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Transcript

Max Momentum Day · The No Cry Zone

• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the special cut of the No Cry Zone for a more precise take on life.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Jim Best.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: Today is September 30th, maximum momentum day.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, I made up the day, but I think we need it.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Here's why.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: When you look at much of the talk in and around personal growth and development, there is a lot of talk, talk, talk about being stuck.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure you've noticed it as well.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: So I began examining the language around being stuck.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: You know me, I pay close attention to the words we use to describe a problem, challenge, or issue.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: So I studied this being stuck and talked to a lot of people, read a lot about it, and asked a lot of questions.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: And here's what I realized: being stuck is the vast majority of the time the result of lost momentum.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: So that led to the development of the PME, perpetual momentum engine, and the process of creating momentum, mindset, focus, effective action, habits, net positive.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: Commit that to memory.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not big on being prescriptive, but that is one thing I say you should definitely do.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Remember the pure perpetual momentum engine formula and more importantly, use it.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: Most of us are accustomed to measuring what we have accomplished.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: Today I want to ask a different question.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: How much of your ability to create a life you value is actually in motion and being put to practical use?
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: If your answer is not enough, that is no reason to be discouraged.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's an opportunity, a vast opportunity.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: Personal momentum is something you can create.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: When I say a maximum momentum, I don't mean packing every minute with work, driving yourself to exhaustion, or trying to make every day more productive than the last.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: That would be a strange way to celebrate life.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_00: I mean making the fullest useful contribution you can make with your energy, attention, and abilities while enjoying the life you are building.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: Physical momentum is what happens when something is already moving.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: As you know, physical momentum is limited.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_00: Personal momentum calls for more intention.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: We can choose a direction, take an action, learn from what happens, and choose again.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: We can even recharge without losing our direction.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: That is why I call this the perpetual momentum engine, again, the PME.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: Its five factors are the momentum mindset, focus, effective action, supportive habits, and net positive living.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: Each factor supports the next.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: Then the outcome gives us fresh reason and capacity to begin another turn of the engine.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: Today we'll put the engine to work.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: We'll talk about why net positive living belongs inside it and why recharging is essential to a momentum-filled lifestyle.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: By the end of today's session, I hope you have one move in mind that you can make within the next 24 hours.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk first about the momentum mindset.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: Here's a sentence that starts the engine.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: I can create my own momentum.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: That is a mindset, not a boast.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's a realization.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_00: It does not say that you control the weather, other people's, the economy, or every outcome that you care about.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: You can't head fake reality.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: It says that within reality, you can usually make a move that improves your position, teaches you something, or opens another possibility.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: Think of the person who says, I'll start when I feel confident.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Confidence often follows competence.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: Competence comes from practice.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: If you wait for confidence before making the first attempt, you have the order backwards.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Or the person who says, Once I get inspired, I'll write that first page.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe inspiration will arrive, but writing the first imperfect paragraph gives inspiration a place to land.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's a point of departure.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: Action can create the feeling you were waiting for.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: I don't mean that you should always push harder.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the best move is to ask for help.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it is to stop doing something that is ineffective.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the best move is to sleep, recover, and come back with a clearer head.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: The momentum mindset is the belief you can participate in what happens next.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: That belief changes your questions.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of why am I stuck?
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: Try what part of this can I influence?
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of how do I turn my whole life around by Friday?
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: Ask, what can I set in motion today?
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: What's the best move I can make now?
