I recently read that more energy was spent in the first few minutes of the lift-off of Apollo 11 (1969 walking on moon mission) than was used over the next several days to travel half a million miles. Why was this? The gravitational pull of the earth is so strong that it requires a tremendous amount of concentrated energy to break free from it. Once broken, the space ship could use the previous momentum to glide to its goal. Many other steps were required to get to the moon but breaking the atmosphere required the most energy.
Habits and Gravitational Pull
Our current mode of living is much like the earth; it is where we are most comfortable and live. To break existing routines and habits (our gravitational pull) requires highly concentrated effort, energy, and focus. It is hard work; work that requires clarity on the “why” or purpose of the mission upon which we embark.
Why is the “Why” so Important?
If we are not clear on why we want to change then sustaining the energy to break our gravitational pull will fizzle out and cause us to come crashing back to normalcy. For America, being the first to the moon symbolized that we could win the cold war and secure america’s freedom. This “why” provided the motivation needed to achieve the seemingly unattainable goal set by President Kennedy to have an American on the moon before the turn of the decade (just 8 years later). Most thought it was impossible. Even with such doubts, the reasons behind the goal were so significant that it was worth the effort, risk, and sacrifice required to potentially achieve it. If the NASA team simply felt they “should” do it because the president said so they would not have been able to achieve it. They believed in the “why” of the mission.
New Year’s Resolutions
How does this apply to the goals we set each new year? Let us take a common goal of, say, losing weight. Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to look good for your honey? Is it to get a honey? Are you overweight and lack self confidence and, as a result, want to lose weight to increase how you feel when with others? Is a healthy lifestyle an important value to you and, according to the charts, you are overweight and at risk for some disease or condition?
Your reason for wanting to lose 20 pounds has to resonate deeply and be very important to you. If it is simply something you “should” do and others expect it from you then you will not get far. If there is not a “why” that motivates and inspires then set another goal. Set a goal that does motivate and inspire. Change and progress occur when our goals align with our core values. Core values are the deeply held beliefs we strive to live. What are your core values? Once you gain clarity on your core then knowing what goals to set becomes much easier and the likelihood that you will achieve increases significantly.
To walk on your moon become clear on why the time, sacrifice, and energy are worth the end result. When you want to give up revisit your “why”. If that “why” is really aligned with your core values it will give you the needed reminder of what your goal is all about; what you are all about.
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