Narrator: Imagine a senior manager named Stephen, working in a high-rise office in New York City. He has all the markers of success: a prestigious title, a handsome salary, and a corner office with a view. He’s just been offered a major promotion that comes with a 15% raise, but it also means more stress and frequent travel to London, pulling him further away from his wife and college-bound kids. He’s recently been diagnosed with hypertension, and despite his success, he feels completely and utterly stuck. When his executive coach asks him a simple question, "Is this new role what you want to be known for?" the long silence that follows says everything. Stephen doesn't know.

This feeling of being successful yet stuck, of moving without direction, is a modern paradox that traps countless individuals. In their book, Get Momentum: How to Start When You're Stuck, authors Jason W. Womack and Jodi Womack argue that breaking free from this inertia isn't about a single burst of motivation, but about a systematic process. They provide a clear, five-stage framework designed to help anyone, from overwhelmed executives to aspiring creatives, finally start moving on the projects that truly matter.

Narrator: The authors assert that the first step to gaining momentum is not creating a longer to-do list, but finding a compelling reason to act. They distinguish between getting motivated, which is often a fleeting burst of inspiration, and being motivated, which is a sustained drive rooted in a deep sense of purpose. This core motivation is discovered by answering the question: "What do I want to be known for?" When decisions are filtered through the lens of a desired legacy, it becomes far easier to say "no" to distractions and "yes" to projects that align with that vision.

This principle is illustrated by Jodi Womack’s own experience. In 2008, she found herself attending local business networking events that felt sterile and discouraging. Frustrated and lonely, she realized that someone needed to create a better, more authentic event. Spurred by this frustration—a form of inner conflict—she decided to become that someone. She organized her own networking event for women business owners but with a crucial twist: instead of elevator pitches, she asked attendees to share something personal. The event was a resounding success, fostering genuine connections because it was born from her desire to create something meaningful, something that aligned with the community she wanted to build. Her frustration became the catalyst, and her purpose provided the direction.

Narrator: Once motivation is established, the Womacks argue that you don't have to go it alone. The second stage of momentum is actively seeking out mentors. However, they expand the definition of a mentor beyond a formal, one-on-one relationship. A mentor can be anyone or anything that provides guidance, inspiration, or a new perspective. This includes authors, historical figures, and even the success stories of peers.

The authors point to the incredible story of Roger Bannister, the first person to run a mile in under four minutes. For decades, the four-minute mile was considered a physiological impossibility. But on May 6, 1954, Bannister proved the experts wrong. The most remarkable part of his achievement wasn't just the record itself, but what happened afterward. Once the psychological barrier was shattered, dozens of other runners quickly achieved the same feat. Bannister became an indirect mentor to an entire generation of athletes, proving that what once seemed impossible was, in fact, achievable. By studying the journeys of those who have succeeded before us, whether in books, documentaries, or articles, we can absorb their resilience and strategies, effectively making them our mentors and breaking our own limiting beliefs.

Narrator: With a clear purpose and sources of guidance, the next stage is to make the goal manageable. The authors introduce Milestones as the antidote to feeling overwhelmed. A large, ambitious project can be paralyzing, but breaking it down into a series of smaller, believable subprojects creates a clear path forward. They advocate for planning in 90-day cycles, with specific outcomes defined for each month. This structure provides focus and generates a sense of accomplishment as each milestone is reached, fueling the momentum to continue.

The authors use a powerful metaphor from a trip they took to Alaska. A client loaned them a truck and a travel guide called The Milepost. This book detailed their route mile by mile, pointing out everything from scenic views to potential hazards like grizzly bear zones and avalanche areas. Knowing what was coming up allowed them to navigate the long, unfamiliar journey with confidence instead of anxiety. Milestones serve the same function for our projects. By mapping out the next 90 days, we create our own Milepost, turning a daunting expedition into a series of manageable steps and ensuring we don't get derailed by unforeseen obstacles.

Narrator: Getting started is one thing; staying on track is another. The fourth stage, Monitor, is about creating systems to track progress and ensure you're moving toward your goal. The authors stress the importance of using specific, quantitative indicators—numbers, time, money, or other metrics—to provide an objective measure of performance. As the saying goes, "What gets measured, gets managed." Creating a simple dashboard to review these indicators regularly allows for real-time adjustments and prevents you from drifting off course without realizing it.

Jason Womack applied this directly when he trained for his first marathon. He created a dashboard to track three key indicators: miles per run, running days per week, and hours of sleep per night. This simple monitoring system gave him clear, immediate feedback on his training. If his mileage was down or he wasn't getting enough sleep, the data made it obvious, and he could make a course correction before it derailed his progress. This same principle applies to any project, whether it's launching a business, writing a book, or learning a new skill. Monitoring provides the clarity needed to make informed decisions and maintain forward progress.

Narrator: The final stage of the momentum framework is Modify. When progress stalls or a strategy isn't working, the answer isn't to give up, but to make small, intelligent changes. The authors acknowledge that change is difficult; it can feel like more work, introduce uncertainty, or even feel like an admission of failure. However, they reframe modification as a sign of strength and a commitment to finding a better way forward. This often involves getting an outsider's perspective to see the flaws in our own systems.

Jason shares a story from his early career as a workshop facilitator. He used to show video clips by stopping his presentation, opening a web browser, and navigating to the site, a process that was clunky and distracting for the audience. He didn't see the problem until his coach observed a session and pointed out how disruptive it was. Acting on this feedback, Jason hired a digital editor to teach him how to embed the videos directly into his slides. This small modification transformed his presentations from amateurish to seamless. It was an investment of time and money, but it paid for itself many times over by dramatically improving the quality of his work. This illustrates the shift from "+1 Productivity," which is just working harder, to "2x Productivity," which is working smarter by modifying and improving the process itself.

Narrator: The single most important takeaway from Get Momentum is that forward motion is not a matter of luck or innate talent, but a skill that can be learned and systematically applied. The feeling of being stuck is a universal human experience, but it is not a permanent state. By moving through the five stages—clarifying your Motivation, finding Mentors, setting Milestones, Monitoring your progress, and being willing to Modify your plan—you can engineer your own momentum.

The book begins by referencing the work of Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse who documented the most common regrets of the dying. The number one regret was, "I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me." The framework in Get Momentum is more than just a productivity system; it is a practical guide for preventing that exact regret. It challenges you to stop waiting for the perfect moment and start building the life and career you truly want, one deliberate step at a time. The real question the book leaves us with is: what project have you left sitting on the shelf, and what is the very first milestone you can set to finally bring it to life?