Momentum

Posted On 12 May 2020

Last updated on April 9th, 2024

Momentum is the force in our lives that keeps us moving in the direction we are heading, and it can be our best friend, or our worst enemy. The more I experience in life, the more I am convinced that momentum is a major factor. Momentum works like interest. It builds on itself and if it is allowed to run, momentum will get to the point where it is unstoppable.

Think of your life as a ship in the ocean. We are the captain of our ship. Just as the captain of a ship is responsible for charting the course for the ship, we must take responsibility for our life. For a ship to reach its destination port, the captain must make many small adjustments while on the journey.

There can be storms that come along and blow a ship off course. That does not mean that the ship does not arrive at its destination! It may arrive later than expected yet it still arrives. The same is true in our lives.

Our Actions Are Choices

I love the quote by Epictetus, “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” It is so true! While calm seas never make good sailors, it is not the storms that a captain is known for. It is the captain’s ability to make it to the ship’s destination that really matters.

An even bigger problem than the storms we encounter, is when we are headed in the wrong direction. With a huge ship it can take a while to change its course. Just because we have decided to get out of debt and have started to make some changes in our spending, we might not see much change in our bank accounts. It does take some time for the changes in our finances to be noticeable.

After we have our financial life moving in the direction we want it to go, there will be challenges and setbacks. The challenges that come along allow us to develop strength of character. It is important that we remember that our reaction is more important than the situation.

Momentum Comes from Our Habits

As humans, we are creatures of habit. When we get into the habit of making the best out of whatever comes our way, we tend to get better results. Creating the habit of being goal oriented helps keep us on our intended path.

We humans also tend to convert wants into needs. It is amazing how much extra spending can creep into our budget if we are not vigilant! Usually the course corrections that need to be made are minor, and like with ships, even though they do not move fast, with their momentum they make good progress.

Building Confidence

Having money gives us confidence. When we apply momentum to building up the amount of cash that we have available to us, the more confidence we tend to have.

When we start to carry emergency cash and we build an emergency fund we start building momentum. We start to feel wealthier as well – even if we don’t have that much more money!

Are We Spiraling Up or Spiraling Down?

Our emotional health lives on a spiral. Picture a slinky stretched out vertically. Our daily highs and lows are only at certain points on that spiral. As we progress through life, our daily area on that spiral can slowly move either upwards or downwards.

Since we are the captain of our life, we can determine the direction we want to go. It does not matter what the circumstances are – We can change the way we respond to those circumstances. When we consistently make changes in the same direction, we build up momentum.

Momentum can be applied to debt reduction as well. Your can read my post about using the snowball technique for eliminating debt. Like gravity, momentum is a force that we can use to our advantage.

Momentum with Automation

In a similar way to how the snowball technique can be used to eliminate debt, automation can be used to build wealth. Automatic transfers can be set up to build your savings without you having to even think about it!

There are other ways that you can build your wealth automatically. Check out my post on automation as well as apps that let you round off transactions or transfer into an investing account on a regular schedule.

Results Give Motivation

As we gain momentum, we get better results, which boosts our confidence. Increased confidence allows us to attempt more (or new) projects. As we take on those additional projects, we are presented opportunities to learn more and get more results. I encourage you to get momentum working in your favor. It may take a while for your financial situation to turn around. Keep working towards your goal and like the slow-moving ship crossing the ocean, you will eventually make it to your destination, too.