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: It might be one phone call, a walk, a candid conversation, or ten minutes spent identifying the real obstacle.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: None of these needs to be enormous.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: A good move is valuable because of what it changes and what it makes possible next.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: Remember that.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: Your first good move can just set up the next several great moves.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: But you've got to get started.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine that you want to strengthen a relationship, but have been telling yourself the other person has to reach out first.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: The mindset does not guarantee a reunion.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: It reminds you that you could send a thoughtful message, acknowledge your part in the distance, and invite a conversation.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: Now something is in motion.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: The other person remains free to decide what to do, and you have acted in keeping with your values.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, somebody's got to take the first step.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: It may as well be you.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: That is ownership.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: It gives you a starting point without pretending that every outcome is yours to command.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: Now, let's talk about giving your momentum direction and making it a legitimate, powerful force.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: Once you believe you can move forward, once you see what action you can take, you need to decide where your movement should go.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: That is your focus.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_00: I have said that unfocused momentum is like a runaway train.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: There is a lot of power there, but you may not like where it takes you.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_00: A full calendar is not proof that your life is moving in a direction you have chosen.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: It just means it's a full, busy calendar.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Busyness can consume the very energy you need for your priorities.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: So ask yourself, what matters enough to receive my attention now?
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_00: Your answer could be your health, a person you love, a project, financial stability, learning a new skill, making a contribution to others, or simply recovering a sense of enjoyment.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: Focus does not require you to have only one interest.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: It asks you to choose where to apply yourself at a given moment.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: If you care about your health or your marriage or your creative work, you can make a useful move in one of those areas today and another tomorrow.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: You can also recognize when one area urgently needs care.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: Be specific enough to tell whether you acted.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: I want better relationships, gives you a direction, but it's unfocused.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: I will call my daughter tonight and listen without looking at my phone is a good move.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: I want to write a book, gives you a dream, a wish.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: I will draft the first section before lunch, gives you a point of focus, a specific step.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: Focus is also how you protect your momentum.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: Every new request, distraction, and opportunity wants a piece of your day.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: You can say yes to worthwhile things and still discover that you have left no time for what matters most.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: Ask whether a commitment supports your priorities before you automatically add it to your life.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Saying yes is not always a power move.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: Allow focus to include pleasure.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_00: Planning a trip with someone you love, taking your camera for a walk, or enjoying an unhurried meal may be a very good use of your attention.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: Your engine should help you live, not simply help you complete tasks.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's talk about an effective action.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: And remember, this is where a lot of people stall out.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: I've got a solution for you here.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: Effective action.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_00: It is easy to substitute activity for progress.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: We can research one more option, recognize our confusion, reorganize our notes, discuss an idea for the tenth time, or answer a dozen messages.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: Some of that may be useful.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_00: But what action would actually change the situation?
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, we are looking for a good move to make.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: Now suppose a project at work has stalled.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: Another meeting may merely repeat the problem.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: Finding out which decision is missing, who can make it, and what information that person needs could move the project forward.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: Suppose you want to become a stronger writer.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: Buying a notebook might be delightful.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: Writing a page, reading it out loud, and revising it will develop your skill.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_00: Suppose you want to restore a friendship.
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_00: Remembering the good times can remind you why it matters, but a sincere invitation to meet creates an opportunity to reconnect.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_00: Often the hardest part is identifying the good move.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: That is a legitimate obstacle.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: People and cars can both stall, but people often stall because they cannot identify an effective next move.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: When that happens, slow down enough to ask three questions.
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_00: What result do I want?
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: What is actually limiting my progress?
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: What could change that limiting factor?
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now I'm going to share with you another very practical and yet overwhelmingly powerful strategy.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_00: I developed this approach after watching so many, too many people who had good intentions, were very motivated to change, and yet continually seemed stuck.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: Others got going only to quickly and sadly stall out far too often.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: So here is an exercise I call the action flex.
• 13:33
  SPEAKER_00: Pick one area where you want momentum.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: You can pick several if you want, but start with one.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: Keep a list of possible actions that you could make to make progress in this area.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_00: Write down everything you could do.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: It might be make a call.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: It might be ask a question.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_00: Perhaps try something, perhaps stop doing something, maybe get a missing fact.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_00: Rest and return with a clearer head.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: Include small moves and ambitious ones.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: All you have to do is list them down right now.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: At this stage, you do not have to do any of them.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: That is the luxury of the exercise.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: You are only identifying possibilities.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: Don't reject an idea because you are not ready for it today.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: The point is to strengthen your ability to see moves where you previously saw a blank.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_00: Keep a record of them.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: Have it with you at all times.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_00: You know why?
