Building momentum is arguably the hardest part of any meaningful pursuit. It requires a lot of persistence.
Too many friction points and there's always this element of uncertainty with regards to whether your efforts will actually pay off.
The light at the end of the tunnel is more or less just a flicker that could disappear when one happens to face repeated setbacks or lose focus.
I think sometimes it's less easy for me to discern the doing aspect with building momentum.
I mean, does any doing count with building momentum or is there a specific or rather right type of doing that actually builds momentum?
Time is always of the essence, and from a time perspective, I'm better off solving for the right type of doing that really contributes to momentum building.
The main reason is of course I don't have all the time in the world to experiment endlessly.
This isn't unlike finding leverage for maximum impact, although leverage usually works better in the execution phase rather than the initial momentum-building stage, generally.
In simpler terms, I may need to focus on identifying the vital few actions that create disproportionate progress.
In practical terms, just removing unnecessary friction and distractions could be more important than adding new activities.
The issue however that I've encountered with this time perspective is I still perceive the whole journey ahead as "terra incognita". How easy will it be for me to find the right path to the mountain top when the terrain itself is uncharted territory?
Perhaps, there's no right path. Just need to find a path and make it right. But that's just borderline wishful thinking, since not all paths will lead to the mountain top.
Apart from a time perspective, there's also another perspective that could be more valuable, the energy perspective.
The Energy Equation
What if momentum isn't primarily about time management but energy management?
In the sense that, actions that truly build momentum are those that generate more energy than they consume. Some tasks drain us completely while yielding minimal progress(e.g sitting through unnecessary meetings).
Others take the same amount of time but leave us energized and eager to continue(e.g completing a small but visible component of a project).
I think this creates an interesting framework, in that activities that both move us forward AND generate energy could be termed as momentum multipliers.
Those that move us forward but drain us completely are necessary evils. And the ones that neither move us forward nor generate energy are simply momentum killers.
It's already enough that it's hardest at the beginning when you have the least evidence that your efforts will pay off. The first steps require the most faith and offer the least immediate reward. No wonder so many ambitious projects die in infancy.
Could we need to consciously lower our expectations at the beginning?
Unclear Path Ahead
Learning to be comfortable with the uncertainty ahead is one of the most challenging parts with building momentum.
The truth is that momentum(irrespective of specific or not) itself changes the terrain. What looked impossible from the starting line tends to become achievable once you're in motion, and sometimes you regret not thinking bigger.
Since the view from halfway up the mountain reveals paths that were invisible from the base.
The best way to find the right path will be to start walking on any path, knowing you can adjust your course as you go.
As mentioned previously, not all paths lead to the mountain top, but no path at all guarantees you'll never get there.
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