Imagine two trains.
The first is in a stopped position, gearing up its robust engines in preparation for its next journey. A lone brick is placed in front of the large steel wheel of the engine car as it begins to take off.
The second train is in full movement, at top speed, racing to its next destination. Ahead of it is a large brick wall spanning the width of the track.
Which do you think has more impact on the speed of the train–the lone brick or the entire wall?
The singular brick is enough to slow down the goliath automotive, preventing it from moving in its efficiently designed manner.
The brick wall, however, will be decimated by the momentum of the large train.
Leverage Your Momentum
Like the trains above, we have the capability of either being held back by minor inconveniences or blasting through tough challenges with ease.
At times, you may feel like small tasks feel impossible and are keeping you from a productive work day. That difficult phone call or annoying email in the morning might be holding you back from a day of success.
If we let those small tasks keep us from even getting started, much less creating enough momentum to burst through a brick wall, we won’t show up as the best version of ourselves.
However, if we start tackling tasks early, we can easily gain the momentum necessary to successfully take on larger tasks and difficult projects.
Your momentum will keep you from throwing in the towel at the first sign of difficulty. Ideas will come more easily and solutions will become more clear. Obstacles will still show up, but you’ll be equipped to tackle them with ease thanks to the momentum you’ve built up in your day.
Amplify Productivity
There’s a saying: “If you want something done, give it to a busy person.”
If you’ve ever been in the middle of a busy, productive day, you know the power that comes with knowing you can take anything thrown at you.
So how can we use our momentum to amplify productivity? These two tips will help you leverage your momentum as a tool to help you tackle both small tasks and big projects.
Start each day with a momentum-building task
First thing in the morning, get one or two things done and watch your energy shift into “doing” mode.
Make that tough phone call. Turn in the report you’ve been procrastinating on. Respond to that email–you know the one.
Starting your day with a small amount of momentum will allow you the space to continue it.
Newton’s first law of motion: a body in motion will stay in motion!
Learn to recognize when you’re stuck
Does your next task feel impossible?
Do you feel so overwhelmed by a big project that you don’t know where to start?
Do you just feel tired and unmotivated to get your work done?
We can’t operate at 100% every day, so it’s important to recognize when you’re stuck in an unproductive rut.
When you identify your situation, you’re in a stronger position to change it.
If you find yourself stuck and decide you want to be productive, take one small action.
Keep the larger picture out of your mind and focus on the single task right in front of you. Whether it’s simply opening up your email or launching Powerpoint, start small and begin building those tiny blocks one on top of the other until the larger picture comes into view.
You will eventually get into a flow and be more inspired to get your work done.
So build up that momentum and break through that wall!
If you’re still stuck and you need more motivation tips or want to improve productivity, listen to the full podcast episode here.