One of my clients told me in session yesterday that she had decided to find a word to describe her intentions for 2019. She chose “momentum”….and then Christmas hit, the kids were home from school, travelling to visit other family was done and suddenly she felt like she was running backwards before 2019 even started. She was frustrated with her progress in what she felt was a lack of momentum. While she hadn't checked off boxes on her to-do list, in reality, she had experienced several breakthroughs in negative thought patterns which is a substantial piece of moving forward.
But being a former physics teacher, I of course launched into an explanation of the equation for momentum and how it applied to our mental work as well as to the laws of physics. These parallels just hit me in the moment out of nowhere, folks. Maybe someone has already written a book about this, but I haven’t read it yet so the mind was a bit blown with my sudden enlightenment. Read on and prepare to be fascinated…because I sure am!
Yes, You Will Use Math After School
First, momentum (p) is equal to mass (m) times velocity (v). Velocity is basically speed [distance (d) divided by time (t)] applied in a particular direction. So,
p = mv or p = md/t
For us to gain momentum in anything, there are three variables affecting that progress: mass, distance, and time.
For the sake of this coaching illustration, let’s define time (t) as the length of time you’ve established to reach your goals. Easy enough! Yay we can do math! Let’s also define distance (d) as that goal or journey you are working on. Maybe it’s an easy goal which would be a shorter distance or maybe it’s a real stretch goal which would correspond to a lengthier distance. That leaves mass (m) to cover all the tasks to be accomplished on the way to reaching your goal, all the old habits to be rewired, and all the negative thought patterns to be transformed in order to clear your path forward, etc. But all of these variables of momentum only apply to objects in motion already. What if you’re stuck and can’t move forward at all?
Let me throw another physics definition at you. Inertia, as defined by the Googles, is “a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged” or “a property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force.” Prior to our session today, my client mentioned her momentum fears to her husband who had an amazing response: momentum “is not just overcoming inertia. Overcoming inertia just means you’re now moving.” YES! MIND! BLOWN!
So yes, in order to gain momentum, you first have to overcome inertia, your tendency to remain unchanged. From there, your momentum will increase or decrease as a result of the three variables affecting your progress.
So don’t tell me that you’ll never use math after high school. 😉
Digging in a bit further, I’ve found several parallels to all three of Newton’s laws of motion. Over the next few weeks I will be spending some time on these parallels and will share my breakthroughs with you as I go. I’m looking forward to this study – who knew physics could help us find success in our lives!
(P.S. The physics teacher knew it...)
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