The Momentum Effect - Why It's Essential for High Performance and reaching your Goals

There is a powerful principle, known as momentum, that if used correctly can help us achieve amazing results in life.

Today I will be exploring momentum’s role in our success, as well as its role in mental health challenges.

What is Momentum

Momentum is the positive energy and progress that builds over time as you work towards your goals. It's the sense of forward movement and accomplishment that propels you towards further success.

But momentum is more than just a feeling. It's a self-reinforcing cycle where small wins and accomplishments build confidence and motivation, leading to more success and progress. Most importantly, it helps strengthen your belief that 'it' is possible and puts you in a mindset conducive to achieving your goals.

Reflecting on my own life, I can see the power of momentum at play. Small consistent actions in the right direction created a snowball effect that allowed me to breakthrough my own walls, which at one time seemed impossible to conquer. Momentum truly is amazing.

Build Momentum

I have found it to be useful to have a daily action or practice that builds momentum first thing in the morning. One of my personal favourite daily actions is doing a '5-at-5,' which is a 5km run at 5am, that sets the pace and momentum for the rest of my day.

I highly encourage that you create a form of practice that you can do first thing in the morning to get you into the right frame of mind for the day ahead.

Momentum is Fragile

However, momentum is fragile. Breaking our momentum can negatively impact our progress. Think about fitness as an example, when we take a break from our fitness routine, it can be challenging to get back into the swing of things.

Not only do we face the loss of progress that comes with pruning, but we also face greater resistance and friction as we try to regain the momentum we once had.

There are many examples of people, and even companies, who took their foot off the accelerator and broke their momentum.

Just yesterday I had a call with a client who is consulting for a major national organization in South Africa. This organization dominated their respective industry for the last 20 years only to lose a substantial market share to their competitor because they took their foot off the accelerator, which in turn led to them losing their competitive advantage.

We should be mindful that momentum is fragile and find ways that ensure we maintain momentum.

Momentum and Mental Health

Momentum can also be negative. Negative momentum can occur when we engage in behaviours that are counterproductive to our goals. For example, telling one lie can lead to a string of lies that are difficult to untangle.

Negative momentum can contribute to anxiety and depression in a variety of ways. For example, let's say someone is feeling overwhelmed by their workload. They may start with a neutral thought such as "I have a lot of tasks to complete today." However, if they then start to focus on the negative aspects of their workload, such as "I'll never get everything done," or "I'm not capable of handling this," this can lead to a downward spiral of negative thoughts and emotions. The more they dwell on these thoughts, the worse they feel, and this can ultimately lead to anxiety or depression. In this way, negative momentum can be a major contributor to these mental health issues.

We have to be mindful of the direction in which our momentum is taking us in and to make course corrections as needed to ensure that we are moving in the right direction. One of the most powerful tools to help you catch yourself early and make the necessary adjustments, is a daily or even weekly review. Simply running through how your week has been, what successes you had, what did not go according to plan and so forth can be powerful in providing you with the insight of whether you are on course or not.

Conclusion

To conclude, understanding the power of momentum is essential for anyone looking to achieve their goals and reach new levels of success. By tapping into the power of momentum, you can unlock opportunities, build belief and a mindset conducive to winning, among other things. Be mindful that both positive and negative momentum exists, and that it is necessary to 'check-in' with yourself regularly to see if you are on the right trajectory.