The Springboard effect

Every time motivational speakers, pastors, teachers and mentors are confronted with the very same question from individuals they help; “Well, what you said is really true, it touched my heart. I have great ideas and great dreams, but I don’t even know where to start from. Besides I don’t even have enough resources needed to implement my ideas. How do I go about it?” You have probably made such a statement or heard the very same statement before right?

The answer to such a typical question that people ask every day is not a very complicated one; it’s a simple answer that every person of any age can understand. It can be better illustrated by an object used every day in sporting disciplines, such as diving, gymnastics and swimming; the Springboard.

The springboard is that board which athletes use to generate more spring so that they dive from a higher point in the air than the one they can naturally spring to. The idea is that the higher the point you dive from, the deeper you will dive into the pool, in less time, because the Springboard gives you more potential energy when it launches you higher into the air, which you will dissipate as you dive down into the water.

But when we really examine how the springboard works, we will easily find out that the springboard on its own will not launch an athlete. The athlete has a part to play; the athlete has to jump on the board so that the board will amplify the athlete’s spring. So in true essence the springboard uses what the athletes has then makes it greater. If the athlete does not jump on the board, he will remain stationery, the more the athlete jumps on the board, the higher the board will take him.

Life has various springboards that will give you extra lift and spring so that you rise higher in your career and thus gain more depth in your achievement and success. The point however, which directly answers the question in the first paragraph is, you have to start from where you are and from what you have.

Many people wait, and expect every day that the right conditions will present themselves and the necessary resources will avail so that they attain their dream. That right there is a fallacy! You always have to create the right conditions from yourself starting from where you are and what you have. When you do that, then the springboard effect will take effect in your life.

Many people are stagnant in their life because they are not taking action. They never progress or experience growth but instead maybe the even retrogress. This is a clear sign that people are not aware that what they have is enough to launch them into the arena of greatness. This is why the bible clearly states that, “My people perish because of lack of knowledge.”

No one was born great; everyone had to start from somewhere, with what they have. Some did not even have physical and tangible resources. All they had was an idea, and armed with only that great idea, they were confident that they could take on the word and surely they did!

Remember you have all it takes to get up and rise. All you need to do is to start jumping on the springboard and experience the beauty of the springboard effect. What you have will be amplified and you will surely begin realizing more from your effort. But if you remain still you are just like an athlete who wants to dive and simply stand on the springboard and expect it to launch him without effort. How terrible.

Remember also Newton’s Third law of motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. As such if you want the springboard to launch you higher off in the air you have to jump harder on it so that it responds by launching you higher. At times, you will have to jump on it several times as you gain more and more energy before you launch off for the dive.

The same with life, when you expect more of it, at times you have to give in more. There are certain things you will never achieve with one go. You might have to put in more attempt as you gain more experience, wisdom, expertise and skill before you launch for your ultimate success. When you do your part life’s springboards will take over. You will not get exactly what you put in, it will be amplified! If you sow, you will harvest. If you do business, you will earn a profit.

Get on your springboard and start jumping!

The writer is a motivational speaker

He can be contacted on glendhliwayo@gmail.com