Momentum That Stabilizes

A large container ship, running at full speed in the open ocean, can require 2 miles or more to come to a stop even with emergency measures in place. It has so much momentum and inertia that it doesn’t change course or lose speed quickly.

Of course it doesn’t reach that top speed quickly either.  It takes significant time and energy to build all that momentum.

For a human, habits are like a container ship.  It takes time, energy and attention to install a habit (good or bad), but once in place it’s relatively easy to maintain that momentum and difficult to change course.  

And good habits, once established, can be a steadying force that fosters good performance even when the circumstances go haywire.