Momentum Is The Catalyst of Change
Action creates momentum. And momentum creates results. This isn’t some Instagram platitude or a motivational poster in a corporate breakroom. It’s physics. An object in motion stays in motion. And the same is true for you, your career, your relationships, and your ambitions.
I’ve spent years watching people (myself included) wait. Waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect plan, the perfect idea. Spoiler alert: perfection doesn’t exist. The irony? The act of waiting feels productive — it’s planning, strategizing, preparing. But it’s just procrastination wearing a business suit. It’s easier to imagine the ideal scenario than to face the messiness of reality.
When you start using what you already know, something remarkable happens. You realize you don’t need all the answers before you begin. You build confidence in your ability to figure things out as you go. You start to trust yourself — not in the “you’re a genius” kind of way, but in the “you’ve survived every disaster so far” kind of way. And trust me, that’s more powerful than any vision board.
Take the example of launching a business. Most people obsess over the business plan. They tweak it, rework it, and spend weeks arguing over the font size on slide 12 of their pitch deck. Here’s the truth: the market doesn’t care about your font size. It cares if you can solve a problem. The only way to know if you can solve that problem? Put something out there. Start.
The first version of anything is going to suck. Your first business, your first job, your first attempt at parenting — whatever it is, it’s going to feel like a chaotic mess. But that mess is where momentum lives. Each step forward, even if it’s ugly, builds on the last. Action doesn’t just create results; it teaches you what doesn’t work. And knowing what doesn’t work? That’s gold.
I’ll give you a personal example. Early in my career, I tried to launch a company that, let’s be honest, was a dumpster fire. I over-planned, under-executed, and spent too much time convincing myself it would all magically come together. It didn’t. But that failure taught me more than any MBA course or TED Talk ever could. It taught me that the gap between a good idea and a great business is execution. And execution starts with action.
Momentum isn’t just about business or careers. It’s about life. Look at relationships. The longer you wait to have the tough conversation, to admit how you feel, or to take a leap of faith, the harder it gets. Waiting breeds inertia. Action, no matter how small, creates clarity. Clarity leads to progress. And progress? That’s the stuff of happiness.
I get it — starting is scary. It’s vulnerable. It’s admitting you don’t have all the answers. But here’s the secret: no one does. The people who seem like they’ve got it all figured out? They’re winging it, just like you. The difference is, they started.
This brings me to another uncomfortable truth: most of what’s holding you back isn’t external. It’s you. Fear of failure, fear of looking stupid, fear of change — it’s all internal noise. But the noise gets quieter once you’re in motion. Why? Because your brain doesn’t have time to overthink when it’s busy doing.
Starting doesn’t require a grand gesture. You don’t need to quit your job, move to Bali, or run a marathon. It’s about small, consistent actions. Write the email. Sign up for the class. Pitch the idea. Those tiny steps build momentum, and momentum compounds. Before you know it, you’ve gone from standing still to running at full speed.
So, here’s my challenge to you: stop waiting. Stop planning your perfect life and start living your imperfect one. Use what you already know. Trust yourself to figure out the rest along the way. The magic isn’t in the plan; it’s in the doing.
Momentum is your ally, but it only shows up when you take the first step. What’s the first step you’re willing to take today? Whatever it is, take it. Because an object in motion stays in motion. And so will you.