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: You probably like me have a oh, let's call it a not so strong memory over the long course of a day.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's easy to forget the good moves we identified before.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: When you want to get your momentum started, take out the list and ask two questions.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: Which of these would be most effective for what I am trying to do now?
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_00: And which one do I feel like doing right now?
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: That's the beauty of the exercise.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's like building a little action library.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: And you can go and look at the actions later and choose which one is going to be most helpful.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_00: If the answers differ, look for a move that offers both useful progress and a real chance you will do it.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes the easiest appealing move opens the way to the more consequential ones.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, it's like a chess game.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: You start by moving a pawn usually.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_00: It gets you ready for the other moves that you can make.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: Add to your list as you learn and go.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_00: Cross out what no longer fits.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: Your action list is a resource you carry, not a set of obligations hanging over you.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: It is not a goal list.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_00: It is not things I hope to do.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: It's not a to-do list.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's a list of possible actions you can take.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't know what action you want to take, your effective action may be to learn and list some of those things you learn.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_00: Ask someone who has handled the problem.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_00: Get the missing fact.
• 16:31
  SPEAKER_00: Try a modest experience.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need perfect certainty before taking a reversible step.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: After the action, look at the result.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_00: Did it help?
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_00: What did it teach you?
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: What should you adjust?
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_00: A move that reveals why your first idea did not work can still create momentum because you are now better equipped to make the next move.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_00: This is one reason the engine can keep turning.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: Effective action creates feedback.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: Feedback improved focus and action.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_00: You are building the ability to respond, to move forward like a glacier with great force and effect.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: You are not following a rigid script that fails the moment reality changes.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_00: Now you may wonder why am I so emphatic about this?
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_00: Here's the reason: taking action is where most people fail to start.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: They balk.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: Now you've got a full list of things that you can do when you feel like doing it.
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_00: We can talk about what we can do to have a greater sense of let's say motivation to do those things, but start with the list.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_00: Now we're gonna take a break here, and when we come back, we are going into the best part of maximum momentum day in the no-cry zone.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: You made it back.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_00: Congratulations.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: By the way, the music for this special edition of the No Cry Zone is by Brazen Candor.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: People are loving their latest album, Wait What?
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_00: Then they follow that up with What Should We Do Before the World Ends?
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: Check out their video on YouTube.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_00: They've created a lot of momentum, and we appreciate them doing today's song called Get Going.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: Now, back to our own momentum.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: We've covered mindset, focus, and effective action, which get the momentum started.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_00: Now, let's talk about what keeps it going and specifically what keeps you going.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: One effective action moves you forward.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_00: A supportive habit makes it easier to keep it up, to repeat.
• 19:32
  SPEAKER_00: To put as Brazen Candor calls it in the song, AutoClimb.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: I deliberately call them supportive habits.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_00: I'm less interested in handing out permanent labels of good and bad.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_00: I'm more interested in asking what a pattern does for the life you want now.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: A routine that helped you in one season may need to change in another.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_00: What is a supportive habit?
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: You could set aside 20 minutes to write before checking messages.
• 20:06
  SPEAKER_00: You could take a walk with a friend each Thursday.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_00: You could end each workday by identifying tomorrow's most useful action.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_00: You could put time for a family conversation on the calendar and then be fully present when it arrives.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_00: A supportive habit reduces the daily negotiation with yourself.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_00: You do not have to decide all over again whether your priorities matter.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: You have made it easier to act on them.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: Make the habit realistic and practical.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: A system that only works when your mood is perfect and the calendar is empty is unlikely to support you for long.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_00: If twenty minutes works and two hours doesn't, use the 20 minutes.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: If you miss a day, resume the next day.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_00: Adjust the routine when the evidence says it needs to be adjusted.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_00: You can even make reflection a habit.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_00: Once a week, ask which actions created progress?
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_00: Which routine made them easier?
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: Which one is now costing more than it gives?
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_00: A few minutes of honest attention can keep you from spending months repeating something that no longer works.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_00: And remember, a habit doesn't have to be a daily habit.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_00: It can be an every other day habit.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_00: It can be a twice-weekly habit.
