Momentum is a beautiful thing. It is hard to always describe it or even pinpoint when it begins or ends, but we know it when we have it. It could be an individual or an organization that is hitting the Big Mo. Everything is better with momentum.
There are a couple dangers with momentum to be aware of. I have experienced both of these in my life, but I must give credit to John Maxwell for giving me clarity on it in one of his many great books.
We would all love to live in momentum all the time. Who wouldn’t want to ride the bike continuously downhill where all we have to do is coast and ride the momentum? While there are many things we can do to create momentum and try to hold on to it, it is unrealistic to think we will have it all the time. So let’s remember these dangers of momentum.
When we don’t have it, we look a lot worse than we really are. This is important to understand and remember when we are trying to create some momentum in our life or organization. When we are working hard doing the right things to create the momentum, we may not look that great yet. The results may not be showing to the outside world yet. The momentum hasn’t kicked in yet. This is when it is easy to get discouraged. It is easy to beat ourselves up and quit, but’s try to remember that without momentum we are really better than we appear to be. Hopefully, this can encourage us to keep pushing up the hill until we hit that momentum and can coast with it.
The second danger may not seem as dangerous, but perhaps it is the most dangerous of all. It is especially dangerous because most of us won’t be able to recognize it when the time comes.
With momentum we look a lot better than we really are! That’s it. May not sound too dangerous at first, but we should be aware of it. When a person or an organization has momentum, almost everything works. Afterall, we are flying downhill and with enough momentum almost nothing can stop us. Again, it is a beautiful thing and we want to ride that momentum and take it as far as we can. But we must be cautious. This is when we get sloppy because we can afford to be. This is also when we can become arrogant and loose our empathy for others who don’t have the momentum. So it is worth remembering that when we have the Big Mo on our side that we may not be as good as we think we are. Let’s try to remember what it was like when we didn’t have it. Maybe that will help us keep it longer and be better humans at the same time.
Rich Florence 