People think that inertia means standing still. But that’s not actually accurate. More specifically, inertia is the tendency of an object to keep moving in a straight line at constant velocity unless some outside force acts on it. That could mean standing still. But it can also mean doing the same thing, the same way, at the same pace.
Where is there inertia in your life and business right now? Are you waiting for the perfect time and place to change?
I have a true philosophical mash-up for your today. Three separate strands of thought that add up to one challenge:
- In physics, the idea of relativity means that every frame of reference is equally valid for the laws of physics – i.e., being on earth and in a space ship and 500 million light-years away are the same in the eyes of the laws of physics. You don’t have to be in a certain place.
- In improv theater, the actors create the scene together in real time. There isn’t an ideal specific starting point for the scene or game, someone just chooses and you’re off to the races. Wherever someone chooses to start is the right place.
- When asked to share a tip for the day, a number of my recent podcast guests have replied with some mixture of “Do something today, no matter what your age, past, or experience level. Just start.”
I “get” inertia. (In fact, I spend a lot of my days trying to get past my inertia.) Whether it’s writing the first chapter of a book, reaching out to a potential speaking client, or deciding to start a podcast, a big part of my job is the starting of something. So it’s really important for me to remember that there’s no perfect place or time that I have to wait for. That’s how I deal with the anxiety and uncertainty that makes inertia seem so attractive as an alternative.
So there’s no perfect frame of reference that you have to wait for. If you are moving in the same direction and the same speed and you want to change it, the future doesn’t hold any magic. You don’t have to wait for conditions to be ideal before you choose to act.
Where you are, right here and right now, is the perfect place to start.