I just got back from an incredible week in Worcester, England. I am sure I will write more about that experience for years to come. It was, with no sense of over-stating, a life-altering week. I met people there that will become friends for life. Some may even become partners in business ventures or humanitarian projects. A group has come together that will literally change the world. Again, no hyperbole here.
Rather than attempting to explain everything that happened over the week, let’s focus on one topic that has been clear to me the entire week. My life is experiencing the Law of the Big Mo. John Maxwell knows the power of the Big Mo. He saw it as one of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. It’s essential for sustained success.
What is the Big Mo? Momentum.
When I had freshly arrived in London to begin this adventure, I was able to view a bit of a general conference held by my church. Our church president and prophet, Russell M Nelson, talked to us about ways we could build spiritual momentum in our lives. He gave an example of momentum by telling of a time he watched a basketball team take their momentum from the first half of a game straight to victory. It got me thinking about momentum in all areas of my life.
Where do I have momentum?
It is positive or negative?
Bit of both?
Momentum is real. Ask the Utah Jazz. They have an undesirable momentum right now, having lost 17 games this season in the fourth quarter when starting the quarter with double digit leads. They win close games, and can’t finish the seeming blowouts. That is not the type of momentum you want as a basketball team going into the playoffs. We will see what happens with their playoff run. One thing is for sure: change the momentum or take an early exit.
I think many people leave the building of momentum to chance. I hear phrases like, “If only… would happen” or something like “I wish (insert cool event) happened in my life like it happens in (cool person’s) life.” I want to let you in on a little secret. You can create momentum in your life. In fact, let’s try that again. You DO create momentum in your life.
So, what kind of momentum are you creating?
There is a well known legend from the Native American community that often goes well shared, but unadopted by those who hear it. Let’s review one version of the story here and see what it means through the lens of momentum.
“An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me, “ he said to the boy.
“It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil – he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.””
“The one you feed.”
When I reflect on that story now, I can’t help but realize that we are constantly feeding the wolves. We can constantly feed the hate, frustration, anger, despair, and negativity in our lives. Or. We can choose to feed the other wolf. We can feed the happiness, understanding, harmony, kindness, and love in our lives.
If all you are seeing right now is bad news, try a different wolf diet.
My week in Worcester was a dietary shift for me. It got me out of my own head. It got me around others who intentionally feed their positive wolves.
Teresa is one of those individuals feeding the positive wolf. She is a NASA engineer. In one of our discussions she shared with me a part of NASA history I was not aware of. I am sure you remember the Apollo 1 disaster that killed 3 astronauts. Did you know that the response of the team lead, Gene Kranz, was recorded when those astronauts died? It is referred today in NASA as the Kranz Dictum. He had just found out that astronauts had died on his watch. Here is his actual, recorded response.
“Spaceflight will never tolerate carelessness, incapacity, and neglect. Somewhere, somehow, we screwed up. It could have been in design, build, or test. Whatever it was, we should have caught it. We were too gung ho about the schedule and we locked out all of the problems we saw each day in our work. Every element of the program was in trouble and so were we. The simulators were not working, Mission Control was behind in virtually every area, and the flight and test procedures changed daily. Nothing we did had any shelf life. Not one of us stood up and said, “Dammit, stop!” I don’t know what Thompson’s committee will find as the cause, but I know what I find. We are the cause! We were not ready! We did not do our job. We were rolling the dice, hoping that things would come together by launch day, when in our hearts we knew it would take a miracle. We were pushing the schedule and betting that the Cape would slip before we did.
From this day forward, Flight Control will be known by two words: “Tough” and “Competent”. Tough means we are forever accountable for what we do or what we fail to do. We will never again compromise our responsibilities. Every time we walk into Mission Control we will know what we stand for. Competent means we will never take anything for granted. We will never be found short in our knowledge and in our skills. Mission Control will be perfect. When you leave this meeting today you will go to your office and the first thing you will do there is to write “Tough and Competent” on your blackboards. It will never be erased. Each day when you enter the room these words will remind you of the price paid by Grissom, White, and Chaffee. These words are the price of admission to the ranks of Mission Control.”
This response has become a way of life at NASA. If you are experiencing the effects of negative momentum follow the dictum. It starts with you. Take responsibility for the hard things in life. Own it all. Realize the mistakes that have happened and immediately act on how to improve them. If it works for NASA, what are the chances that it’ll work for you as well?
Momentum happens in our lives. We may as well choose which wave we want to ride.
I know the wolf I have chosen feed.
Do you?
If positive momentum is desirable in your life, and you would like a coach to help you get to a level higher than you could accomplish alone, please get on my calendar. I am happy to discuss with you how coaching can help you build positive momentum in your life.
After all, when it comes to positive momentum, one step up makes all the difference.