When I was first starting out, I was a Jeep spinning my tires: everything I did, I did 1,000% for about 5 minutes… and then collapsed from exhaustion.
I didn’t know what to focus on, so I changed directions every time I sat down to work.
It was worse than just being in the rat race: at least as a rat racing through the maze you’ll eventually get some sort of treat.
I was on the hamster wheel of beginning entrepreneurship, and my momentum was definitely NOT sustainable.
Getting off was too scary, but staying on was scarier.
I couldn’t see past the end of my nose and I was getting dizzy.
Fortunately, one of the things I was doing was a butt-ton of research: learning everything I could get my hands on.
(That meant I was taking a lot of courses that didn’t directly “succeed” by helping me make money right away, but I DID learn a lot in general.)
In my studies, I learned 5 secrets for creating sustainable momentum: the principles of inertia, energy management, and value exchange that make business possible.
1. Momentum and Inertia
People say “I can't get traction” and “I'm spinning my wheels” because they know the lack of momentum is holding them back.
This is why constant pivoting is so common at the beginning.
You’re constantly trying new things to see what will create the most momentum the fastest (high input kinetic energy, working against inertia) in order to reach the critical point where that inertia (potential energy) is converted to the state of momentum (low input kinetic energy, working with inertia).
Like a rocket blasting off, it takes tremendous effort in order to climb the hill: you have to put a lot of effort and work into overcoming the inertia that wants to keep you where you currently are.
This is why some people (i.e me) seem to self-sabotage - finally gaining momentum and then shutting it down for seemingly no reason.
The energy input required to generate momentum is by definition massively beyond what we are used to creating or expanding - if we were used to it, we would already have crested that hill.
So we fall back to the level of energy output we're comfortable with.
This could be because:
- We are operating from a scarcity mindset and believe the momentum will use up our resources before we reach the point where we can replace them (and that there is a limited supply either way),
- We're afraid of the speed of the new momentum - we feel out of control and believe it's too risky to move so quickly,
- We immediately feel the friction of our current circumstances working against the momentum and stop because we can't bear the pain (like spiritual rug burn), or
- all the above. 😅
So the solution then is to increase our tolerance for energy output with energy management.
2. Energy Management
If I know that sleeping 9 hours a night, journaling and meditation, and eating whole foods regularly increases my output capabilities, I should be incredibly alert to any time I refuse to engage in those behaviors.
Anytime I am subconsciously limiting my most powerful energy input, it is in order to throttle my output capabilities so “no one can expect me to do more, look at how much I'm already struggling.”
The truth is no one else is paying attention.
That's an excuse I use to distract me from the real issue, and to avoid the responsibility of addressing it.
If I can look clearly and honestly at the situation without judging myself, I can determine which of the three is impeding my momentum: scarcity mindset, fear of risk / fear of loss, or pain of sudden change.
Once identified, I can apply the remedy:
- Consciously change my belief in limited resources to a belief in LIMITLESS resources by reminding myself whose Spirit lives inside me,
- Learn and practice risk assessment & mitigation techniques until I can do them quickly and efficiently so I know I am prepared to handle risks when they do come up - putting myself back in control - and reminding myself that God's grace can prevent any long-term negative outcome as long as my intentions are in line with His, and
- Gradually increasing my pain tolerance for change by starting small.
One of the best ways to start small is actually also the solution for spinning tires and no money.
3. Building Momentum
If a Jeep is stuck in sand and spinning its tires, they say "stop digging yourself into a hole." You have to cut branches to put under the wheel and redistribute the weight across a larger surface area to gain traction.
This is why we start out generalizing (distributing our effort across a broad range of possibilities) and work our way into specialization.
A Jeep needs snowshoe branches to climb out of the hole, but it can't travel the highway at top speed with branches strapped to the tires.
Staying a generalist too long impedes momentum, but specializing too soon prevents momentum altogether.
Focusing a ton of energy on a narrow point is what gets the Jeep stuck in the first place.
This is why someone just starting out who decides to specialize in a narrow niche expends so much time and energy without (usually) getting momentum. Then they get frustrated and scared and overwhelmed and start "pivoting like crazy, just scrambling for a foothold.”
Stop. Take a deep breath.
Like a Jeep stuck in sand, broaden your area and apply slow, steady effort. Have faith that you'll gain traction and momentum far faster than you ever have from spinning your wheels.
It seems counterintuitive, I know. You might feel guilty for not expending the total amount of energy you know you're capable of. ("Shouldn't I be giving 1,000%? Doesn't taking it easy mean I'm not committed enough??”)
Have faith. Have patience. The world works in paradoxes.
You've been giving it your all and haven't gotten anywhere, which is why you're still here, yeah? What do you have to lose?
4. Paradox of Growth
Think of it like a seed. The thing you want to do is a baby fruit tree. If you give a seedling all the water and fertilizer it will need for its entire 100+ year lifespan in its first week, you'll drown it, and the chemicals will burn its leaves.
It isn't big enough yet to process and make use of all those resources. It has to grow. You have to give it the amount it needs for right now and let it be.
You can't dump it all on and leave; it will die.
You can't stand there with your buckets of water and fertilizer, vibrating with intensity as you try to will it to grow faster; you'll die.
Besides, it's very unlikely that you have all the resources your baby business tree will need over its lifespan upfront. All you need is enough to get it started.
At a certain point, trees don't need to be watered, their roots reach down to groundwater.
They don't need as much fertilizer (sometimes none at all) because they attract an ecosystem of other plants and animals that provide nutrients.
Instead of you pouring resources into it, it will provide fruit for you - 40x, 60x, 100x!
5. Value Creation and Exchange
Money is a numerical expression of value.
Money, like water, flows from high value to low value; trickling down through society to start a little business here and give a little boost there.
If I create something of high value and keep it, I am the high point and money flows away from me.
But if I create something of high value and give it to another person, they become the high point and money flows away from them to me.
If I provide value and give it to another person and they don't release their money to me, money will still flow to me because I have made myself a low point - and water always comes to the lowest point.
Money circulates so long as I keep creating value and giving it away, creating high points in other people. No matter what, the money will eventually flow back to me.
This is the only time where “digging yourself into a hole” is a good thing. 😅
The foundation for long-term success is abundant generosity, energy awareness, and faith in small beginnings.
First, gradually increase your tolerance for momentum by insisting on taking time to do the things that energize you.
Then apply steady, gradual pressure over a larger area to get yourself out of the hole - then narrow your focus and increase your speed.
Finally, don't despise meager beginnings: if you can't get people to pay you what you want to charge, work for an extremely discounted rate (for a little while) to build up a negative charge. Money will come.
Not sure which level you’re at right now? Take the AE Growth Chart Quiz to find out! 👇
