The Momentum Theory: Why Your Habits Feel So Hard (And How to Fix It)
There’s a lot of talk about how difficult it is to get started with good habits. How we always default to the bad ones.
The scrolling.
The snacking.
The Netflix-bingeing.
I honestly think this is just an excuse. It’s more so that we’re stuck in the wrong momentum. Building a habit is, in the end, nothing more than this - you build momentum. And it gets easier every time. Faster. Until it’s your new normal.
You’re Always In A Momentum
What you have to realize is that the beginning is incredibly hard. With everything we do, we are always already in a momentum. The longer we’re in it, the harder it is to get out. But it’s possible. And when you realize that it also goes the other way around - that the good choices also become easier and easier until they are the default - it’s absolutely empowering. And not only that - it becomes much harder to fall back into old habits because you notice the feeling when giving in, and it’s not a good one.
I ditched the habit of junk food a long time ago. It’s like, about every six months I get the craving to have fast-food takeout. And I go. The funny thing is, while I enjoy the splurge, I also don’t want it again for the following six months. Because my default is different. The momentum is going in a completely different direction. It only gets difficult when you repeat a bad choice over and over, until you’ve changed the center stone of your momentum.
So the crucial part is the decision in the beginning. And don’t beat yourself up if you can’t stick to something right away. Just try again. And again. As long as you see an improvement, you are moving in the correct direction. And it will get easier.
Until it’s your new normal.
A Personal Experiment
I have another example: I was always very creative at heart. But with my studies and some other personal stuff, I consistently had to choose those obligations over my creative hobbies (music, writing, you name it). Until the lack of creating became my default mode.
When I completed my studies last year, I suddenly had more time on my hands. Now, you would guess I instantly fell back into my creative hobbies. But that was not the case. Because it was no longer my standard choice. I had to consciously choose the action. And I would constantly forget that the option was even there again.
However, I always came back to it.
Again.
And again.
And again.
And funny enough, it not only became my default state, it accelerated my creative journey in so many different ways - because I gained momentum. Now, it’s almost as if I can’t stop.
It’s my default.
Overriding The Default Settings
Our disadvantage is that the world has a built-in momentum in the other direction. We don’t have to walk because we have mobility. We don’t have to cook because highly processed food is cheap and available. There’s less resistance to fall into that. But when you realize it’s not about the habit itself, but about the momentum, you’re already spinning in the right direction.
Set your goal. Define it exactly - when, what, how. And then, don’t let yourself “decide” anymore. After the honeymoon phase, there will be resistance. But you don’t get to decide. You just do. You execute the plan. The more you build momentum, the easier it gets, and the harder it becomes to fall back.
Build momentum and you can do anything.
The Meaning For You
We can benefit from this knowledge when we’re building our dream life or achieving a certain goal that seems to be far away. For example: writing that book, pursuing that education, or trying out that hobby.
Oftentimes, we don’t go for it because we think we don’t have the time or the energy. Now, there are obviously many reasons for this - we could talk about boundaries or life priorities. But one major aspect is simply that we allocate our time and energy to the wrong things because we’re stuck in the wrong momentum.
You want to become fitter, but you’re exhausted from work so you just crash on the couch. But let me tell you - when you find that workout that you love and you stick to it, it will help you reset, gain energy, and feel fitter. It almost becomes addictive. Until it’s not a choice you have to make anymore. It’s a need you want to fulfill.
Just because.
The takeaway from this
Everything gets to be easy. Just stick to it. Generate momentum. And it will flow.