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_00: It could be twice a month.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: Find what works and what supports you and keep doing it.
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_00: So far, the engine sounds straightforward, doesn't it?
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_00: Mindset says I can create momentum.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_00: Focus says here's where I want to go.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_00: Effective action says here's the move I'm gonna make.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_00: Supportive habits say let's make that move easier to repeat.
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_00: Let's make it a no brainer.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_00: But we need one more factor.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: Otherwise, we might become extremely good at moving toward the wrong things.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: And now we're going to talk about why being net positive belongs in your perpetual momentum engine and why it has to be a part of your living.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_00: Net positive living is the purpose and the test of your momentum.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of people who are interested in personal growth and personal development and becoming a better person and having a better life get stuck literally at what is your purpose in life?
• 22:41
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I'm suggesting be a net positive.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_00: That is an abundantly large, grand, and magnificent purpose for anybody.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: To me, being a net positive means that your presence and actions improve your own life and the lives and situations you touch.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_00: It does not require universal approval.
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_00: You can set boundaries, disagree, pursue your ambitions, speak candidly.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: You can be courteous without apologizing for taking up space.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: Why putting that positive beat inside the perpetual momentum engine rather than tacking on at the end as a nice sentiment?
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_00: Because direction changes the meaning of speed.
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_00: If your work gains momentum while your health and relationships steadily deteriorate, the engine needs an adjustment.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_00: If you become more efficient at winning arguments, but make every conversation less useful, more difficult, efficiency alone is a poor victory.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, that is a net loss.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: Net positive living gives you a way to judge the results and choose the next turn of the engine.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: It asks, what good is this progress producing?
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_00: For whom?
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_00: What is it costing?
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: Is it hurting anyone?
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_00: What new capacity have I created and how will I use it?
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_00: Perhaps progress at work gives you more freedom to mentor someone.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_00: Perhaps improved health lets you take part in an adventure with your family.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_00: Perhaps a steadier creative practice produces a piece of work that encourages a person you have never met.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: Perhaps the immediate gain is quieter.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_00: You are less preoccupied with being stuck, so you can pay attention to someone who needs you.
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_00: Your own well-being is part of that equation, isn't it?
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_00: If you make everyone else's day better by steadily draining your own life, that pattern deserves a closer look.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: The goal is a contribution you can sustain with self-respect, interest, and joy.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, joy.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_00: There is a powerful feedback loop here.
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_00: Living as a net positive gives you a reason to keep creating momentum.
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_00: Seeing the benefit of your actions strengthens your mindset.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_00: It sharpens your focus.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_00: It helps you choose the next effective action and the habits worth maintaining.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: In that sense, net positive is an outcome and fuel for the next cycle.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: That is exactly why it's a vital part of the perpetual momentum engine.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_00: Being a net positive makes everything worthwhile.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_00: Now let me make the whole engine concrete.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_00: Imagine you have been meaning to reconnect with an old friend.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: The mindset, I can take some responsibility for this connection.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_00: The focus, I want us to have genuine contact again.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_00: The effective action, send a personal note and suggest the time to talk.
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: The supportive habit, make space for regular contact without turning friendship into a chore.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_00: The net positive aim, give both of you a warmer, stronger, more meaningful connection.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_00: Then you learn from what happens.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe the friend responds immediately.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they are going through something and need patience.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you discover that the relationship has changed.
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: You respond to reality, decide what care looks like now, and turn the engine again.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_00: The point is not to keep repeating five words like a slogan.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_00: We are not into slogans in the no-cry zone.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_00: The point is to use the five factors to make better decisions in an actual life that is meaningful to you.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I say memorize those five factors and put them to use.
