Interesting note. When you are going forward and building momentum in a positive direction toward your future self, you momentum compounds. When you first start out, it feels like you are fighting against a tidal wave of resistance. That is because you are! In my case, I had a lot of momentum going the wrong direction, and when I decided to take a new path the resistance was fierce and I found it really difficult to start building momentum in the opposite direction.
Seems that this is good knowledge to have. When you are trying to change course, recognize that you are going to be fighting against the momentum built overtime. It will not be easy because of that reason. The best you can probably do is to hold you ground, and just complete what you committed to. Do not expect greatness, just expect to survive. Eventually, the tide will begin to turn, the wind will start blowing the direction you want to go and you will start to build momentum. That is when your efforts start to compound. This is a great time period in the commitment process, and it is hard to realize that it will come eventually when you are fighting through the initial resistance.
The hardest work is the initial work by far. Fighting months, years, of momentum in the opposite direction is not easy – but once you get past that and the momentum starts to go in your direction – things get easier, a lot easier. That is something to look forward to. Hard to describe, it really depends on what you are trying to accomplish and the level of effort you are putting in. However, things do get easier. What seems like an overwhelming prospect now will seem simple when you have momentum on your side.
The compounding effort of momentum will propel you way past your initial goals. You will suddenly be doing 4X what you thought was possible and then you will be setting goals that would have seemed crazy to the old you that was fighting the opposing winds of resistance. Of course, the job is not done and harder times will come.
They will come in the form of plateaus, and doldrums. You will level off to the point where your current activity level and effort has reached its maximum for a while and progress will slow. What was exciting, will see discouraging now because it is routine and you are not achieving great milestones anymore. You will have more difficulty and you will have to push your limits harder, and set more difficult goals. You will start to experience frequent failure because now you are in the real fight. Before you were just getting past being lazy, now you are facing the real resistance. Perhaps the physical limitations of your body, your mental capacity, your emotional capability. However, you will know that you are fighting the real fight and that is a great feeling.
Most people never can handle the initial resistance that comes with self improvement. Trying to turn the ship around in a steady and strong wind is not easy. However, it can be done and once you get the ship in the right direction and you work hard enough eventually you will build momentum and your success will compound. You will then be in the real fight, doing the right things, going in the right direction. You will be in the minority. You will be travelling on the road least traveled.
Guy Reams
6 Days Left to 1st Marathon
