How to Build Momentum In Your Eye Care Practice

​The other day, my wife and I were running an errand and we noticed a car broken down on the side of the road.  The driver was walking along side the car with the door open trying to steer. Another person was behind the car pushing with all his might.   They were near a busy intersection, so it was a dangerous situation.
 
Worried for their safety, Amy dropped me off so I could help them.  She has a big heart like that.  As I approached, they said help was on the way and what they really needed was an extra hand to push the car out of traffic.  So, I joined in helping to push.  It started slow, finally built some momentum, and ultimately, we were able to guide their car to a safe place while they waited for a tow-truck.
 
I’m always amazed when having to push a car.  Cars are heavy!  The average car weighs around 3,500 pounds.  That’s one and a half tons!  How in the world can two people push around that much weight, and why does it get easier once it starts moving?
 
Well, wheels definitely help because you just can’t push around a giant rock that weighs that much, but the secret lies in the power of momentum.  Once the car starts moving, it builds momentum. Momentum = Mass x Velocity. That means that once something gets moving, it builds more and more power, and becomes more difficult to stop.  Momentum is what causes an object to keep going.
 
So, once the two of us got the car moving a bit, it gained speed and was easily guided over to the side of the road.  It didn’t take a ton of strength.  It took a determined start, and the flat road sure helped as well!
 
Layman’s science lesson aside, building momentum is essential for your business as well.  The questions are, “How to start it, and how to maintain it?” The answers for starting and maintaining momentum in your business are illustrated in our little road-side rescue. 
 
First, make a determined decision.  Our friends with the car definitely made a decision to get it off the side of the road.  Their safety depended upon it.  That sense of urgency and need was what got them going.  You have to do the same for your business.  Make a determined decision to build it and connect it to a sense of urgency.  A sense of urgency comes from whatever need you are trying to meet.  If that need is big enough, then a matched sense of urgency will help you get going.
 
Second, enlist some help. A lot of solopreneurs feel like they have to do everything themselves.  And with a young or startup business, that is true.  But no one knows everything.  Just like the guy on the side of the road needed help pushing, so do you.  Connect with organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, seek out a mentor, barter or trade your services for others that will help you grow your business. You can’t do everything by yourself.
 
Third, take advantage of the momentum.  As the car started moving, it was easier to push and guide to the side of the road.  However, if we stopped pushing, it would stop moving.  Same thing for your business.  If you gain some momentum like new clients or social media exposure, keep going.  Don’t settle.  Return to that determined decision, enlist more help, and keep going until you reach your destination.  For a business, you can’t regain momentum.  You have to start all over from scratch. Don’t let that happen.  Lean into momentum!
 
Gordon Duncan is the CEO/Consultant of ProSight Success.  He has written 5 optometric bestsellers charting in 5 countries.  His ProSight Success System is a 7-step guide to help you increase profits, manage staff, and even maximize tax deductions…just what you need right now.  You can find the ProSight Success in 3 formats.
 
$169 Digital PSS plus One-Hour Consult
 
$199 Paperback PSS, Digital Copy, plus the One-Hour Consult
 
$229 Workbook PSS, Digital Copy, plus One-Hour Consult

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