It’s 6:15. Your alarm clock goes off. But you have zero desire to hit snooze.
You are ready to tackle the day. Energized to unlock its opportunity and potential. When you sit down at your desk, you feel confident and hopeful. Unstoppable.
There’s a name for this experience. It’s called Momentum. Like rolling a boulder down a hill, beginnings are tough and slow, but once you start going down that slope, you can go faster and faster, progress becomes easier and easier, and it’s nearly impossible to stop.
As I’ve watched people post their new year’s resolutions over the past couple of weeks, I’ve noticed a theme: many want to wipe everything clean and start over. They seem to want to ditch their previous ways of working and start with a fresh, clean slate. And while I see where they’re coming from, I have to disagree with the approach.
Yes, a new year is a great time to reevaluate the way we do things and improve on them. But rather than making a resolution to start from scratch (which is like that first push to get the boulder to move—and why so many of these resolutions fail miserably), use it as an opportunity to build on your momentum from last year. Take the things that went great, the things you feel hopeful and energetic about, and RUN with them.
Not only will this be much easier than starting over, but you’ll be able to go so much farther, because that positive momentum will propel you forward.
Here are some Ptex Practical Pointers for jumpstarting your momentum and getting your 2019 on a roll.
1. Read books that inspire you.
Sometimes we get stuck in our own perspectives. It’s so important to surround ourselves with people who can help us get out of our own echo chambers and teach us new ideas. When you stuck and uninspired, there’s nothing like reading a great book to give you that spurt of momentum and push you toward your goals.
2. Big vision, small tasks.
When it comes to dreaming about what you want to accomplish, go big or go home. But when it actually comes to achieving those dreams, keeping it small is key. Making sure the tasks you set out for yourself are small and achievable will ensure that you can gain momentum steadily and keep going. Get too ambitious with your daily tasks and you’ll quickly get overwhelmed and fall off track.
3. Delegate tasks that weigh you down.
Delegating is extremely important if you want to maximize your momentum and accomplish your goals. Delegate small, repetitive or boring tasks that bog you down as well as the tasks that you simply dislike. They will only curb your excitement, and therefore, momentum. Freeing yourself up to do the tasks you actually want to do will increase your productivity and progress manifold.
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Now, getting personal for a minute, I want to tell you two specific areas, besides for growing our core Ptex offerings, in which I’m feeling momentum right now, and which I’ll continue to do more of in 2019.
1. I plan to do a lot more corporate speaking and workshops for companies. In 2018, several companies asked me to come and share my knowledge on some of the ideas that we teach at the Leaders Forum—how to gain clarity in their strategy, how to develop a winning company culture, and how to deliver a wow customer service experience for clients. Seeing how these workshops have resonated with people and impacted real change for these businesses, I’ve made sure to dedicate more time for this in 2019. If this is something you would love for your organization, please let me know by replying to this email.
2. I will be carving out a limited number of additional slots for one-on-one coaching for growing businesses who want individualized guidance for managing their growth, clarifying their goals, developing effective systems and processes, and troubleshooting when challenges arise. I had many business mentors who helped when I was growing my business, and I love being able to pay it forward to others. If you’re a leader of a growing business and think you’d be a great fit for this, reply to this email and let me know.
So, where are you feeling momentum? What have you done this past year that you want to build on in 2019? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
