By Brian Mitchell, Managing Partner & CEO
It only takes one step to create momentum which can lead to life-altering positive change. A little dramatic opening? Yeah, maybe so, but physics is not subject to interpretation so humor me.
In Newtonian mechanics, the essential law of momentum is defined as the product of the mass of volume and velocity of an object. It is a vector quantity, possessing a magnitude and a direction. Volume and velocity. Magnitude and direction. This is all a combination of amount, speed, force, and where said object is heading. I’ve been thinking about these concepts lately, reflecting on different paths I’ve taken in my life and career. Some have been intentionally dictated by my own focus and efforts, and other elements and outcomes have been dictated by forces far out of my control. So understanding not everything is within our control, it seems obvious that we should individually look to influence the outcomes we most want by leveraging best practices and methods towards those desired objectives. So how do we most effectively do that? Dictating momentum vs. the other way around.
I’ve worked with thousands of executives over what is now approaching two decades as an Executive Recruiter. I’ve represented them in their careers, their board/company on critical searches or consulting projects, and I’m lucky to call many of these operators and investors my genuine friends. I love that aspect of my business. I don’t have any empirical stats, but my overwhelming anecdotal sense after several hundred conversations in 2023 with these senior colleagues is an inflection point for many. They’ve been doing the same role for many years and are bored. They thought they would have sold their company long ago and it’s not selling. The market has shifted and their once white-hot company is now seen as less compelling or a major pivot is needed which will require another long heavy lift. They were bought by a PE or big software company and it’s not fun anymore. They have been let go, their position eliminated, or are concerned about the marginalization of their role. They are simply burnt out – some realize it and some don’t. Perhaps personal circumstances have altered their professional passion. One way or another, their professional purpose is generally in question. Of course this isn’t everyone! Many are motivated, inspired, content, satisfied and to you all – that’s awesome. But most people have had episodes or seasons of their career and life where they felt some stagnation and can at least relate to this experience. 2023 seems to have a lot of these perspectives.
This brings me back to the concept of momentum. Inertia. VOLUME AND VELOCITY. MAGNITUDE AND DIRECTION. What actions can you take to initiate momentum towards your goals? Where do you want to be in X months/years? What EXACTLY can you do to start your journey forward? What can prevent you from achieving your goal? Strikes me that external factors are what they are, but the only thing that can truly prevent us from what we want to achieve is ourselves, our limiting beliefs, our lack of initiating and continuing momentum. Maybe it’s simply getting back to basics and taking action on what we already know to do, where our discipline has waned. Maybe it’s a complete transformation that’s in order. Maybe it’s an adjacent side hustle or other intellectual passion project we need to implement to reenergize. No matter what it is to help us individually propel forward towards a better version of ourselves, towards a more satisfied or comfortable existence, it’ll require action. It’ll take one inch of momentum, then two, then a foot……you get the idea. The key is to keep moving. Another law of momentum is that it’s incredibly easier to keep pushing a car in neutral than it is to start, stop, and start pushing it from a standstill again. Gotta keep the momentum going.
We can allow the wind to dictate our speed and direction, or we can take inches, then steps, and ultimately quantum leaps towards the life and career we want. I think I need reminders of what I already know not too far deep down – gotta want it, define it, go after it…it’s not over ’til you win. Start and don’t stop, keep your momentum going. Since I recognized my need for this reminder, I thought I’d share this sentiment in case anyone else does too.
Make it happen.