How to Overcome Your Inertia and Get Unstuck (Pg 30-31, The Momentum Mindset book)

Consider this improbable, but illustrative scenario: you’ve glued your foot to a concrete block and now you can’t move. You’re not going to get anywhere fast, or build any kind of momentum, with such a hefty weight holding yourself back.

The cause of your inertia is clear (the massive concrete block stuck to your foot!). To rid yourself of the block and get moving again, you have three options:

1. Cut yourself free.

2. Pull hard.

3. Dissolve the glue.

The first option can work. Hack away at the concrete until you can move freely. The risk is some uncomfortable lumps of concrete remain stuck to your foot. You may not notice them at first, but they could cause problems eventually. 

Option two is the brute force approach. Don’t overthink things, just apply a lot of effort and get it done. It could work, but there’s a high probability that you’ll leave some skin behind.

Our preferred option is the final one. Take a moment to understand what it is that’s sticking you to the block, and find a solution that will dissolve the glue. It will leave both the block and you intact, but separate and able to go your own ways. 

It’s non-destructive and doesn’t result in any new problems. All you need to do is identify the glue, and then the solution to dissolve it. Once that’s achieved, you can get moving again and build momentum. 

In life, some jobs, relationships or personal circumstances are stickier than others. It may take a long time to work out how to dissolve the glue. This book will help you do that.