Gain more Momentum with Color Postcards
Setting goals and achieving them is an important part of the success process. One proven way to keep on schedule and move forward is by using a color stopwatch. The gadget can be bought online at any number of sites, at a very low price. For example, you can get one at Amazon for no more than $5.
The stopwatch provides an accurate measure of timing that tracks the position in a race or marathon according to distance and time intervals or laps. Essentially, it's used to determine whether the rhythm being followed is too fast or too slow for optimum performance. If the pace is too fast, it can cause muscle breakdown and exhaustion, while going slow can lead to loss of momentum and a decrease in performance.
Neuroscientists Mario Herweg, Ute Habel, and Bernd Weber at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany have found that momentum is an important factor in our gaining new knowledge or skill. Here is what they did.
They employed a technique known as 'gamma ray bursts' to make people aware of some of the concepts that would normally be too useful for them to grasp quickly. The extremely short-term bursts are used by the neurons in our brains during thinking. This allows information to be processed in a very short time frame, thereby accelerating the learning process.
After administering gamma ray bursts to volunteers during initial learning sessions, Herweg and his colleagues found that those receiving just one burst of gamma rays were better at absorbing new information than those who only experienced exposure to gamma rays after 10 or 15 minutes. This suggests that it is the sensation of taking in new knowledge or concepts quickly that makes us more susceptible to it—and therefore better learners.
In an editorial accompanying the study, Nobel laureate Gerald Edelman said "these results show that successful learning is not something that happens instantly with little effort. It demands more work than we realize. To learn well we have to push ourselves, and the reward is a more meaningful grasp on our world."
Conventional wisdom tells us that all learning involves some degree of rote memorization and practice, followed by a period of consolidation. Herweg's research suggests, however, that when it comes to learning new material quickly, just the opposite approach is necessary. You need to quickly absorb the information for it to stick with you.
If you use an electronic version of a stopwatch that is linked up with an app on your smartphone you can also keep track of your progress on a daily basis. In fact, Android devices often have this built in.
Let's face it. There is nothing more frustrating than a goal that lies just around the corner, yet remains out of reach for no apparent reason. A stopwatch might be just the tool you need to keep going when motivation starts to wane.
If your goal is to become a marathoner and you want to run one every day, don't be surprised if you experience delays at various points in your training. There are many variables that can skew the running program—from injuries, illness to other obligations in life—that might delay your progress.
The feeling of being on track with a realistic time schedule is absolutely essential to gaining momentum. It's much better to feel as if you are just a day or two behind schedule than let things slip for weeks or even months.
As an example, I am currently working on my own goal of running 30 miles a week for one month. The last few weeks have been tough, but by focusing on getting in at least one run every day I have managed to remain focused and keep progressing toward my goal. This is momentum! And I am finding that it gets easier every day.
Copyright 1995 Steve Scotti. All Rights Reserved.
You can download your own printable version of this article (free) by clicking on the image below:
To learn more about finishing what we start, check out my book, The Runner's Guide to Goal Setting .
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Family is a three letter word that holds more meaning than any other words in the English language. In fact, if it were not for family and friends, I would never be where I am today. So, I am going to dedicate this blog post to my family and friends.
First, I have to thank my wife for being a wonderful Mother to our two girls and for being the anchor that I can return home to at the end of the day. Without her support, love and understanding, it would have been impossible for me to accomplish what I did. One of the greatest gifts you can give a child is a healthy balance between work and play. When parents are always too busy at work or playing with their kids, they do not allow their children grow up naturally as they should. In our case, my wife was always there every step of my race to success. As a result, our family became stronger and we became a stronger family.
To my wife, thank you for all of your faith, trust and love you have given me over the years. Without that I would not be where I am today. And to our two daughters, I am so proud of you both and hope that you grow up to be strong, confident women who know that they have much more potential than they realize. Thank you for being my guide toward my dreams and giving me direction as far as what I can achieve in life is concerned. So thank you very much for everything!
Second, I have to thank my parents.