How To Get Momentum
What if you woke up tomorrow and realized you had complete control over your life?
What would you do?
Would you re-create the life that you had yesterday, or would you create something new?
One of the things I love most about being a coach is helping people realize they have more authority over their lives and their outcomes than they give themself credit.
Many people believe that their choices are limited. They are bound by their circumstances and past decisions. Although there is some truth to that, it's never the final answer.
We all have two choices:
We can ride the momentum of our circumstances.
OR
Create our own wave.
If you want to create your own momentum, you can't do it passively. You can't just think about it, or hope for it, or even pray about it. You have to DO something.
Here are a couple of ideas:
Create space for contemplation:
Our minds are the first place that we create our reality. No matter how busy you are or what you have going on, you must make space every day to contemplate three things:
Who have I been?
Who am I now?
Who am I becoming?
It's as easy as sitting down for five minutes without technology, without a notebook, without any outside distractions, and simply answering this question,
Who would I like to be today, and what characteristics do I need to exhibit to accomplish that?
Get Dressed
Just like you go into your closet every day and choose what clothes to wear, also consider making that a place where you decide what version of yourself you will "put on."
Every morning when I walk into my closet to choose what I'm going to wear, I also make a conscious choice to put on a specific characteristic.
Today, I will be ______.
Not deciding upfront is equivalent to leaving your house before you put on your clothes.
This practice reminds me of the person I am actively choosing to be.
Sometimes, I spilled something on my nice clean shirt and ruin my outfit. When that happens, I take a moment to mourn the mistake, clean it up the best I can, and then move on.
I do the same thing when I mess up one of the characteristics that I've chosen to put on for the day. When I am unloving or unkind or inpatient, I clean it up to the best of my ability, apologize for it. Then, I move on.
Tomorrow, I get a new opportunity to put on fresh clothes and fresh characteristics and try again.
Connect mind, body, and spirit, every day.
It seems as if we never turn our minds off. There's a constant barrage of notifications, obligations, thoughts, and fears tumbling through our minds like a load a wet laundry in the dryer.
When was the last time you can remember deliberately turning "it" off?
I found one of the things that give me the most momentum is making sure that I am focusing on the things that help me keep my mind sharp.
A few ways you might consider doing the same is finding 5 to 10 minutes every day to stretch or move your body somehow.
Depending on your health and how much physical activity you're used to, that may mean a long run, a short walk, or just standing more than you sit.
It doesn't matter where you start; what matters is that you start.
And when (not if) you mess up, notice it, adjust, and start again.
Take care of your spirit.
Prayer, meditation, spending time with someone you love, or doing something you enjoy can all be ways to take care of yourself.
This isn't about going to church (though it could be); it's finding opportunities to refresh and rejuvenate the deepest parts of who you are.
For me, some of those things include paddle boarding, skateboarding, quiet contemplation, and spending time with my wife, Merideth.
The things that rejuvenate you may be completely different. An excellent place to determine what those are is in your time of quiet contemplation.
So, don't just be a victim of your circumstances being tossed around like a sea ship.
Plan, decide, then act.
You are the captain of your ship. You can create your own momentum. And when you feel like life gets to be too much, remember,
Sometimes, God calms the storm. And sometimes, God calms the sailor.
Don't ride the wave, be the wave.