Nobody ever sets out to quit or fail at something. When we have the momentum, enthusiasm and energy we soar ahead, excited about what the end will look like when we accomplish the goal. But then what happens half-way through the course, the dieting? the exercise? that new book? We pause.

Pausing is no good for momentum because it diminishes energy required to keep us going. Just imagine our favourite olympic skier pausing on a slope. He/She will certainly not be taking home any medal! Recently, I went skiing at Hockley Valley Ski Resort with some friends. None of us were by any means great, or even good, at this sport, but we got better the longer we stayed out there. So much better that we decided to try the beginner hill. While I had done this before- 10 years ago, my friend hadn’t. He was better than any beginner I knew. I went down the first slope smoothly…too smooth actually. But my friend didn’t. He had a fall. I stopped at the end of the slope to wait for him. But during this time, the momentum that was built up on the first slope diminished, and I was a little scared to take the second slope. By then, I watched my friend ski ahead of me and I found motivation from him. If he could do it, so could I. I saw him fall again but this time I didn’t stop. Was I mean? Well, that’s the thing about momentum. I didn’t want to pause because I feared that I would be the one to fall or worse, let fear prevent me from making it to the end.

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I love the way sports teaches us so many realistic lessons. It lets us mentally see where we are in our minds. At the beginning of skiing, I wasn’t that smooth coming down any hill. I told myself two things: (1) I didn’t come skiing to not enjoy myself and actually make it down the hill. (2) I did not intend to fall. Now, this is a lot of positivity for someone who is totally new (because not skiing for a decade still makes me new). I didn’t know it at the time, but I think my mind was at the top of the baby hill rectifying those two beliefs while I stood there. I was trying to figure out the how. How would I go down the hill without falling?

For 10 minutes I examined the hill, observing the other skiers fall and going again. Until I got too close to the edge and gravity had its way with me. I screamed all the way down and somehow my feet situated themselves correctly. I watched my friends jumped out of my way as I was coming at full speed, and a miracle happened. My feet turned so that I didn’t fall and I kept on going. I slowed down by myself startled and in shock. How did I do that? I looked up the hill and followed the route I had taken. How did I not fall? I can’t believe it.

Lisa Nichols defines mindset as “the knowing.”

The knowing enables you to push past limiting beliefs, take on new opportunities with confidence and succeed in getting what you want. This knowing precedes your ability to succeed and paves the way for you to enjoy abundance in every area of your life. And its this knowing that I want to help you develop now. 

Lisa Nichols & Janet Switzer

What I am saying is that having a positive mindset about skiing took me down the first baby hill. It gave me the courage to get on the ski lift and then try the beginner hill. The more I skied was the more I felt confident and the more I wanted to take bigger risk. Why? Because of momentum. Pausing makes us loose that momentum and it prevents us from sailing ahead with our plans, goals and desires.

**May you continue to build momentum in February as you press forward into your goal. You started it, just don’t stop. Don’t let your pause become a full stop.