The connection between physics and motivation
During a yoga class, the instructor described transitioning between two poses that required small hops to get there. “Isn’t that what life is like sometimes? Small hops to help us make a big jump to do something great.” I typically disregard the things most yoga instructors say during class because their expertise is in glorified stretching and their comments are typically far oversimplified for the complexities of life.
As I finished my class, I thought about this analogy. What does it take to start moving, either big or small?
My mind immediately flashed back to high school AP physics. I sat in the only “lecture hall” style class my high school had, as our teacher, Mr. Wilson Bascom, described the two coefficients of friction: static and dynamic.
I won’t bore you with a detailed physics lesson, but the idea is quite simple. If we look at a smooth surface, it can appear flat. But in reality, there are tiny, microscopic ridges and valleys. They are invisible to the naked eye, but they’re there. And when those tiny, microscopic ridges align with another object that also appears smooth but also has tiny, microscopic ridges. Then, these little peaks and valleys kind of wedge into one another and that friction between them keeps the two objects in place.
When objects are at rest, these little ridges are aligned and it takes more energy to start moving the object than it would to keep it going. That’s why he said that the coefficient for static friction (objects at rest) was always more than dynamic friction (objects moving).
Basically, it took more energy to get started than it did to keep going.
So I thought about what that meant for personal motivation. When you are trying to get motivated to workout, when is the most energy needed? At the beginning. Just hopping on the exercise bike seems like the hardest thing to do. Once you’re on it, you’re already there and it takes less effort to keep going than it did to get started. The same goes for any exercise.
But it probably also goes the same for anything. Just getting started takes the most work. Once you’re in it, it’s easier…and it’s easier to keep going and going.
The question is this: What can you do to see the forest through the trees? How can you see the easier side of the work rather than the daunting task of even starting it?
I have issues with this on my own, particularly as I continue to grow my own business. Sometimes, it seems like the hardest thing to do each day is to get started. And I’ll admit it: sometimes I fail in that area. But I also know that once I get going, it’s easier to keep going and have a great day where I accomplish some great things.
The question above that I posed to you is the same one I pose to myself. Can I see the forest through the trees? Can I see that being in motion is always easier than starting the motion?
What do you think?
