On Momentum

What is "On Momentum" about?

Gilad compares life and business to a moving escalator: standing still while believing you're maintaining your position is actually falling behind, because competitors, relationships, bodies, and markets are always in motion whether or not visible drama is occurring. He challenges the comforting illusion of stability—'nothing dramatic is happening, so I must be safe'—arguing that momentum is a force that must be actively created and protected, not something preserved by simply continuing routine behavior. The essay distinguishes true progress from mere activity, noting that a packed calendar or constant motion can mask stagnation or even decline if the underlying trajectory isn't actually improving. Gilad offers a practical framework: identify where momentum currently exists and amplify what's working, eliminate what's wasting energy, and be willing to decline a good opportunity to protect capacity for a better one. He closes by urging readers who feel they are coasting to choose one immediate corrective action—reviewing numbers, rebuilding a system, repairing a conversation, protecting the body—emphasizing that momentum is built through motion, sustained through attention, and lost the moment movement is mistaken for actual progress.

In brief

What are the key takeaways?

1. 01Standing still is actually falling behind—momentum must be actively built and protected, not simply preserved.
2. 02A full calendar or constant activity can mask stagnation; motion isn't the same as real progress.
3. 03Amplify what's working, cut what wastes energy, and be willing to decline a good opportunity to protect a better one.