Last week was about Bernoulli’s principle and pressure with an added bonus note about giving Newton a high five.  What many of you might not know is that Bernoulli’s principle connects well with Newton’s laws, so this week we are going to reflect on Isaac Newton’s first law of motion.  (Look at that connection.  #droppingEastereggslikethebunny)

The first law of motion is, “An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”  What this means is that objects tend to do what they are already doing.  If a ball is on the ground completely still, it’s not going to move unless acted on by an external force like the wind or a kick from someone.  If a ball is rolling down a hill, it is going to keep rolling unless it’s acted on by an external force like friction or a brick wall.

You might be wondering what this has to do with anything.  I think you could rewrite the first law to include people.  “A person will tend to stay stuck in one place unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”  Likewise, “A person will move in the same routine unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”  Have you ever felt stuck?  Maybe you are in a tough relationship/job/project/spot in life.  I’ve been there, and still find myself there from time to time.  It always takes some kind of force to help me move.  Usually it’s an external force, like a person who cares for me to say something or does something to help me move forward.  On the flip side, have you ever found yourself locked in a way of thinking?  You are the object in motion going in motion, going through the same actions, attacking problems in the exact same way, because that’s what you’ve always done.  I’ve been there.  Then, all of a sudden some outside force, maybe a coach, a mentor, or a friend gives you some insight that makes you pivot how you were operating, change direction, and get somewhere new.

The bottom line is that whether you are stuck or in motion down a path, often it takes a force to help us snap out of it and get moving or a force to help us readjust the way we are doing things.  The thing is, we all have the power to be this force for each other.  We all have the power to be the one to say a few kind words, offer some insights, extend a hand or a hug, and do a million other things to either get people moving or help them change direction.

The challenge:  We can all be a force.  Are you being a force for good that helps people move in the right direction?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry