Building Momentum by Cindy Stradling CSP, CPC

As you face any new challenge, momentum helps you to ensure that you have the power and resilience required to meet your new goals. Momentum can help keep you focused when your enthusiasm may wane and can help keep you energized, preventing you from throwing in the towel when facing obstacles. Here are three ways to help build momentum early in a project that will see you through to the end.

1. Plan. A roadmap is critical in any long race. Having a plan in the beginning helps you to envision the steps required to meet the challenge. Though you may have to alter the plan throughout the course of the project, having an initial plan helps you to ensure you’re continuing to move in the right direction.

2. Gather resources. We rarely achieve great things alone. Be certain you have the human and capital resources you need to get the job done. It is very difficult to keep up momentum if you run out of people, money or equipment.

3. Envision the finish. Every project has ups and downs. The down times can make it difficult to rekindle the momentum you have in the early days of the project. Imagining the pride you will feel when you’ve accomplished your goals is a great way to ensure you keep the momentum going for any long-term goal. Recapture the image of your success as often as needed to help you keep your eyes on the prize.
Each of these ways of helping build momentum is fairly simple, and each can easily be a part of any type of project. Yet, as simple as these steps can be to take, these can also be critical to your success. Safeguard your project’s momentum from the very beginning, rather than trying to rekindle it when it wanes. Doing so will help you ensure that your project always moves steadily in the right direction.