Momentum Is My Superpower

A Different Kind of Superpower

If you asked me what superpower I’d like to have, flying would be high on the list. Teleportation would save on gas. Super speed would certainly help with laundry.

But lately I’ve realized the superpower I needed wasn’t any of those.

It was momentum.

Momentum isn’t flashy, but it might be the most useful superpower I’ve ever discovered. This week, something finally clicked.

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The First Push

After my last blog post, I noticed a difference. There were many times before where I’ve written that I somehow needed to find my momentum to do various things. Anything from applying to jobs, to cleaning my house. While I know how important it is to do these tasks logically, Sometimes it doesn’t quite sink in.

The advice I got from my job coach last week really helped me get out of the tornado pattern of not doing the thing. Seriously, what if I did it anyway? Seemed like a simple thing that I should have clicked with a long time ago, but I found it difficult to separate the anxiety of doing the thing from actually doing the thing.

I have to say, so far, this week has been quite refreshing. It all started with one small decision to stop negotiating with the task and simply begin.

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Momentum Builds Momentum

Something unexpected happened.

After finishing one task, I didn’t immediately look for an excuse to stop.

I found myself wondering,

“What’s next?”

That’s a question I haven’t asked myself in a while.

My daily schedule consists of mornings spent checking email, job searching and applying to whatever catches my eye. Middays are spent learning new skills for the always changing definition of a graphic designer. Afternoons are spent tidying or cleaning. I’ve found that breaking my day into smaller “launch steps” keeps me moving instead of feeling overwhelmed.

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The Secret Isn’t Motivation

I’m beginning to trust this system.

I start every day asking myself “What do I feel like doing today?” Then I write a tentative to-do list for the day. Saturdays will be spent doing the deep cleaning, and hopefully finish the apartment organizing goal I set from earlier this year. I really just have to take in the bottles and cans, organize the papers, and hang pictures to make the organizing goal complete.

So far, this week has been one of the most productive I’ve had in quite a while. I’m on target and feeling so much more relieved. After a little while of not feeling it, suddenly finding the strength to go ahead anyway is the most amazing thing.

What I’m slowly discovering is that momentum isn’t really about motivation. Many experts agree that motivation sometimes doesn’t work for all people. It certainly doesn’t with me. What does work is hearing my internal dialogue, listening to my actual body cues, and deciding to start.

Listen.

Decide.

Begin.

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Heroes Don’t Save the Whole World Before Lunch

Big tasks take time to complete. Sometimes you find you also need to do something else — like write a blog post. This morning there was a bit of a challenge as my computer’s keyboard needed a recharge. I had to put the morning and midday tasks on hold.

Normally that kind of a setback would ruin my whole day. Instead of giving up on the day, I simply rearranged the mission.

For the first time in a while, I wasn’t asking whether I could salvage the day. I was simply adjusting the plan.

When I think about superheroes, I notice the big epic battles to save the world — or universe — doesn’t happen in one minute. These stories take many issues, episodes, or movies to deal with sometimes. The lesson is it’s okay if I don’t quite get all of the goals accomplished in a day, as long as I’ve tried. I can always pick it back up tomorrow where I left off.

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SuperMell’s Real Superpower

Flying would be fun.

Laser vision would be useful.

But…

SuperMell’s greatest power might simply be showing up again tomorrow.

I’ve also noticed how much my mood has improved since I started doing this. The guilt that used to sit in the background all day has become much quieter. Even if I don’t do everything in a day, there’s always tomorrow. Maybe I was too ambitious when I set out my task list for the day? Evaluate the patterns and adapt. That’s how real change happens.

Maybe superheroes aren’t defined by extraordinary abilities. Maybe they’re defined by extraordinary consistency.

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Diana’s Momentum

Diana’s momentum is shaped by what she desires in any given moment. Diana sees a toy. CHASE THE TOY.

Diana gets tired. TAKE A NAP.

Diana gets hungry. MEOW LOUDLY TO THE HUMAN EVEN IF BOWL IS HALF-FULL!

Cats understand bursts of energy better than many humans do.

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Final Thought: Keep the Cape Moving

Maybe my superpower isn’t flying. Perhaps it isn’t teleportation. It isn’t laser vision.

Maybe it’s simply learning that one small step has a funny way of becoming another.

Momentum isn’t flashy. It doesn’t make headlines.

But lately… Momentum has started to feel like my superpower.

What’s your superpower?