Hi everyone,
We’re back after a little downtime with summer in full swing.
We have some new readers here, so whether you’re joining us for the first time or have been following since the beginning—welcome. ❤️
These Sunday Notes are designed to offer quick insights that meaningfully link your personal growth as a leader with the growth of your business.
This quarter, we’re exploring the theme of Momentum.
And I’ll be honest: I questioned whether it was the right theme for summer.
This is a time when many people are slowing down, taking a breather.
And yet, for most of us, there’s not a clear toggle between rest mode and get-shit-done mode. It’s often all or nothing.
There really isn’t ever an off-switch as leaders.
We think we’re just supposed to figure out how to ‘push through,’
which is one of the least efficient ways to make progress.
That’s why learning to understand and optimize your momentum is actually quite critical.
::Your 5 Minutes Starts Now::
Part 1: Rethinking Momentum
If you open a high school physics textbook, you’ll see the formula for momentum is:
Momentum = Mass × Velocity
That’s the baseline.
But when we bring a PurposeBuilt lens to this—rooted in consciousness, behavior, and leadership development—we think about it with new awareness.
Humans aren’t objects.
We’re moving systems.
We have thoughts, emotions, nervous system responses, and social environments that influence—and sometimes derail—our direction.
That’s why we’ve adapted the formula to include a key third element: aerodynamics.
The hidden force that meets us as we chart our course.
We’ve all got it.
In our model, we express that aerodynamic force as resistance:
Momentum = Mass × Velocity – Resistance
The ability to reduce resistance is often downplayed or ignored completely in business.
As we get into this theme, we’ll dive into the definitions of each term, using behavioral concepts to map Momentum:
Mass = The accumulated weight of your skills, knowledge, and relationships
Velocity = The stored and expressed energy you’re applying
Resistance = The friction—internal or external—that slows you down, redirects you, or keeps you in place
The point and opportunity here isn’t necessarily to move faster—
it’s to move on purpose.
Part 2: How the Business World Sees Momentum
In the context of business, momentum is often synonymous with scale.
Founders are taught to pursue 10x growth,
build toward exponential returns,
and find leverage to create operational velocity.
Leaders like Reid Hoffman advocate for “blitzscaling”—prioritizing rapid expansion even if the systems can’t keep up.
Sam Altman pushes founders to build with compounding intensity.
Andrew Chen and Lenny Rachitsky frequently highlight momentum as the key to startup defensibility.
And there’s truth there.
Momentum is protective.
Momentum does unlock exponential results.
The challenge is that most growth frameworks rely on inputs like capital, headcount, and market timing.
They emphasize momentum as a technical output—but miss the human system that builds behind the scenes.
Part 3: Where Business Systems Fall Apart
That brings us to why traditional business systems struggle to understand or create sustained momentum.
Most companies split their systems into categories:
Goal-setting lives in quarterly OKRs or annual plans
Conflict resolution lives in HR, coaching, or the occasional off-site
And culture?
Often, that’s either top-down messaging, or a fuzzy concept no one quite owns.
Here’s the real problem:
The forces that generate momentum
and the forces that generate resistance
are handled by separate systems.
But in real life?
They’re inextricably linked.
If you don’t address the emotional tone and capacity of the team,
if you don’t name the interpersonal ruptures, decision fatigue,
or chronic over-functioning…
You’ll misread your momentum entirely.
And when you misread your momentum,
you’ll either under-invest in what’s already working—
or over-accelerate into areas of unseen resistance.
Part 4: What to Expect
Keep a lookout for the next three notes, which will dive deeply into Mass, Velocity, & Resistance.
For now, we’ll kick things off with a few reflection questions on each area:
🪨 Mass – Skills, Knowledge, Relationships
What strengths or relationships have you built that are ready to be leveraged more fully?
What parts of your experience are quietly waiting to be put to use?
🎯 Velocity – Focused Energy + Direction
Where is your energy naturally wanting to go right now?
What feels most aligned—and what’s simply keeping you busy?
🧱 Resistance – Friction, Drag, Internal Blocks
What’s slowing you down—internally or externally—and how is that resistance trying to protect you?
Where might friction be signaling a need for clarity, repair, or realignment?
I hope this topic helps you strike a balance that might not seem immediately available this summer.
If you’re feeling this push-and-pull too, I’d love to hear what this theme brings up for you—just hit reply and let me know.
More soon. ❤️