“A big part of successful living is doing what you do to the fullest extent of your abilities. Somewhere in that range lies “the zone;” the place where all the fulfillment of GOD’s promise in you comes into broad relief. You are doing what you were built to do and in harmony with all that you’ve ever wanted to become."
Quoted in Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward, LEADERSHIP AND
LIBERTY: PIECES OF THE PUZZLE (Flint, MI: Obstacles Press, Inc.,
2009), 70.
In physics, momentum is defined as “mass in motion.” The greater the momentum, the greater the force required to stop it. Just like in physics, our “mental momentum” or “attitude in motion,” takes a certain amount of force to stop. In life, we can use the power of momentum to repel negative forces that attempt to stop us from achieving our dreams, goals, and desires.
As we have all witnessed in sports, momentum can make the difference between winning and losing. A single athlete or team that builds and maintains positive momentum throughout a game can dramatically improve their path to victory. Momentum generates positive energy and builds confidence. As a team builds positive momentum, it becomes more difficult for the opposing team to stop them. For a team lacking momentum, the opposite is true. Just like an object standing still, a team without positive momentum lacks the energy needed to control the environment of the game. At least in a way that is favorable to them winning.
Just as in the case of a physical object experiencing momentum, our mental momentum is subject to external forces which effect the intensity and direction of this momentum. These forces can carry us in a positive or negative direction, depending on the nature of these forces and our reaction to them. Objects that have momentum in the physical world do not operate in a vacuum and neither do our thoughts and attitudes. Aside from a controlled environment in a science laboratory, there are rarely, if any, situations in life that aren’t subject to external factors. In an imperfect world, negative forces will always attempt to impede our positive momentum. If the goal is to live a successful and productive life, we must reduce the impact of negative forces, while embracing positive forces. Similar to reducing air drag forces on a race car, we must shape our attitudes and minds in a way to deflect negative forces.
It starts with a push.
In the world of professional car racing, the goal is to design and build the most powerful and aerodynamic race car possible. The race car design team is charged with keeping the negative forces produced by air drag and friction to a minimum and positive forces produced by the engine to a maximum. Relying on engine design and power alone to combat the negative forces of drag and friction is not enough. Increasing engine power and capability can add more overall weight to the race car and therefore reduce overall performance. The designer strives for a balance between engine power and aerodynamics to win races. The same principles can hold true in our daily lives. The more successful and efficient we are at deflecting negative forces, the less mental power (weight) we must dedicate to overcoming negative forces.
- Jermaine E. Martin, Author, American Mindset: Unstuck & Unstoppable