• 27:13
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I want to talk about recharging without losing your momentum.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of people, in fact, it's almost an accepted belief that people have to hit plateaus.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_00: That's not actually true.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_00: There is one misunderstanding I want to clear up on maximum momentum day.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_00: That perpetual momentum does not mean perpetual exertion.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't mean that.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_00: You do also.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_00: Rest is not a failure of momentum.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_00: Well, chosen recovery protects your ability to act effectively and enjoy the results.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: The point is not to be haphazard about when you recharge.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_00: Picture someone who works late every night to keep a project moving.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_00: For a short period, that might be necessary.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_00: But if they gradually lose sleep, patience, judgment, and curiosity, the apparent momentum is becoming less effective.
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_00: The engine is consuming its own capacity.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_00: Now, recharging can take several forms.
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_00: Sleep and physical rest matter.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_00: So can time with people who leave you feeling more yourself, more recharged.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: A walk, a hobby, a change of scenery, a quiet morning, laughter, or an afternoon with no assignment can restore attention and energy.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes you recharge by reflecting.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_00: What worked?
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_00: What did I enjoy the most of the next last two weeks?
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_00: What took too much time out of me?
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_00: What do I want to carry forward?
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_00: What have I learned?
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes recharging means doing something active but different.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_00: If you have spent all week solving problems with your head, make some music, cook, do some gardening, explore a new place.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_00: Those things may bring you back with more energy than staring at a screen while insisting you are resting.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_00: The test is not whether an activity looks productive, the test is whether it actually restores you and supports the life you want.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_00: Be honest about that.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: Some habits we call relaxation leave us more scattered.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_00: Others give us genuine pleasure and renewed capacity.
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_00: I think of it as a comfort platform.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_00: I've talked about this at Upwards Best.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_00: It's a place to return to between excursions.
• 30:00
  SPEAKER_00: You get ready, you venture out, you re-through, recharge, reflect, and get out there again.
• 30:05
  SPEAKER_00: It is a base for living boldly, not a place to hide indefinitely.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_00: It's not a holding tank.
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_00: When the rest has done its job, you can choose the next direction and move.
• 30:17
  SPEAKER_00: You come back to your comfort platform.
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_00: Comfort's a natural state that we want to enjoy, but we don't want to live there forever.
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_00: We move off of our platform.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_00: Onto our next adventure, onto our next activity, onto our next effective move.
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_00: That rhythm is crucial to the perpetual momentum engine.
• 30:40
  SPEAKER_00: Recharge preserves the mindset that you can act.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_00: It clears your focus.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_00: It improves the quality of your action.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_00: It makes your habits more sustainable.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_00: And it allows you to remain a net positive without running yourself down so that you are a net positive to yourself and you can remain a net positive to others.
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_00: Suppose you are in the middle of a demanding month.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of asking, how can I squeeze every lounge every last ounce out of myself?
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_00: Ask what would let me bring my best available energy to what matters and replenish it regularly.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_00: That might mean protecting an evening, getting enough sleep, asking for help, or dropping a commitment whose value no longer justifies the cost.
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_00: You can pause without surrendering your direction.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_00: A singer breathes between phrases in a song.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_00: A person living with purpose can do the same.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about the perpetual part because this frankly scares a lot of people.
• 31:47
  SPEAKER_00: They think they have to continue doing something all the time.
• 31:51
  SPEAKER_00: That's not the point at all.
• 31:53
  SPEAKER_00: Perpetual means you can do it at any point in time.
• 31:56
  SPEAKER_00: Perpetual means if you need momentum, you can create that momentum.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_00: And with the recharge cycle built in, that's why it's perpetual.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure that's why you can see I call it a perpetual engine.
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not promising that you will feel unstoppable every morning.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_00: Life interrupts, plans fail, people get sick, priorities change.
• 32:20
  SPEAKER_00: You may need to rest.
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_00: Reconsider or start again from a different place.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_00: The engine is perpetual because you can return to its process.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_00: Check the mindset, reconsider your focus, identify an effective action, support it with a workable habit.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_00: Ask whether the result is net positive.
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_00: Recharge, learn, and repeat.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_00: It's a beautiful cycle, and you can do it at any point in time.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's the perpetual part of it.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_00: You do not need to overhaul all five factors at once.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_00: The engine can also help diagnose a stalling point.
