sitting idle on the track can be held motionless by the tiniest little four-inch block sitting on the tracks in front of it.
Momentum is defined as “the force of movement,” and it’s one of the pivotal keys that will determine the success of any organization, business, or personal goals you may be after.
John Maxwell calls momentum “the big mo”. In his book “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”, he writes, “Momentum is really a leader’s best friend. Sometimes it’s the only difference between winning and losing.”
If momentum is the difference between winning and losing, success and failure, we would do well to cultivate it daily.
Here are 7 ways that I have found to be helpful in creating and sustaining momentum:
1. Gaining momentum starts with creating forward motion.
The law of inertia states: an object in motion tends to stay in motion, and an object at rest tends to stay at rest. Momentum is what happens when you get moving. Movement is something we should create daily. Procrastination is your enemy. Creating sustained momentum involves having a daily plan of action. Even if it’s only a few minutes a day set apart to focus on a specific goal, it’s a start and a few minutes a day can get things moving forward. The idea is not achieving your goals all at once; the idea is to put your life in motion. It’s quite simple when you think about it, but essential toward gaining momentum.
2. Define your values.
Every person should take some time seasonally to reflect on the personal values that drive their life. We all value something. Even when we value nothing we are valuing “indifference.” Your values are what you give yourself to, what core beliefs shape who you are and where you are going. It’s important for every individual and organization to have clearly defined values. Know them, reflect on them, and make sure they involve other people. One is too small a number to achieve something worthwhile. When you value others; people on your team, people you are trying to reach, and people you want to help, you will have more motivation to have daily movement in your life.
3. Have a clear vision and goals for the future.
Like your values, your vision should be important not just to yourself, but should help contribute to the world and add value to others. When you have a compelling vision that is bigger than self, you will stay motivated and others will be inspired to partner with you. Make a list of personal, corporate, and charity goals. If they do not include all three, your vision is incomplete. Keep photos and images of these goals around you as much as possible and review your goals regularly.
4. Clarify the win for yourself and your organization.
If you don’t know what the “win” looks like you will never attain it. There will never be enough money or success that will ever bring contentment in your life. The WIN is not about achieving success, money, status, or applause. The WIN is about using your gifts and talents to honor your Creator by worshiping him, adding value to other people’s lives, and making the world a better place. People who do this are successful and have personal contentment regardless of their socioeconomic level. Define the WIN for you personally and for the team you serve on, then make sure that this definition permeates throughout your entire organization. Know the WIN – and you will!
5. Celebrate the win.
Be sure to celebrate the big and little wins in life. Look for opportunities to celebrate success for yourself and your team. Dessert tastes so much better when you have shed those extra pounds you were trying to drop. Some people just want the dessert. They want to celebrate when nothing has been won! If you have clearly defined the win and reached a goal, big or small, be sure to take the time to celebrate with your team. God celebrates the wins and so should we. Jesus said there is more rejoicing in heaven over ONE sinner that repents, than ninety-nine who don’t need it. In other words, heaven knows how to throw a party! So should we. Every victory should be celebrated in some fashion, big or small.
6. Immediately follow one success with another.
Momentum is about stacking one WIN on top of another. There will be losses, but that’s okay. It shows you are taking necessary risks. You can’t win the BIG one if you aren’t willing to LOSE some little ones by taking chances. Yet even the little failures and losses can help us gain greater victories if we turn them into positive learning experiences. So look for those opportunities to turn little failures into future wins. You do this by learning from the past but keeping constant focus on the future. The Apostle Paul said it this way, “I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way” (Philippians 3:13-15 ESV), or in other words, let those of us who want “momentum” think this way.
7. Have fun while pursuing the win.
Find ways to have fun pursuing personal goals and corporate vision. Create fun environments with your team. Having fun increases your energy levels, will help you tap into your reserves when inspiration is running low, and is essential to your overall health. Learn to laugh at yourself more. Laugh at your failures. Being able to laugh at how stupid you may have acted in the past will help you to be looser moving forward instead of so uptight and stressed about things. Creating momentum in your life is serious business, but it cannot be sustained without having fun.
Now that you’re creating momentum for yourself and your team, take time to ENJOY the RIDE. You’ll be plowing through those six-foot walls of concrete in no time!
