Life Is About Momentum, Not Motions

“Going through the motions…” It is a phrase we hear maybe too often. It seems to mean we are just moving through activities without much thought or meaning. It may be like sleepwalking through a job or zoning out at home.

Going through the motions is not a positive indication of living a life fully and completely.

The other side of this is sometimes we are in constant motion, and we feel motion equals momentum. It does not. Continuous motion can create an illusion of momentum. The danger is we may be just running in place, turning up the speed rather than digging in to gain traction.

While going through the motions is drudgery, continuous motion wears us out.

Neither one delivers meaningful actions or, more importantly, meaningful results.

What to do then? It is unique for each individual, especially since we are all distinctive in our personality and circumstances. No matter, there is always a choice in what we can do within our context.

Here are a few thoughts on how to sort through what to do if we are experiencing this motion sickness.

Thought 1:  Move on.

Although this can be challenging to do at times, if drudgery is our daily experience, then we need to find a different opportunity. This should not be done whimsically or haphazardly, but thoughtfully. Jumping to just jump is just another form of unproductive motion. Dig deep within to determine what your calling is and then plan out your next step. Make your step a positive motion forward.

Thought 2: Stop moving for 15 minutes in the morning and in the afternoon.

There is continuous motion all around – phones ringing, texts arriving, and activities growing. It is the increasing volume as a day unfolds. We need to breakaway and find a quiet spot for 15 minutes in the morning and in the afternoon to get away and capture some silence. Taking two quarter breaks during our two halves of the day bring some rest and renewal. It gives us a chance to catch our breath, re-gain our center before continuing with the work to be done.

Thought 3: Identify the mile markers in your motions.

If we feel the continuous motion yet don’t feel the progress, then we need to place some mile markers to indicate a positive direction forward. As we drive down most roads, we can see our progress, if we take the time to notice. We see the green mile markers along the way. We should do the same in our life. They should be a mix of small and significant ones. When we reach some, we need to do a little victory dance and celebrate our movement forward.

Life is too short to waste our motions or lack purposeful forward movement. When all motion stops, our life should represent all that was possible.

There is momentum to life, but it requires traction to roll with meaning.

What advice do you have on how to keep your motions in-check and momentum purposeful?