On Your Marks, Get Set, GO!

Isaac Newton’s first law of motion states:

Every object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force.

Unless compelled to change is the key message.

The compulsion is not the tricky part. We make resolutions every year. The ancient Babylonians were the first to make them, four thousand years ago. The Romans promised their god Janus each year that they would do better than the one before. The Jews, the early Christians, those who centuries later went to mass that January 5th, and the 60% of us who, three weeks ago, pledged to pay attention, to improve, to change.

We stand on our marks, set, but halfway through January, get busy, or jaded, cold feet. Our intentions waver as we hesitate.

What if we change nothing, save no one? What if we fail, what if it hurts, what if we feel discomfort?

Newton’s Second Law:

Force is equal to the change in momentum per change in time.

Momentum is the force that keeps an object moving once it has been launched. But momentum demands an initial thrust, a decision. It cannot occur on its own.

Momentum must be built; mass times movement. First of all, much mass. The first dive is the hardest, coldest; Change is a challenge to Newton’s First Law. The first fall hurts most, but if we get back up, do not stop, next comes velocity. With time we pick up speed. The faster we go, the faster we can go; that’s how a snowball becomes an avalanche.

What if to every resolution made we added a little mass? What if we built momentum and let our fear push us forward, not back?

We are guaranteed nothing but remaining on our marks if we do not make the first move. We will never be more ready or set, but if we go, we may just fly.