Momentum is a crazily powerful thing. Reliving the Piper Alpha disaster (6 July 1988) recently, it was said that one of the key reasons why the two associated rigs (Tartan and Claymore) didn’t shut down their colossal gas feeds to the stricken Piper, feeding the fire and explosions, was due to the momentum of production versus the incredible efforts required in regaining full production (momentum) after an emergency shutdown sequence.
167 people died as a result of the Piper Alpha disaster.[1]
Momentum, once lost, requires enormous costs and efforts to regain it.
Personally, it was apparent to me recently, with struggles ‘re-starting’ a healthy diet regime, that my dreams were awakening me to the past. In the early days of regaining the momentum we’re constantly reminded how weak we presently are, both consciously and subconsciously, and how tenuous the journey ahead is. Yet we best continue one leg in front of the other, focused single-mindedly on our goal.
I’ve found my dreams are a very real indicator of my subconscious mind’s status with regard to my present (at the time) momentum. If I’m dreaming things consistent with my goals, I’m trending well and the journey ahead is clear of potential icebergs.
There are, of course, apparitions and sometimes--say if we’ve quit smoking, and we wake up in a lather of sweat after having dreamt that we were smoking, or if we’re married and we dreamt of being with someone else--we need to put these things behind us, using them as reminders of, and goads toward, the real dreams ahead... our goals.
By and large, dreams show us where we are, or where we could be, and where our fears might lie. Having reformed ourselves from certain vices doesn’t mean we don’t still fear them. A healthy level of fear is a positive, motivating thing.
Progress is an amazing construct. We can look back at the momentum we’ve build up. Keeping it going is the easy thing provided we remain focused one day at a time. Stop it, and like the throughput of an oil production platform and we can take weeks, months and even years to get ‘production’ up and momentum going again. Ask any one-time reformed smoker; especially the ones who never again gave it up, or any of us who lost weight only to regain it again.
Build and gain momentum; don’t be swayed by apparitions; stay focused one day at a time.
Copyright © 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
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