Momentum and your ability to maintain momentum is mandatory for your success. How do you keep your momentum up? It’s not always easy. That’s a fact. In many cases momentum is damn hard to keep active. There are many things that can get in our way and at time the list seems to be endless. Momentum – your ability to achieve, grow and prosper is affected by many things and our ability to keep up our momentum UP and shut out the noise is essential to personal and professional victory. Your personal recipe for momentum and momentum recovery is money in the bank.
So what is momentum? It’s your ability to keep moving in a progressive and winning direction in the face of whatever may be in your way. Here are six things that can break our momentum when we are challenged:
- “It’s all good so now I can relax”. Much earlier in my career I noticed that when things were going well, closed big order or got an interview that I wanted, I slowed down. In other words when something good happened, I noticed that my momentum was temporarily interrupted. I took a mental beak and basked in that moment of goodness. Instead of using the good mojo generated from my own success to do more, I took that break. That pause had a negative exponential effect on my ability to get started again and achieve success. In other words, the very momentum that led to success, held me back at the same time. The ultimate irony.
- Perceived judgement. I am asked often how one can be a better presenter or speaker. The first answer I give is stop thinking that people are judging you. Nothing kills momentum faster than your belief that you are being judged and evaluated. Yes, we are always being evaluated in some fashion. Just don’t let the pressure of that get in the way of your momentum.
- Complacency. You know what I mean here. There are those that think that success is always a result of “I’ve always done it this way” and therefore “I will always be successful.” Uh, no. Sorry- times have changed. In this case, momentum is interrupted by a failure to see the opportunity for change and refresh. Complacency actually creates a false sense of momentum. The not so subtle point is complacency is paralyzing and stops our good momentum.
- Can’t break it down. Momentum to success is often impeded by what we see as an insurmountable challenge or a seeming big list of things that need to get done. Like in sales, I always counsel to look at the sales goal as a series of steps that need to be accomplished, not one BIG hill that needs to be climbed.
- Other peoples “stuff.” Don’t let others people’s issues get in the way of your momentum. I believe strongly in the good of people and that we want to help our friends and colleagues. If someone else’s stuff is weighing you down or holding you back you need to manage that. Be good to yourself and to them. Sometimes we have to maintain a line of demarcation so other peoples junk doesn’t weigh us down.
- Your “stuff.” What is really holding you back? What has broken your momentum? Take a minute or many minutes and step back. What was happening right before your momentum stopped? Are you afraid of something? Are you anticipating an outcome that is not reality? Break it down and decide if it’s real. Fear is a momentum killer.
We have all suffered from some or all of these at times and the effect on our momentum is that it stops progress. It keeps us from achieving. Momentum is in your control to keep it up and keep growing. You are in charge. Make it happen.
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This video is about Todd Momentum