What do Isaac Newton, The Rolling Stones, and that project you've been meaning to start have in common? They all understand something fundamental about the nature of motion—both physical and metaphorical.

Newton's First Law tells us that an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an external force. The Rolling Stones, well, they just keep rolling. Decades after their first chord struck the air waves, they've proven that momentum isn't just about physics—it's about life.

But here's the curious thing about momentum: it's not just about moving forward. It's about the peculiar relationship between continuity and progress. Think about those moments when you're deep in flow, working on something you love. Time seems to bend around you, and each step forward becomes easier than the last. Then the phone rings, or a notification pops up, and suddenly you're yanked out of that perfect state. Getting back feels like pushing a boulder uphill.

Why is that? Perhaps our minds are like those old steam engines—tremendous energy is required to get them moving, but once they're chugging along, they become unstoppable forces of nature. The initial activation energy, as chemists would call it, is always the steepest part of the curve.

This isn't just about productivity or physics—it's about the very nature of progress itself. When we fragment our attention, our energy, our dedication into start-stop-start-stop patterns, we're fighting against a fundamental law of the universe. Each pause is a new mountain to climb, a fresh resistance to overcome.

But here's the real magic: once you're rolling, you don't just maintain speed—you gather force. Like a snowball rolling down a hill, momentum builds upon itself. Each rotation picks up more snow, grows larger, moves faster. Our progress, when uninterrupted, follows the same pattern.

So perhaps the secret isn't in finding more motivation, or better planning, or stronger willpower. Perhaps it's simply in understanding that the best way to keep moving is to never fully stop. Like those old Stones, still rocking after all these years, the key might just be to keep rolling.

And isn't that a curious thought? That sometimes the best way forward isn't to push harder, but to simply avoid standing still.

Feb. 13, 2025, 5:54 a.m.

Written bY CYril