I've been thinking about momentum. When you have momentum, everything feels easy. Work feels effortless, and the outcome of that work feels more impactful. Good things seem to happen without trying all that hard. It feels like riding a bike in third gear.
When you don't have momentum, everything feels hard. Work feels hard, the results feel disappointing, and there seems to be a new hurdle around every corner. It feels like walking through mud.
Momentum is hard to build. But once it's started, it's hard to stop.
I've been thinking about this because someone in The Lab recently asked if anyone else noticed a decline in course sales over the last few years. At a macro level, I do believe course sales have dropped since the 2020-2021 COVID-related spike. But at a micro level, most sales drops correlate to a drop in enthusiasm. Here's what I said:
I strongly believe that, more often than not, our business performance is correlated to our enthusiasm for the business.
Yes, macro circumstances could have a big impact – but again, more times than not, I see dips related to a dipping enthusiasm from the maker of the thing. Somehow, the market just knows.
That’s not super helpful I know, but if that is true in your circumstance, the counterpoint of that belief is that by changing the trajectory of your own enthusiasm you can probably move the needle in the other direction. Renewed enthusiasm will naturally direct you to discover new ways of approaching the business, and the market will take notice.
When we feel a lack of momentum in our businesses, it's typically preceded by a lack of enthusiasm. It's easy to get discouraged, especially if we've had and then lost momentum.
When we get discouraged, we lose enthusiasm. This loss of enthusiasm is felt in our work, which performs worse. When our work performs worse, we lose momentum. And when we lose momentum, we feel discouraged.
You see how the wheel spins round and round.
But the opposite is also true. When we're enthusiastic, our work is better. When our work is better, it performs better. When our work performs better, we gain momentum. And that momentum increases our enthusiasm.
So, if you're feeling a lack of momentum, examine your level of enthusiasm. If it's lacking, there are a few things you can do:
- Find the fun. What aspects of your work do you enjoy most? Practice those without worrying about the outcome.
- Set yourself up for small wins. Do you have a go-to topic or idea that resonates? Share that idea again. If that feels too daunting, do small things around the house, like washing the dishes or making your bed, to create forward motion.
- Give what's missing. If you wish you were getting more appreciation for your work, GIVE appreciation to people whose work you appreciate. If you wish you had more opportunities, GIVE an opportunity to someone else.
Enthusiasm is contagious. We want to feel enthusiastic, so we seek it out. Our work is a transfer of enthusiasm. When it's present, it will be felt (and appreciated).
To generate momentum, cultivate enthusiasm.