How to Start Winning in Life

Understanding Inertia and Momentum

So much of human action depends on the

physical principles of inertia and momentum.

Both can be thought of as the force required

to change your direction in life.

When things aren’t going your way—sometimes for weeks, months,

or even years—it is easy to get mired in inertia.

The longer something remains inactive or ineffective,

the harder it is to change.

Inertia acts like a swamp or wet cement,

which is why bad habits are so difficult to break.

As inertia accumulates, it affects your perception, memory,

and emotions, making it increasingly difficult

to stay motivated and hopeful.

On the other hand, the longer something remains active and effective,

the harder it is to stop. That is momentum.

Momentum acts like an avalanche.

If you have enough of it, you can plow through tough times

and setbacks, allowing your momentum

to carry you through to your next win.

The Challenge of Escaping Inertia

The way out of inertia is to generate momentum,

and momentum is generated exclusively through “wins”,

doing something well, achieving something,

or improving your situation.

Accumulated wins produce force,

leading to a change in direction

and resulting in more confidence and hopefulness.

The primary issue is that when you are deeply stuck

in inertia, big, significant wins feel utterly unattainable.

They might as well be on Mars.

This perceived inaccessibility can make you feel even more powerless

and hopeless about your situation.

How to Generate Momentum and Turn Things Around

Step 1: Temporarily Reduce Your Threshold of Achievement

If you find yourself stuck,

you must drastically lower your threshold of accomplishment

to the smallest possible quantum of achievement.

Focus on behaviors that you simply cannot fail to accomplish

and that reside entirely within your locus of control.

If you are in a really bad place, your wins might look like:

• Getting out of bed
• Changing your clothes
• Brushing your teeth

This might feel strange or even a little pathetic at first,

but that judgmentalism is a cognitive defense mechanism

created by the inertia itself.

Ignore the self-contempt and remain temporarily flexible.

Step 2: Acknowledge Your Accomplishments

You must acknowledge when you have accomplished something,

even if it feels incredibly small.

Say “good job” out loud and literally pat yourself on the back.

At first, this self-affirmation will feel foreign,

but over time, you will start to believe it.

It effectively counteracts the feeling that all the good you do

is invisible and inconsequential.

You have to recognize your own wins

because no one else is going to do it for you.

Step 3: Create Win Chains

The goal of lowering your threshold

is to create successive wins over time.

By doing this, you might secure 10 small wins in a single day,

compared to zero the day before.

Taking control of your perception in this way is how you begin

to generate emotional momentum.

Step 4: Gradually Increase the Threshold

You won’t stay at this micro-level forever.

As you start to feel movement and feel better,

gradually increase your threshold of achievement.

After a week, your accomplishments might evolve to:

• Applying for a job
• Cooking a healthy meal
• Taking a tour of the local gym

Keep recognizing and acknowledging these wins.

Once you get the hang of it, you should constantly titrate your threshold

of accomplishment—some days aiming for big wins,

and some days aiming for small ones.

The key is to ensure you are always achieving more than not,

keeping your win streak alive.

Conclusion

Transforming your inertia into momentum

is how you pull yourself out of a rut.

By continually adjusting the size of your wins

and maintaining your forward movement,

you will accumulate enough momentum

to eventually become a force of nature.