The Case for Sir Isaac Newton and His Three Laws of “Personal Success”

Asked to explain the source of his scientific greatness, the great British mathematician and physicist, Sir Isaac Newton confessed, “I do not know what I may appear to the world; but to myself I was like a boy playing on the seashore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.”

If Newton acknowledged to only touching the shoreline of truth, what can we say today about the degree of our commitment to success? Is there an ocean or sea of success opportunity that lays undiscovered before us, while we occasionally find a smoother pebble or a prettier shell?

Born in England in 1643, Newton was raised by his grandmother. (Grandmothers are often the major influence on their grandchildren’s values). Newton worked his way through college. (A important value; work).

While Newton was in college he was writing his ideas in a journal (Note taking is very important; a pencil is better than a long memory). Newton had new ideas about motion, which he called his three laws of motion. Understanding these laws and their application to personal success will aid in the on-going preparation for personal and professional success.  

Newton's First Law of Motion: This law is often called: the “Law of Inertia.” It states an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an external force.  An object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force.

• What does this mean? This means that there is a natural tendency of objects to keep on doing what they're doing. All objects resist changes in their state of motion. In the absence of an unbalanced force, an object in motion will maintain this state of motion.

• What does this mean for you? People keep on doing what they’re doing in the absence of a powerful positive incentive. If you rest on your laurels you will remain resting unless acted on by an external force. Often, this external force is called,  a “Wake Up Call” and can result from: Unemployment, Underemployment, Competition, and/or Change— either internal or external

Newton's Second Law of Motion: Acceleration is produced when a force acts on a mass. The greater the mass (of the object being accelerated) the greater the amount of force needed (to accelerate the object). This is commonly stated as force equals mass time acceleration.

• What does this mean? Heavier objects require more force to accelerate.

• What does this mean for you? The longer you are comfortable with your status and set in your ways, the more positive incentive is needed to move you.

Newton's Third Law of Motion: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

• What does this mean? Whenever an object pushes another object it gets pushed back in the opposite direction equally hard.

• What does this mean for you? When you attempt to improve yourself there is an equal and opposite reaction that works to keep the status quo or equilibrium. An example of this is Homeostasis described as a tendency to move to equilibrium and away from change back to the former status.

Newton’s Three Laws of Motion Applied to Personal Success

• People keep on doing what they’re doing in the absence of a powerful positive incentive.

• The longer people are comfortable with their status; the larger and more positive incentive is needed to move them.
• When people attempt to improve themselves there is an equal and opposite reaction that works to keep the status quo or equilibrium.

Success Summation

SUCCESS THOUGHT: Be open to new ideas and look for opportunities that often lay undiscovered because you are hectically engaged in doing what you have always done. Don’t be fooled into believing that you will achieve something new while engaged in old activities. Look for ways to apply Newton’s Three Laws of Motion to help you with your on-going self-improvement.

SUCCESS QUOTE: “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.”

 SUCCESS ACTION: Today, look past the smoother pebbles and prettier shells and see the great ocean of opportunity that lies before you.

 

BOOK REMINDER—My book, Mentor In The Mirror is available on Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble. Go to my website: www.wanenalls.com for additional information and a review of the book.