From time to time, all of us struggle with a loss of momentum, even to the point of getting stuck in a rut, which can feel like trying to run through quicksand; not making much progress and feeling like you’re sinking lower and lower.

Wallowing in self-pity doesn’t seem to help, much. Nor does yearning for better days. You’d be much better off applying this week’s Steveism, which is:

Action > Reaction > Momentum

When you’re stuck in a rut you tend to stop doing things. You stall. Become becalmed. Motionless.

If you’re feeling this way then watching this video will help:

 

 

The way to recapture momentum is to do what you naturally feel disinclined to do – to take action. This will lead to a reaction in the form of a response, which is an invitation to take more action. The more action you take, the more reaction you’ll generate, and the greater your momentum will be.

That is, your progress halted when you stopped taking action, so you should be confident that your progress will pick up if you can overcome the mental malaise that has you in the doldrums.

Hence this week’s Steveism, which is that “Action leads to reaction, which eventually leads to momentum.”

Have you been, or are you right now, financially becalmed? Perhaps you’ve stopped looking for deals, or become complacent with regard to managing and monitoring your money and / or investments? You might no longer be as diligent or passionate about improving your financial literacy.

How you became stuck in a rut doesn’t matter nearly as much as what you can do to become unstuck. Start small and scale up as your momentum builds.

Consider a locomotive pulling an enormous weight – hundreds of cars loaded with coal. When it starts it groans and strains, and moves at a snail’s pace. But once it reaches cruising speed, nothing and no one can slow it down suddenly because its momentum carries it forward a long, long way even after the brakes are applied.

Perhaps you need to restart at a slow pace today, to recapture a faster pace tomorrow. Go ahead… send that email, make that phone call, search that website, and when something happens, follow through and keep following through. Before you know it, you’ll be unstuck and well on your way.

How has this Steveism helped you? Please contribute to the conversation by leaving a thought, comment or suggestion below.

Until next time, remember that success comes from doing things differently.

– Steve McKnight

Comments

  1. Peter Baumann

    A great lesson Steve, very true words!
    My response today is actually to extend my gratitude to you. This Friday is my last day of employment before I move into property investing full-time! My property journey started when Dad took me to one of your first seminars back in the early 2000s. I looked around the room and saw that I was the only/one of the only teenagers in the room and got stuck in a mindset of I’m already way ahead being here…I’ve got plenty of time! In the years following when yourself and other speaker referred to “those people that come to all the seminars and never take action”, I sat in my seat shaking my head…until I proposed to my wife, then the penny dropped that I was soon going to have a family to support….and that I was one of those people that had been going to seminars for years and never taken any real action. That was enough to get be going big time, now a few years later I get to live out my dream of full-time property investing. So thank you Steve for saying whatever it is you said at that first seminar which planted the seed in me, inspired me and had me believe that it was possible! I will be forever grateful.

  3. Philip Parr

    Thank you again Steve,
    As always your words are pertinent to me. After your teaching I didn’t take action for a number of years, frozen or analysis paralysis, I don’t know.
    You gave me amazing tools and excellent information and I didn’t take advantage.
    Times up. I started a process earlier this year and have just about zipped the first stage of an excellent 4 year plan.
    Glad to know you’re human :)
    Regards

  4. Keith Lai

    This Steve-ism has helped me by encouraging me to make a list of specific actions I have resolved to undertake tomorrow so when I get up I know exactly what I need to do. They are half a dozen small actions to help me build momentum just as you’ve described. Thanks for your support!

  6. John Baragwanath

    Hi Steve. I really appreciate your erudite comments as we have all been there – and probably will be again. As I am still working, often it is an “event” that gets me thinking about property again – even something as simple as the Rates Note arriving or an insurance invoice. That happened recently & I decided that as I had a tenant leaving (they purchased a house that I had an option on but decided not to go ahead with so gave it to them with the agent’s delight!) I would give the place a coat of paint & do a few detail repairs – nothing serious. A weekend’s work for me & a chap I get to assist me & the place looks fabulous. I did not even advertise – the previous tenants introduced their friend to me and after the usual checks they move in next week. Now whilst I have some inertia, there is another place I have that needs a lick or two & as the lease is approaching renewal, what a good time to do it! Love your tips Steve – we always think alike – you just seem to come along at the poignant moment!

  7. Keira

    So relevant right now. Always playing catch up & never on the front foot, the ‘overwhelmed’ feeling is common. Will continue to put one foot in front of the other, because even a small forward movement is better than standing still or going backwards.

  8. Sam

    Very good words here Steve, although easier said then done it is critical for those in a rut to take that first step to work towards improving their finances and build a future, I really like you me analogy about the locomotive pulling the large load of cars.

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