In my wayward youthfulness, I had, on occasion, run out of gas and had to push my ride to a safer place off the road. You’d think I’d learn after the first time, but I was invincible…before I realized I wasn’t.

But I did learn something. Once I got my car moving by pushing, I didn’t want to let up because it was easier to shove a moving car than to let it slow down and have to expend the energy to get it moving again. Something about inertia, a body at rest, etc.

This lesson applies to you also. Not only when you run out of gas, but with your initiatives, large and small. You just can’t let things drag on. The first step is important, but isn’t enough.

If you’re like most, you have an initial burst of energy to get into something and experience a sense of accomplishment for having started it. That feeling of well-being sets in and you ease up. Whatever momentum you gained is now lost.

It feels like procrastination, but it’s really lost momentum. To others, it looks even worse:

•  You don’t care
• It’s not  that important
• You forgot about it
• You can’t keep up
• It’s more than you can handle

The flip side is also true. By getting momentum and continuing with immediacy and persistence, you separate yourself from others.

When clients get it, they experience your responsiveness.

When people in your firm get it, they experience your leadership.

When prospects get it, they experience your desire.

When people in the community get it, they experience your commitment.

There are always reasons to let something go dormant, like other priorities and crises. You have to refuse to allow everything else go dormant.  It’s too hard to get it started again.

This week, stay strong and keep your momentum. Life will be better if you do.