On Christmas day in 1642, a pioneer in health & wellness coaching was born: Isaac Newton. His first law, the law of inertia (along with his law of universal gravitation, or gravity) might also be considered the law of better tomorrows. It notes if a body is at rest or moving at a constant speed in a straight line, it will remain as such unless it is acted upon by a force. In other words, our lives don’t change on their own. Unless acted upon by a force, they will continue as they are, either at rest or moving at exactly the same pace they’ve been moving up to this point.
However, his laws also offer the choice in the keywords stating “unless acted upon.” We aren’t marbles on a table or apples falling from a tree. We are human beings. While inanimate objects must be “acted upon” by an external force, we have the free will to seek out or initiate that force! At the same time, philosopher Henri Bergson in his late 19th century book Time and Free Will reminds us that while individuals have free will, we rarely tap into that free will!!
But let’s assume today’s the day. We’re ready. We’re tuned into our free will to move in a positive direction, and we’re no longer content for our body to remain at rest. But we still need be acted upon by a force to create that change, right? So what’s your force?
Maybe it’s registering for that class you’ve been pondering… Maybe it’s connecting with your board-certified coach through your employer or EAP to bring out the intrinsic motivation (force) that sits below the surface in each one of us… Maybe it’s texting a couple of friends and spurring one another on in pursuit of a group challenge of some sort… Maybe it’s signing up for that local 5K…
David Brooks, in his latest book How To Know a Person, reminds us every single person with whom we come into contact is a unique, never to be repeated, individual. Sometimes we forget that includes us! As you consider the optimal Coach Newton force for you and your life, keep that uniqueness – your uniqueness at the forefront. What works for your sister, spouse, co-worker, social media poser or weekly newsletter columnist 😉 doesn’t mean it’s the optimal force for you. Experiment… give it 30 days… rinse (if ineffective) and repeat. Coach Newton wasn’t specific about what type of force was needed, but he certainly did clarify that without it, our current state would continue.
As we launch into Q2 of 2024 next week, may the force – YOUR force – be with you!