Overcoming Inertia

Switching from one task, from one thought or activity to another is one of the most effort-consuming mental actions. Not that it requires more than a moment to decide to move from one activity to the next, but there's something strangely comforting in prolonging the current activity while moving on seems to require some kind of special effort. But if you want to get more done and get the maximum out of every day, it is prudent to learn how to make switching from one activity, one context to another as easy, strain-free and natural as possible. Can you learn to actually enjoy overcoming inertia? How can you make overcoming inertia easier? Maybe the way to go about it is to not become inert to begin with.

Before we observe how inertia comes into existence, let us consider how all of the precious moments in your life are strung together. Your “background life force” is like a red thread weaving through your every moment. Actually, it is more like a ribbon. Can you see it? You can imagine it appearing out of the air slightly behind you, weaving its way over you – strong and elastic with a silky touch – in a twisting motion. Steadily continuing to sail ahead into the next moment before evanescing into the space ahead and over you. It is constantly beckoning you ever so subtly to keep moving ahead and following it into your next moment. Can you see it? Let's call it your life ribbon and find out how hanging by a thread can keep inertia from creeping up on you.

Imagine hanging by a thread from your life ribbon, while you are doing whatever you are doing in this very moment. And your life ribbon, your life energy, is constantly forging ahead full of mettle. When you are focused on your activity, and when you are focusing all of your attention on being in that activity, you lose sight of and connection with that thread hanging from your life ribbon. Almost like you “fall” into the moment. And thusly, inertia comes into being. And when it is time for you to move on to your next activity, you feel that inertia tugging on your sleeve. Its slight voice says: “Aah siesta's over and it's time to move on… but that hammock feels oh so comfy, why don't I spend all day in here? Someone bring me a drink? Pretty please?”. Its voice also says “Exhausted or not, let's keep on training! I should probably eat a ton of food right now, and I suppose I should have gone to the loo an hour ago but I don't want to take a break!”. How do you resist its temptation? You keep hanging on. You keep hanging onto that fine thread hanigng from your life ribbon which is wafting in front of you.

To not get drawn into inertia, a slight touch of the thread is enough. You can keep lending all your attention to this very moment and reserve the slightest amount of attention to your connection with the thread. By doing so, you keep connected with your life ribbon and your life energy. This connection makes it easy for you to overcome inertia, because you're always in touch with the constant forging ahead of your life ribbon, thus it will carry you into your next moment with equal ease, regardless of whether you choose to stay in your current activity or move onto something new. In effect, keeping in touch with that thread hanging right in front of you makes inertia a choice. A choice which is now balanced by the equally easy choice to leave the current activity and to move ahead. Therefore, you overcome inertia by making it equally easy to keep moving than to stay.

If you have a hard time tangibly sensing your life energy constantly moving forward, here's one simple way to get a sense for and stay connected with your life ribbon. A long-term goal can act as your life ribbon. Briefly but regularly, remind yourself of why you are doing what you are doing right now. By doing so you shift your awareness momentarily to the overall journey you're on. Much like hiking, you focus on your every step, but every so often you quickly glance – and sometimes yearningly linger your glance for a little while – at the path ahead, at the horizon, remembering your journey ahead and why you are taking all these steps. You do this even when resting for a meal, you focus on enjoying your meal but frequently consider your path ahead and its conditions, always prepared to get up and keep on moving. That's staying in touch with your life ribbon. That's making inertia a choice, by never losing awareness of your journey. If instead you were only focusing on your meal, completely obvious to your journey, the weather and the lions approaching, you would be disconnected from your life ribbon. You would cease to be on a journey, you would put life on hold. You would merely be aimlessly doing some activity void of meaning and purpose.