Momentum: Best Friend or Worst Enemy?

I have a concern. That concern is what people say these days about their psyche. Many are depressed or in some personal crisis that is crippling them from being their best. Other people today think they are failures and have given up hope. Many people have lost their businesses or were "let go" from work. Some are still wearing masks and afraid to talk to others or even go outside. 

To them, the future looks bleak. Most are not sick. They're stuck. They have lost momentum and, in some cases, are experiencing reverse momentum. That's an internal issue, perhaps caused by an external issue. 

I'm also concerned about countries. I'm writing this article from Pretoria, South Africa. A few weeks ago, I was in New Zealand. I was there at the request of churches or ministries who asked me to speak about church, community, culture. Think of what COVID-19, corruption, and ineffective leadership have done to many countries in our world. These countries have not recovered economically from the effects and expenses of COVID-19. That's a massive loss of the forward economic momentum most countries were experiencing before COVID-19.

I've used the word 'momentum' several times in my introduction. Since my column is entitled "Equipping People for Life, let's explore momentum clearly and tangibly so that you can understand and apply it daily. Momentum is important. Why? Because momentum can be either your best friend or worst enemy, both in 'good or not so good' times. 

Hint: Rather than focusing on stopping negative momentum, focus on starting positive momentum. Peter de Jager observes, "Sometimes being pushed to the wall gives you the momentum necessary to get over it!"

It's said that momentum is 'The Great Exaggerator.' It makes everything look better than it is. When you lack momentum, obstacles seem greater than they are. John Maxwell says, "Momentum can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Successful leaders build momentum. Lousy, lazy, 'loosey-goosey,’ or unaware leaders, destroy it.”

A sports team or a church that is moving forward has momentum. An athletic coach once said: "When you've got momentum going, get in a rhythm, you will see that once you get into it, you can do pretty much anything you want to. We've got to get into that rhythm every game." Conversely, basketball coach Phil Jackson once said, "We let momentum slide in the fourth quarter." How many times has losing momentum happened to people or teams?

By the way, how about the Arizona Diamondbacks? Last year, the team had 110 losses. This year, they are in the World Series. Last year, momentum was their worst enemy. This year, momentum is their best friend. Any more questions? No matter what your emotions or history tells you, you can have momentum.       

Here's a question for us to consider today. Are you a momentum maker or a momentum breaker? If you are a positive momentum maker, you will likely be a negative momentum breaker. The converse is also true. If you are a negative momentum maker, you will be a positive momentum breaker. 

So, what is momentum, and how can we get momentum working for us again, rather than against us? What are some keys to gaining momentum personally, societally, and spiritually?  

Lesson One. Many know about momentum but don't know how it works in their everyday lives. What is Momentum? Momentum is an invisible force with visible results. Momentum turns thoughts into things. Momentum is 'mass in motion.' All objects have mass. If an object is moving, it has momentum. Here's Momentum's scientific formula: Mass x Velocity = Momentum. For example, a bus traveling 50 miles per hour has more momentum than a car traveling 50 miles per hour.

Lesson Two. Momentum is the principle behind Newton's first law of physics. It states that an object at rest tends to remain static, while an object moving is more likely to sustain its forward motion. Do you see that? You're more likely to maintain that forward motion if you're already moving in a good direction. If you stop moving forward, you will most likely not move forward. That's what happens in a crisis. People stop moving forward and stagnate. They become lethargic. Christie Brinkley writes, "When you turn 60, the key is not to stop moving. Once you start to stop moving, you rust. You've got to keep going." Intentional and continuous action fuels momentum; procrastination kills momentum. 

Lesson 3. Charles Givens says, "Success requires first expending ten units of effort to produce one unit of results. Your momentum will then produce ten units of results with each unit of effort." Momentum comes from a commitment to move something toward a desired outcome intentionally. Think of this: "Most of life is dull and grubby, but routine is the momentum that keeps us going. If you wait for inspiration, you'll be standing on the corner after the parade is a mile down the street." In other words, consistently and intentionally doing what needs to be done to create momentum will be "dull and grubby." But the results will be over the top. 

Someone once said, "The more I look at things, the more I believe the willingness to start is the littlest thing in life that makes the biggest difference." Adam Braun says, "For any movement to gain momentum, it must start with a small action." In other words, two-thirds of GOD is GO!

This week, please consider utilizing these three principles to "Get your motor running, so you can head out on the highway.” You’re not born to be mild; You’re born to be wild and ‘smiled.’

Next week, we will conclude this series about momentum. We will get on board the Love and Momentum Train.