Unmasking inertia

Inertia — Nº183

Inertia is the stubborn resistance of the universe to change. It’s the reason why objects at rest tend to stay at rest and objects in motion tend to stay in motion. You can think of inertia as the guardian of the status quo.

— Farnam Street

Inertia can be a daunting and unyielding force—but also a fundamental principle that whispers to you in the physical world, urging you to remain comfortably still. It’s a familiar weight I’ve come to recognise after countless moments of hesitation, whether starting a new project or routine or tackling mundane tasks. The laws of physics remind us that objects at rest tend to stay at rest. I’ve often felt like one of those objects, paralysed by the sheer effort it can take to move.

Inertia is a property of mass; larger objects are more resistant to changing their state of motion. Compare this to a feather which is easily blown by the slightest breeze. With this, inertia isn’t merely a concept; It’s a potent lesson on our current habits, beliefs, and antagonism.

I think about whenever I had decided to adopt new routines or spoke to people who did. Working out or writing every day can seem overwhelming, like an insurmountable boulder that requires more energy to push than I thought I had. In these moments, I grew acutely aware of the inertia building up around my habits and beliefs about fitness. The comfort of your couch can be like a siren song, coaxing you to stay put, leaving the prospect of change (and potential betterment) to loom like a distant mountain.

But, in truth, we know that getting started is often the hardest part. I’ve learned that it’s not the journey that makes things challenging; it’s the initial push. Jumping off a height into a relaxing lake always seems complicated until you land. So, you must find solace in the advice of others: break your challenges down. Whether committing to doing one push-up or starting your day with a fresh glass of water, inertia is discovering that the smaller your steps, the less force you need to overcome anything.

Look at the world around you. Inertia isn’t simply a personal struggle; it’s a universal issue. You’ll see it in companies fighting to grapple with their aged practices and sinking due to people preferring the way things are, while nimble startups thrive by embracing flexibility and adaptability. It dawns on you that the inertia of your own can either stifle you or serve as a launchpad for growth, depending on how you view it.

Momentum is the antidote to inertia. One pushes you back, and the other moves you forward. Inertia—and life—is a beautiful dance of energy and direction. Sometimes, it’s better to just jump into the deeper waters without much thought. Other times, it’s better to build momentum, allowing the force of your progress to work in your favour. Inertia is the challenge and opportunity. It’s closely related to momentum; the key is ensuring inertia works to your advantage and carries you forward. This concept, often encapsulated in the “flywheel effect” (the idea of my logo), became my guiding light. Each small win I accumulated—whether it was finishing a book, completing a week of workouts, or practising a new language daily—compounded into something incredibly meaningful to me.

As you grapple with the status quo around your life, remind yourself that resistance is a natural part of the journey. A natural occurrence, like the friction that accompanies any change. You’ll also see that while the world may resist your efforts, it’ll also reward your willingness to challenge that resistance. Each time you take a step, you inch closer to freeing yourself from the inertia that can hold you captive.