You Need Momentum Not Motivation

Of all the Natural Sciences, I hated Physics the most in school.

I think at the time it was because I saw it’s lack of applicability to the real world. But like much things in life, with time I have come to appreciate its gravitas. 

Physics deals with the structure of things and how the fundamental constituents of the universe interact. It studies objects ranging from the very small to the entire universe. 

In fact, of all the Natural Sciences — I now see Physics as the most relatable in business and self improvement. Especially the study of momentum.

The Momentum Calculation

Success is like a snowball… You gotta get it moving and the more you roll it in the right direction the greater it gets — Steve Ferrante

Momentum is the measurement of strength or force gained by motion. In Physics, you can calculate this by multiply the mass (or weight) of an object by its velocity (or speed). The aim in life and work is to have lots of momentum in each of our endeavours and we can achieve this by dissecting Mass from Velocity to become both abundant and quick. 

Mass 

In the context of your career and life — I look at mass, not as being heavy and inflexible, but being extremely resourceful. The way for you to build mass is to invest in your skillset. For example, in episode 8 I taught you on “How to Sell Anything.” The episode focused on making sure that you build what I think is the most important skill of the 21st century, Sales. If you can sell, you can position yourself to sell products in lucrative markets that you will benefit from. You want to build mass by combining your skills and knowledge. This will allow you to continually adapt and evolve. 

Take another example. In 2021, Manchester City Footballer, Kevin De Bruyne negotiated an £83M contract extension without the use of an agent. Instead De Bruyne employed Analytics FC, a Data Analytics agency that created an algorithm that calculates a player’s ‘contribution value’. The algorithm takes a large range of metrics, such as expected goals and expected assists, and works out the effect a player has had on their team’s chances of scoring or conceding goals. This contribution value can then be benchmarked against players bracketed in the same age category and position from different leagues. The results showed that Kevin was an integral part of the team and left Manchester City with little choice than to meet Kevin’s salary demands. 

Analytics FC is how to combine skill and craft. First become an expert in your craft and then underpin your skills with knowledge of your field. 

Velocity

Increasing velocity is all about speed. Rather than thinking about moving fast, commit to moving in the first place. Motion is the catalyst for everything.

To reap the benefits of increased velocity, you must have already gotten the ball rolling. You do this by starting whatever it is that you have in mind as soon as possible, this way you put yourself in the position to keep going and what you will find is that your motivation behaves more like a domino effect than you might believe. One small win, leads to a greater desire for you to collide with your next win and so on and so forth. 

Once you embark on a journey, you’ll be amazed at how the networking effect can quickly unfold. This has happened to me a lot and continues to shock me. People like to support an already moving trend. It’s almost as if, when people see that you are committed to a cause they feel compelled to contribute with connections or support, fueling a snowball effect. This interconnectedness can lead to opportunities for you to accelerate your progress in ways you may have never imagined. 

So, build velocity by getting started and let first domino topple into the next.

Keep moving

The more you move, the easier it is to keep moving. Maintain the momentum — James Clear

In 1987 Nike Executives felt they needed a captivating roll out to go with their first major television campaign. 

Nike hired in the advertising firm Wieden + Kennedy to make a commercial across running, walking, cross-training, basketball and women’s fitness. “Each spot was developed by a different creative team and was markedly different from the others,” remembers Dan Wieden, founder of the agency. “In reviewing the work the night before the client presentation, I felt we needed a tagline to give some unity to the work, one that spoke to the hardest hardcore athletes as well as those talking up a morning walk.”

Dan and his team arrived at “Just Do It.”

The “Just Do It” campaign launched in 1988 was highly successful. In the decade between 1988 to 1998, Nike increased its share of the North American domestic sport-shoe business from 18% to 43% (from $877 million to $9.2 billion in worldwide sales). In many Nike-related situations, “Just Do It” appears alongside the Nike swoosh. Nike’s former Chief Marketing Officer, Davide Grasso, mentioned that interestingly enough Nike itself does not see the line as simply a slogan, but more as a brand identity or philosophy. 

I think the Nike’s massive increase in sales had something to do with the universal appreciation for momentum. 

Something that we know but forget is that momentum works in both directions. Whatever state you remain in will probably compound. If you don’t exercise, you feel sluggish. Once you exercise, you feel like exercising more. Don’t write, experience writer’s block. Start writing, more ideas flow. Teachers don’t always feel like teaching. Parents don’t always feel like cooking. 

Momentum isn’t powered by your motivation, but rather by the small movements you had made over the last days, weeks, months and years. If you let motivation dictate your actions, inertia conspires to keep you in place. If you wait until you’re motivated, you’ve already lost.

Action creates progress. Progress creates momentum. Momentum creates motivation.