What’s your current trajectory? Are you gaining ground? Growing? Getting better at what’s important? Let’s continue our MTA series with the second letter and lesson: T for Trajectory.
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Last week we focused on the importance of momentum – how to get it, keep it, and use it to your advantage. This week’s mountain unicycle lesson is about trajectory. If you think of momentum as a forward arrow, think of trajectory as one that’s angled upwards to the right.
Unicycles don’t typically have gears or breaks, and there’s definitely no coasting. This means, whether you’re going uphill or downhill, you’re always working and solving problems. Especially in hilly areas, like where I live, that means being mindful of how you spend energy and stay fit for the challenges.
To apply this analogy, first be aware of and honest about your current trajectory. In life and business, don’t aim for staying level, or for circumstances to get easy. You want the right amount of challenge – a steady, manageable climb. Are you making consistent progress or improvement in important areas? Are you attracting the right challenges? You don’t have to get there fast as long as you’re consistently climbing.
In the woods, I’ve learned to re-frame my rides where a slight uphill climb is ideal. Mentally, that’s like “level terrain.” When it’s actually level, that’s easy/recovery mode, and moderate downhill riding is like taking a break. Of course, steep downhill has its own challenges. And when going downhill, be conscious that’s ground you’ll eventually have to reclaim.
Your journey will have both uphill and downhill stretches. You can’t improve everything endlessly without interruption or setbacks. But you can use your downhill stretches to recover and improve something: your knowledge, empathy, self-care, self-love.
Successful people and companies focus on growth opportunities; effort, intentionally applied. So, choose a trajectory that takes you, over time, to higher ground. Next week we’ll complete the MTA series with a lesson on Alignment. Until then, aim higher, and stay Off Balance On Purpose.
The audio for this week’s coaching video is located under the “Get Inspired” tab in the Positive Playlist . You can subscribe to the podcast and listen to other weekly messages for improving all aspects of your life.