Your Unique Flywheel: A Surefire Guide to Making Progress

In the past few months, we’ve been working on helping those at 925 and in our areas of influence regain focus many lost over the last seven months. We’ve had success through taking the time to sit down, thoughtfully assess situations, and make smart decisions based on our and our clients’ mission, vision, and values.

Much of the aforementioned areas are associated strongly with individual goals, however many don’t consider the underlying driver behind why they have the goals they are striving towards. We’ll cover that in another blog soon.

I was reminded this week of the “flywheel” concept from a fellow gym owner friend and the business mentorship program we work with (Two-Brain Business). When we look at our lives, we only have so much energy, capacity, and time to divide out across the areas we’d like to improve or maintain.

The flywheel concept helps us visualize where this energy goes as well as areas we may need to focus less on in order to support other areas that may have gotten forgotten about or gone by the wayside for one reason or another. Below is one example:

Each of these categories needs focus, and a balanced approach allows the flywheel (your progress) to continue to spin easily. When one or more areas fall behind, we have to apply that much more force on the remaining areas to keep things going, or to maintain momentum (as defined below):

Definition of momentum

1: a property of a moving body that the body has by virtue of its mass (and motion and that is equal to the product of the body's mass and velocity

broadly : a property of a moving body that determines the length of time required to bring it to rest when under the action of a constant force or moment

2: strength or force gained by motion or by a series of events
”The wagon gained momentum as it rolled down the hill.”

When we’re working consistently on our goals priorities within the time and energy bounds we have, we see positive progress - regularly.

All of us know what it feels like to have things balanced with family, faith, health and fitness, friends, work, and finances. Then, when one thing gets out of whack - we’ll use health and fitness as an example - stress adds up at work and home since we don’t have our pressure relief from working out, then the next thing you know, you’re not focusing as well at work, your relationships with family and friends become strained, and your health gets worse due to even more stress.

It’s a downward spiral each of us can relate to.

How do we fix it?

Assess your flywheel. Write down the main areas of your life - the values and activities that mean the most to you. Which areas need attention?

• Do you need more time with your family? If so, take some time away from work or hobbies.

• Do you need to get re-engaged at work? If so, find a mentorship program or a conference to attend . Pour some energy into that area of your flywheel.

• Is your health keeping you from doing the things you need or want to do? If so, cut back on extra hours at work or social activities and add two hours’ worth of workouts a week.

• Feeling like your faith is flagging? If so, get up five minutes earlier and spend some time reading or praying. Reconnect with your Creator, and let an area that’s been eating up too much of your valuable time go.

Simple adjustments based on your priorities can make massive positive differences. Don’t be afraid to make changes. When you adjust to help improve your flywheel, you’ll find it moves much easier, and with that you will likely find more time for other important things when your focus is balanced.