Power has a velocity component. Think about that for a second. In order for something to be powerful, it has to be moving? Well, yes. Because you wouldn’t know it was powerful otherwise. So yes, power has a velocity component. In fact, the formula for power is:

Don’t worry. This isn’t going to turn into a physics lesson. Believe me. I barely passed physics. But I heard that phrase in an unusual setting – the gym. And so it got me thinking. Hmmm…

“Power has a velocity component.”

I can’t stay still, stay comfortable and expect to be powerful at the same time. It’s not possible. Physics tells me it’s not possible. The trainer at the gym told me it wasn’t possible. So I have to keep moving. If I think I’m going to get fit, I have to get moving and stay moving. If I am going to get healthy and start eating nutritiously, I have to get moving, start learning and just keep moving. If I think I’m going to be able to continue to care for my grandmother successfully, then I have to get moving and stay moving. Once I pair the movement with the effort, the only result will be that I am more powerful. So what does that exactly look like? Well….

Becoming fit: 

• I have to do something different to keep moving forward. I go to Orangetheory Fitness a few times a week but notice that I suck at pushups. How will I keep moving?
  • Practice my pushups at home.
  • Read more articles on fitness from experts in the field.
  • Talk to friends, coworkers, and even trainers at OTF and start asking questions.
• Stay moving – remember my “why”.

Eating nutritiously:

• I took a college course years ago that made a brief mention of how the foods we eat interact with our bodies. I talked to professors, researched and became vegan. But I eat a lot of “convenient” foods and noticed I was not feeling the greatest. So how will I keep moving?
  • I did more research and signed up for a plant-based nutrition course.
  • I signed up for a Forks Over Knives online cooking course to learn how to cook nutritious meals.
  • I read articles and research how food we eat interact with our bodies. I dissect even the articles written by doctors in peer reviewed journals.
  • I remind myself that my overall nutritional health is not linked to one particular food item but to how everything I eat reacts with my body. Offsetting one thing can have dangerous effects.
  • I don’t think about ‘diets’ and think about my life and making lifestyle changes.
  • I don’t listen to everyone else. Why? Because they may not necessarily know what they’re talking about. I can only trust in what I research, so…..
• Stay moving – stay educated – question everything that seems too good to be true or doesn’t make sense – remember my “why”.

Caring for loved ones:

• I take care of my grandmother with the help of my mother and husband. Days settle into a routine and can be draining. How will I keep moving if the act of physically moving is tiresome?
  • I have to find something that will interest my grandmother and that won’t take that much more energy from me. For instance, my grandmother loves to walk outside so instead of taking the bus to a crowded clothing store to shop, we walk to the local Starbucks.
  • I will purchase puzzles for her to work with besides coloring.
  • I will find extra outside help to help care for her and free up more time for me (and my mother).
• Stay moving – breathe – remember my “why”.

By keeping the momentum and continuing to make an honest effort, I will become more powerful. I remember to stay focused, to stay genuine, and by the shear definition of the word “moving”, I cannot be lazy and take the easy way out. I cannot expect to become powerful at the gym and improve on my pushups if I don’t grab the heavier weights or take more time to practice on the exercises. I cannot expect to become powerful through eating nutritiously if I say “I know the change would benefit me but, I can’t live without *insert some dairy product, animal product or sweet dessert here*. I mean, c’mon, right? It doesn’t work that way. I can’t expect to get more powerful when it comes to taking care of my grandmother if I don’t get up and do exercises with her and engage with her in a different way. We’ll actually both suffer from that.

“Power has a velocity component”

I better get moving because I do want to get powerful. Don’t you? How will you get moving?