Get momentum early (and keep it going all day!)

What Is Momentum, And Why Is It So Important?

Momentum is the energy that keeps you moving forward… even when you’re doing something difficult. It’s the key to success because it can actually make hard tasks easier. That’s why you want to get momentum early and keep it all day.

How Do You Get Momentum?

A lot of people say the best way to get momentum is to do the hardest thing on your to-do list first thing in the morning.

I disagree.

You should do the easiest thing FIRST!

Let me walk you through my process:

1.       I do the easiest thing.
2.       I do the next easiest thing.
3.       After I’ve got the ball rolling, I tackle the hardest thing.

I get momentum a lot faster this way than if I started with the hardest thing. Remember, it’s momentum that makes hard tasks easier, not willpower.

How do you know what’s easiest and what’s hardest?

It might take some time for you to learn what’s easy or hard for you. But here are three core parts:

1.       Have an up-to-date to-do list.
2.       Have a time estimate next to each item on your list.
3.       Track how long each task actually takes.

Tracking the time you spend on a task carries a lot of benefits, one of which is to help you plan more realistically (because your estimates are usually wrong).

I like to use my stopwatch for this. I have conditioned myself to hear that little beep and take action. That simple act of turning on the stopwatch lets me know that I’m literally “on the clock.”

A Non-Business Example

Let’s say I was doing cardio today.

My first easy thing would be to warm up by jogging a mile.

Next, I’d do something a little bit harder; another mile broken up into four intervals:

1.       400 meters at my goal pace;
2.       400 meters at an easy pace;
3.       400 meters at my goal pace;
4.       400 meters at an easy pace; 

Now I’ve already done 2 miles.

Next, I’m going to do something hard.

I’m going to run up and down the stairs for 15 minutes.

Then I’m going to do something really hard. 

I’m going to run with a 40-pound rucksack on my back for about 2 miles.

Altogether, it’s about 6 miles.

If I started with the 40-pound rucksack:

1.       That would suck.
2.       I’d probably only run for about two total miles.

But by starting with a nice easy jog, I’m able to do something productive AND build momentum. 

That momentum makes the 40-pound rucksack a lot easier.

You can do the same thing with your work every day. Pick a few easy things to start your day off, then tackle the hard stuff.

Summary

Once you’re already getting stuff done, it’s easier to keep getting things done.

So the key is to get momentum early and keep it all day. If you don’t get momentum, then you struggle all day, and at the end of the day you’re defeated and say, “Screw it. I’ll get to it tomorrow.’

BUT!

If you do something simple and easy first, do a second simple and easy thing… 

Then tackle the hard thing and keep at it, never quit…

That’s how you get stuff done.

For more great tips on how to build serious momentum in your sales, promotions, and profits, check out my “Sales Copywriting and Content Marketing Hacks” podcast at https://thejimedwardsmethod.com/podcast/

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