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_00: If you believe nothing you do can matter, start with your mindset and look for one part you can influence.
• 33:05
  SPEAKER_00: If you are busy but not satisfied with where you are headed, revisit your focus.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_00: If you know what you want but see little progress, and who hasn't gone through that before, examine whether your actions are being effective.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_00: If you keep starting over, look at your habits and circumstances around your actions.
• 33:26
  SPEAKER_00: If you're achieving things but feeling strangely empty, revisit your net positive purpose.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_00: And if you are depleted, recharge before asking yourself for more.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_00: One adjustment can change the next turn.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_00: That is far more useful than deciding you are simply a person with no momentum, or then saying, I'm stuck.
• 33:53
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's talk about your maximum momentum day move because that's what you want.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_00: You want to make one move that gets you in a better position to make your next move.
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_00: That some would say is the key to happiness and success.
• 34:08
  SPEAKER_00: So here is my invitation.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_00: Choose one area of your life that deserves more of your attention.
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_00: It can be your health, a relationship, your work, your creative life, your spirituality, your community, your finances, or the enjoyment of being alive.
• 34:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm gonna use a phrase here I wish people would use more often, but it could be the enjoyment of being you.
• 34:36
  SPEAKER_00: Ask yourself these questions and give yourself honest, specific answers.
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_00: First, what would change if I believed I could create momentum here?
• 34:48
  SPEAKER_00: Second, what result deserves my focus right now?
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_00: Third, what effective action can I take within the next 24 hours?
• 35:01
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're feeling really ambitious and I encourage you to do so, what effective action can I take within the next four hours?
• 35:09
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need twenty-four hours to make most of the moves that will get you in a better position to make your next move.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth, what supportive habit would make the next action or actions easier?
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_00: Fifth, how would this progress help me live as a net positive?
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_00: And what do I want to do more of to be more of a net positive?
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_00: And you can even add a sixth question, because in a no-cry zone, we don't take small steps unless we absolutely have to.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_00: I assume that most of you are capable of taking huge steps.
• 35:55
  SPEAKER_00: So here's the sixth question.
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_00: What will recharge me enough to keep living this way?
• 36:04
  SPEAKER_00: Then take the action.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, take the action.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm saying it again because so many people balk at taking the action, but by now you have that list of action, that list of power moves that you can make anytime you want to.
• 36:19
  SPEAKER_00: It's there waiting for you.
• 36:21
  SPEAKER_00: Tomorrow, look at what happened.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_00: Learn something, adjust, and make another move.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_00: Don't insist that the first move be dramatic.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_00: The first best move is often the one you actually take.
• 36:37
  SPEAKER_00: Maximum Momentum Day comes once a year.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_00: The perpetual momentum engine is available tomorrow and the next day.
• 36:45
  SPEAKER_00: And on some ordinary Wednesday when your plans go sideways.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_00: It is yours to use whenever you need to remember.
• 36:55
  SPEAKER_00: I can create my own momentum.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_00: And then the formula, mindset, focus, effective action, habits, net positive.
• 37:08
  SPEAKER_00: And when that momentum gives you more capacity, ask the question that makes this exciting.
• 37:14
  SPEAKER_00: What will I now be able to do?
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you will take on a challenge you once thought was beyond you.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you do.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you will deepen a relationship.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you will do something beautifully ordinary that makes life better for someone else and for you.
• 37:34
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, aspire, protect your momentum.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_00: Come upwards with us.
• 37:41
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Jim Best.
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for spending maximum momentum day with me in the No Cry Zone.
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_00: Join me again next week.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: Keep up to date with me every day at upwardsbest.com.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_00: Grab yourself a fantastic week on the way out.
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_00: You'll be delighted to know that there is an inexhaustible supply of them.
• 38:03
  SPEAKER_00: Yours for the making.
• 38:06
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as brazen candor tells us all, get going.
• 38:30
  SPEAKER_02: Something's gotta get started.
• 38:32
  SPEAKER_02: I used to baby beat up.
• 38:36
  SPEAKER_02: Something's gotta get you started if you like it.