2. Momentum
To recap quickly on the first part of this log:
Cost- taking inventory of our lives, prioritizing tomorrow and determining how much are we willing to lay down for the dream?
Said another way- how much are we willing to put into an effort.
Saying it yet another way- how much force are you willing to apply to make the change you desire? Hopefully you have already started to go through the process to find this answer.
Moving forward it can be daunting to look at the amount of change needed to reach that goal. Especially when past efforts seem to have made little or no lasting change. Almost like not thinking the ripples that come from a little rock in a large body of water will never reach the shore.
……
Of all the subjects I struggled with in school I always seemed to have issues with English/Grammar and Physics. English teachers and course content always just rubbed me the wrong way. Where as with Physics I found eloquence. That does not mean it was easy(I invested more time for such little improvement on my grade- I’ve never been good at test taking), but that did not bother me. The math, the sequence and the way it all fits together has always lead me to see physics like an orchestra at a concert or a well choreographed dance.
Harmony. Beauty.
Stay with me on the subject change. I talk about my view on physics to set up this analogy that relates force and momentum together…….
Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion: F(force)=m(mass) a(acceleration)
The equation for momentum: p(momentum)=m(mass) v(velocity)
Although the semantics of the math is important I want to move on so please trust me when I say that the relationship between force and momentum can be explained by this equation.
p = t f
Example: If I were to apply 15 Newtons of pressure to an object for 3 seconds it would have a momentum of 45kg m/s. In comparison if you apply the same force but only for 2 seconds the momentum will only be 30kg m/s. Think about it this way. The amount of momentum something has is in direct relation to how great the force is put into it and it is then amplified by how long that force is applied.
When I think about momentum this way I cannot help but smile at the beauty I see. Why the smile you ask? Let us look at the equation again and break it down a little.
(time) x (force) = momentum
Time- the great thing about time is that it takes care of itself. It is so reliable in moving forward (sometimes unfortunately so) that we can completely forget about it and it actually seems to speed up.
Force- it is actually a benefit that time needs so little attention to make progress. I can focus all of my attention on force. All I have to focus on is my effort. All I have to do is apply force to something in my life and to keep that force there as long as I can.
See no matter what I do time is taking me for a ride. But if I can apply a force, if I can put forth an effort….if I can pay the cost day after day, after day then I am going to create a change. And, depending on how long I am able to keep that effort-pay that cost- time WILL magnify how far I go.
See the beauty yet?
If so I bet you are smiling with me.
After we make up our mind on the cost we are willing to pay-on the sacrifice we are willing to make- all we have to do is show up. All we have to do is be consistent in giving effort.
Again…..
Momentum = (Force) x (time)
It truly is that simple.
Always that easy- no. In fact it rarely will be. But again that that is another great thing that physics tell us. Two actually…
A greater force is needed to overcome the stillness(the status quo), to start motion
The longer we hold that force the more easy it will be to travel that much farther- to have such a great impact.
Remember it will be easier (on our part) to increase the amount of momentum by increasing the time instead of increasing the force. Go back to the ripples made by that rock. We do not have to have the biggest bolder to make the biggest waves. All we have to do is take our rock and make the ripples we can by dropping our rock into that body of water day after day. If we are consistent, we will realize that it is not as daunting to create waves of change no matter how large the body of water.
-NT