How Do You Build Momentum in Your Business and Life?

A few weeks ago at a "Leadership from the Ground Up" conference, Donald Trump spoke about the ingredients for success. I found his topic on momentum very intriguing. My thoughts have been returning to his presentation in my mind ever since.

Mr. Trump shared a story about his friend who lost momentum, and the devastating impacts this friend experienced as a result. He also said that momentum is something you have to work hard to maintain. His words got me thinking - I've never really focused on maintaining momentum or building it. I haven't really thought about it at all; I just know when I have momentum and when I don't.

I looked the word "momentum" up in the dictionary - the tendency of an object to continue movement in a single direction. To me, the speed of the movement indicates the degree of momentum. If it is very slow, there isn't much momentum, period.

I recognized a lack of momentum in an area of my business. As a result, I've started looking at this situation and trying to increase momentum. As well, I now notice the degree of momentum others around me have and the degree of results they are achieving.

Most of us realize that when we take on too many projects at once, we will find it difficult to get even one project completed. I now understand more fully that this contributes significantly to the degree of momentum we will have. I also recognize that when we don't have a lot of momentum, we will probably become overwhelmed and discouraged, and won't achieve our desired results. So - how can you build momentum and as a result avoid overwhelm?

Eight Ways How You Can Build Momentum

1. Act NOW

Pick one thing that will contribute to one of your goals. Take immediate action and get moving. This means no postponing, no delaying, and no procrastinating.

2. Stay Focused

Remind yourself of your goals every day and stay focused on them. When you find yourself distracted by something that is not directly in line with your goals, ask yourself, "Why?" Identify how you will manage future distractions and look for ways to eliminate them.

3. Keep Active

Do something every day that will bring you closer to your goals. It doesn't have to be big - but if you have too many days between actions, your momentum will dwindle and eventually die.

4. Be Decisive

Nothing slows momentum more than indecision. Decide as quickly as possible and then take some immediate action to support the decision - no matter how trivial it seems.

5. Be Optimistic

Change can truly happen in the moment. If you are frustrated or discouraged, it will certainly be tough to build momentum. But if you are optimistic, things will happen more freely and your momentum will build.

6. Create Flow

If you are resisting anything, you will definitely block momentum. Look proactively for resistances and take the necessary steps to eliminate them.

7. Develop an Action Plan

This plan doesn't have to be complicated. Just list one to three actions you will take during the day (or the week) that will help you succeed.

8. Get Assistance

Many successful businesspeople including Donald Trump, Michael Gerber and Chris Barrow, my business coach, say in their own way that you have to have great assistants. Build a strong team of supporters to help you take care of things and to help you get things done more quickly and efficiently.

Donna P. Lendzyk is a professional coach and creator of the Overcome Overwhelm System. She coaches businesswomen to "Overcome Overwhelm and Achieve Their Desired Results." She is the author of the multi-media "Overcome Overwhelm eProgram." To learn more about her eProgram and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her website at http://www.overcomeoverwhelm.com

More resources:

RELATED ARTICLES

Profitable Idea Generation in 4 Steps Using Improv
A large percentage of business are stuck, tied to narrow ways of thinking about themselves and their products. In the business environment you can't be stuck and survive.

Boost Your Self-Esteem
What Is Self-Esteem?Self-esteem literally means to esteem, or respect, yourself. Having high self-esteem means that you have a positive image of yourself.

How To Improve Your Selling Skills -- With Coaching Skills
But people love being coached. It's respectful and considerate of their needs.

Guilt: Is it Getting in the Way of Your Self-Care?
When Do We Usually Feel Guilty? When:We're not feeling ok about who we are.We're not feeling ok about the choices we're making.

An Easy Way to End The Year
As a healthy business owner or independent professional, how do you end your year? Well, I tell my clients to stop working. That's right, stop working.

Throw a No-Heat Party for the Planet
Is it really possible to have loads of fun, and help the planet at the same time? I remember the first No-heat party I went to. It was on the coldest night of winter that year, according to the Farmer's Almanac.

Business Coaching - Ten Ways of Dealing with Mistakes You Made
You can either choose to dwell on what happened and get stuck in the past or you can choose to start using your energy to build your future. Either choice is okay.

Sheep Do Not Start Out Lost
Have you ever thought about how sheep get lost? Even with a shepherd, they still get lost. How does this happen? The one thing I know for sure is that they did not start out lost.

If I Only Had a Heart
I know you probably have heard of the movie, "The Wizard of Oz" right? Well, for those of you, who have somehow managed to miss this movie, let me give you a brief description of it.A young lady named Dorothy is upset with her home life and decides to run away.

Use a Journal for Self-Discovery and Self-Expression
As a therapist, I often suggest to clients that they explore their feelings and thoughts by keeping a journal. Sometimes clients ask for a bit of direction with this process.

The Student Who Knew Too Much
This article is for those of you who coach or mentor. Does this sound familiar? "Can't I just try to mail or email, do I really have to call" "I was thinking I could wait to get business cards" "I wanted to be successful first, before I start to market or network" "Why do I have to do it that way, I thought I could do it this way" I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

The Value of Career Coaching and Its Effect on Productivity
Athletes the world over have coaches. Yet, workers whose very livelihood depends on their ability to perform well on the job are often unaware of the merits of a career coach.

Going On a Mental Diet
Diets are always in style. Every time you turn around, someone is coming out with a new and improved diet.

Whats Next Syndrome
Terms like Postpartum, Post Traumatic and Post Gulf War are all well-known Syndromes - mysteries no longer to the medical community or even those of us who count ourselves among the great unwashed. We hear and read everyday about the negative outcomes from life-threatening trauma.

Curbing the Public Nuisance (Part 2)
Yes, that pillar of society that has been with us since that slithery dude threw humanity for a curve in the Garden of Eden - that cornerstone of society has been automated.I am speaking, of course, of the public nuisance ( I wrote about him in Part 1 at http://www.

Making Communication Effective: 4 Language Filters
Language is a challenging way to communicate. It allows us to share our thoughts and feelings by describing our personal views of reality.

Coaching Employees - The Chronic Excuser
Most of us find coaching employees to be an effective, even enjoyable, approach to leadership and management. Coaching provides a way to help team members grow and develop, while achieving business objectives.

Finding Peace: A Taste of Mindfulness
When we are ill and don't know it, we are in a state of ignorance or delusion. We don't view ourselves as sick, so we don't believe it's necessary to go to a doctor or take any medication.

Personal Core Values: Your Key to Success and Happiness
Each of us has our own set of personal values; these are the things which we believe are important, which motivate us and to which we give priority. If I asked you what your personal values are, the chances are that you would struggle to find the answer.

Make Your Life Easier?
'Have you read the Art of War?' someone asked me once. Fighting someone to get your way is definitely a valid strategy.