Build Your Momentum

As I wrote in my blog last weekend, “You Have Two Options” was originally my last post, but after listening to many good comments from you and multiple requests to keep writing, I finally came to my senses and decided to keep on writing. Again, thanks to you all. Regarding this decision, I would like to share with you a few thoughts on building momentum, and seizing it once attained.

The Dictionary definition for Momentum is, “The impetus and driving force gained by the development of a process or course of events”.

If I had to say it in my own words, I would say, momentum is when Michael Jordan is at his highest point in the air, having built if from the floor up, to then explode and dunk the ball.

Sort of like this:

Now, to get up in the air, he must have done may things right. Momentum can be done in a single action like in this play, or in a series of events, for example in a basketball game when a team is on a 10 point streak, the momentum is on their side. Let me explain myself further:

It’s not gonna happen unless you want it. 

You have to want your momentum to be built. You must have that impetus and driving force to do what you want to do. Professional athletes start building their momentum in the gym and practice, they do it everyday, and they are constantly learning to become better. If that is of your interest, there’s where you should be right now. If your aim is to become a successful person in business, you must doing the same thing, learning and practicing. Luck happens when opportunity meets preparation. If you don’t believe in luck, believe that you will not meet expectations if you are not ready, even if the opportunity arises. So my suggestion is keep adding to your body of work, picture yourself doing things that you will have to do once you reach the peak of your momentum, even if it is useless to you right now, because building your momentum will get that opportunity closer to you, and if you have the right tools, you will succeed. Michael Jordan practiced over and over making the winning shot, so that he was ready when the opportunity came up. If you are asking yourself, what if the opportunity never arises, don’t worry, don’t hesitate, it will come, because by doing what you are doing, you are bringing that opportunity closer to you.

When you reach it, explode like MJ

When things are going well, and your momentum is exponentially growing, place some glue on your shoes. Don’t allow the situation to separate your feet off the ground. Remember what you practiced over and over, and stick to your original plan. Having your feet well glued to the ground, reach as up as you can, make the best effort you can and explode like Michael jordan on that picture. You could compare this to a bamboo plant. Bamboo plants sleep and creep for the first years, but once they start to leap, they grow to their fullest in 90 days, they are the fastest growing plants. 3 quick examples:

I hate to mention this because I am a Pats fan, but the New England Patriots fell in to the mistake mentioned above (they didn’t use the glue!), they had a perfect season, undefeated, built their momentum, and in the Super Bowl, they choked. I would say they fell into overconfidence. Same thing happened to Donald Trump when he believed he “turned everything he touched in gold“. He then fell into billions of dollars in debt. In the other side, Mark Cuban stayed restless for many years getting prepared and learning to form a business and when the opportunity came up, he decided to make his company public, he reached his momentum’s peak, and he exploded by raising the value of it’s stock in it’s opening day to almost 250%.

Wait, there’s more

It doesn’t end here, if you have conquered that ultimate goal, do not fall into complacency. It is time to take a bigger leap and accomplish an even bigger goal. You won a championship, you were awarded top scorer, you closed the biggest deal in the history of your company, you became a millionaire, whatever it is that your goal was, once you reach and conquer your goals and dreams, it’s time to go for more. Don’t be a settler, and if anything you learned from this experience is that, like Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “in the end the journey is the destination”. Take on a bigger challenge this time, because maybe, just maybe, if you do things right, you will stop being a success. You will become a Legend… Believe it.

Twitter: @asanvicente

Email: asanvicente@live.com