The Power Of Momentum vs. Motivation

Momentum is all about movement.  In order to create momentum in our lives - we must take action. We must move!  Momentum gives us permission to start right where we are - and do the one thing that will get the ball rolling towards achieving something - instead of waiting for motivation to make us feel like it.

In the book “Atomic Habits,” James Clear shows us how helpful marginal gains can be. He shows us that by aiming for 1% better every day - you can be 37% better by the end of the year.  It is when we are consistent and intentional with these 1% changes that momentum becomes a powerful and enduring force in our lives. And it gives us the confidence to keep making choices that will move us forward.

When we make the choice to show up every day - regardless of how we feel - one step can turn into another step and one small action will turns into another small action - Then over time we create a forward motion in our lives - without the need for motivation.

Then our life doesn’t happen to us, it happens because of us!

A great way to think about it is the snowball effect. Picture a snowball rolling down a hill. Think of the 1% change as the snowball. It starts as a small ball - and as it stays in motion more snow is packed on - and the snowball gets bigger and bigger. And it continues to stay in motion. This a perfect picture of how the 1% can create momentum in our lives.

over time - our small incremental changes- will cause us to experience big accomplishments - and keep our lives moving in the direction we want.

Consider these examples :

If we want to have more energy. A small 1% action we could take is to add more color to our meals. By adding more color, we are replacing unhealthier options with lower calorie more nutrient dense foods. This will help our bodies be more energized - and over time we build momentum by re-training our taste buds. Now we want to eat more colorful nutritional foods that energize us!

Another example is if we want to go the gym more often - a 1% action would be consistently laying out our clothes, and packing our gym bag and water the night before. Now we have created momentum with a small actions to support what we want to do - and we will be much more likely to go to the gym more often.

Here is one more example. If our goal is to run more, we could make the 1% choice to run 1 mile every day. By taking this smaller action daily - we tap into momentum and after one month we would increase our strength and endurance.  And we would accomplish running 30 miles!

As we keep taking the smaller actions - regardless of what we feel like it - we will start to make progress. And by showing up consistently and seeing results - we will create a positive feedback loop that builds our confidence and enhances our belief in our abilities.

What 1% can you do today to move you closer to where you want to be?

What small things can you do to create momentum in your life?

What larger goal could you break down into smaller pieces to start moving forward today?

Let’s show up consistently - to build confidence and the enduring power of momentum in our lives. So we can be energized to keep going - and continue to stay in forward motion!

Let’s take action so momentum can drive and energize our best life!  Let’s do the small, intentional 1% consistently - so we can tap into the power of momentum.