Momentum
You know when you decide to go for a bike ride, and when you first push off, it’s awkward and wobbly? It takes a few minutes to get both feet situated on the pedals so you can reach a comfortable speed. Once you get there you can relax a bit and enjoy the passing scenery while you successfully move towards your destination.
The key to bike riding is finding that intersection of speed and balance where you achieve your perfect momentum. If you go too slow, you lose your balance and fall off the bike. If you go too fast the bike starts to shake and you can lose control.
My word for 2021 is Momentum. It’s Isaac Newton’s second law of motion and it’s about the strength or force that propels you forward. Every time you go too slow or too fast on the bike, it breaks your momentum and you have to start again. And it’s the same in business and life.
Every January we start out coasting at a brisk speed, eye on the traditional finish line a long 12 months ahead. We start the year off with a renewed energy that’s awesome. But what we fail to do sometimes is to figure out how to maintain that momentum.
If you want to keep moving towards your goals at a steady pace, you need to maintain that momentum through conscious actions and accountability. Here are some tips:
Free yourself from the concept of the calendar
By setting goals in smaller chunks of 90 days, you create an urgency to get things done. When you set goals for December in January, there’s a tendency to kick back and watch some Netflix, because hey - you have tons of time to get that stuff done. But when you establish deadlines that are close enough to see, the necessary actions to hit that deadline are front of mind.
Set realistic goals
Know the difference between goals and dreams. Dreams are possibilities. Goals are realities if you hold yourself accountable for taking actionable steps to reach them.
Commit to necessary actions
So many times we have things on our calendars that we think we are committed to, until someone invites us to lunch, or we get an unexpected call or email that we feel the urge to answer immediately even though we don’t have to. If you write it down, consider it a commitment. Anything else will have to wait if you want to keep moving forward.
Practice consistency
Every Friday I schedule a CEO Hour for my business. I tie up loose ends from the week and plan out what I need to accomplish in the coming week. When you do things consistently, you do them easier and more efficiently.
Be flexible by anticipating challenges
No matter how committed and consistent you are, something out of your control is going to shake things up. Be prepared for this by avoiding the temptation of over scheduling. If you are clear on what you need to accomplish and you schedule enough time to check things off your task list, an occasional spontaneous issue shouldn’t knock you off track.
Accept support
Just because you have a business doesn’t mean you know how to wear all the hats to sustain it. You got into this to do what you love, not necessarily all the other stuff that comes with it. I run Group CEO Hours and Accountability Groups that can keep you in that crucial momentum mindset.
Wouldn’t it be great to make 2021 your year of steady momentum? I invite you to join me for my next Accountability Group, starting soon. Read more about it here or schedule a call with me to see if it would be a good fit for you.
P.S. Ready to stop spinning in place and get to the other side of your goals? Here are several ways I can help:
Download my free weekly planning guide - it will help you become more intentional with your time, develop a clear action plan for your week, and ensure that you are focusing on activities that will move your business forward - Download Now
Join our next CEO Power Planning Session and spend two and a half hours ON your business. During this facilitated workshop, you’ll set and prioritize your next 12-week goals, break them down into an executable action plan and create a resource plan - Join the Wait List
Apply for the next Close the Gap Program and stay on track to achieve your most important goals. 1:1 support and guidance on prioritizing goals, creating a plan and putting structure and routines in place. Then 12 weeks of group support around execution - Apply today