Building Symbolic Momentum
In physics, Newton’s First Law of Motion posits that an object in motion tends to stay in motion, while an object at rest stays at rest.
Symbolic momentum is an analogous idea (though not standard in physics!)
Just like we hit the gas to move faster, we have to repeatedly act with a consistent objective to build something new in our lives.
My daughter's big win
We don't always notice as symbolic momentum increases. Like a well-nourished seed, symbolic momentum can build under the surface until it bursts out in a display of color and life force.
Relatedly, I want to share with you all that this past weekend was one of the highlights of my life!
Back in January, my daughter Ellie decided to audition at a local kids theater. She's been into theater for a while but is just beginning to do actual plays. This was her first real audition for strangers.
She got the lead! The musical is Legally Blonde (Jr.) and her character is named Elle.
What was inspiring was how she handled her audition. She sang one song, and then came back and said, 'I want to audition for Elle and sing another song.' She even helped other auditionees with their dance moves. I was so proud of her!
Hidden Growth
Ellie built momentum by planting seeds--taking risks, studying the script, learning the songs--so in some way the results should have been no surprise. We can't predict synchronicity, but we can come to expect it in some form.
I held my breath waiting for opening night, watching her prepare with hardly any parental guidance. She got her hair highlighted to match the role! (I felt clueless, so I just watched.)
The momentum built.
On opening night, I was prepared for something to go wrong. Dana and I sat in the middle section toward the back, clenching each other's hands, feeling so anxious.
I've never been more impressed and surprised.
Out she came like she had done it all before a thousand times. The cast was in sync, the script built momentum, and we were on the edge of our seat. These kids were amazing! They were so alive and energetic, and played to full houses for both performances.
Building momentum is about steadily planting seeds
Kudos too to the adults who made that happen: the directing team and everybody else who helped. They planted seeds over the four months leading up to the production, even since last fall when they selected this play.
At the beginning, nobody knew it would be so energized and exciting!
A lot of stuff had to go right, a lot of seeds breaking through the soil, from the programs getting printed on time to the understudy covering the role of one of the lead actors. People kept doing the best next step, building momentum, taking objectively meaningful actions toward an outcome.
Dana and I are breathing deeper now and our hands are finally unclenched!
Practice:
The theater production was a dramatic example (haha), but on a smaller scale, what momentum do you have? What activities have you been regularly engaged with recently? What sorts of outcomes do those activities lead to?
Also, what outcomes are you wanting more of?
Is there a crossover between these lists? What activity would you like to do this week to build momentum toward one outcome that you're interested in?
And celebrate the plant breaking out of the soil, when the momentum we have built becomes visible! The surprise emergence of synchronicity is really the intentional result of seeds you planted in the past. Kudos to you!