Build Momentum During Good Times: The Strategy That Saved My Business
Most people slow down when they should be speeding up - here’s why that’s risky.
If there’s one habit that has helped me stay in the game, year after year, it’s this: When things are going well, I double down.
Most people slow down when things are smooth. They relax. Take a break. Pull back on effort. But the truth is, good times are the best time to push harder.
If you’ve been in business long enough, you already know this: bad times will come. The market will shift. Your personal life will get disrupted. Growth will plateau. And when that happens, it’s not your motivation or mindset that saves you. It’s your stored momentum.
What Is Momentum in Business?
Momentum is the carry-forward energy of your previous effort.
It’s the audience you’ve built. The trust you’ve earned. The content you’ve created. The systems you’ve documented. The assets you’ve invested in. The money you’ve saved. The habits you’ve strengthened.
It’s what keeps you moving when you can’t move fast anymore.
I often compare it to driving on a highway. You’re going at 100 km/h. Then you take your foot off the accelerator. Your car doesn’t stop immediately. It keeps moving forward because of the momentum.
That’s what good momentum feels like in business. You can take a step back temporarily, and yet, things keep moving.
But here’s the catch: momentum doesn’t build itself.
You have to build it intentionally during good times.
The Worst Time to Prepare Is When You're Already in Trouble
During difficult times, people start asking:
“How do I generate leads?”
“How do I cut costs?”
“How do I keep my team motivated?”
“How do I launch a new product?”
These are questions you should have answered before the trouble started.
When you’re emotionally or financially drained, it’s hard to be creative. It’s hard to be bold. That’s why you prepare during the good times. That’s when your mind is clear. Your cash flow is stable. Your energy is high.
I’ve seen this again and again. When the pandemic hit in 2020, most online creators were caught off guard. But because I had already built my email list, content systems, and brand over the previous 3 years, I didn’t just survive - I grew.
If you build momentum in the good times, it becomes your safety net in the bad times.
How I Store Momentum
Let me walk you through the 5 key ways I build momentum when life and business are in a good phase.
1. Save Money Aggressively
This might sound basic, but it’s underrated.
In 2021, I was doing well. Programs were filling fast. Revenue was high. But I didn’t upgrade my lifestyle. I didn’t move into a bigger house or hire 10 more people. I saved. I built reserves. I paid off debt.
So in 2024, when personal responsibilities pulled me away from work - my mom’s health took a turn, and I had to be present - I could slow down without crashing the business.
When you don’t have financial pressure, your creativity and decision-making remain strong. That’s why I always say:
“Momentum isn’t just about output. It’s also about optionality.”
Saving gives you options. And options give you confidence.
2. Create and Document Content
When you’re in the zone - writing, recording, publishing - don’t stop at one good piece of content. Batch it.
Some of my best-performing newsletters were written when I had energy to spare and ideas flowing. I didn’t just stop at one. I’d write three or four in a row. That content kept my audience engaged for weeks, even when I was offline.
Momentum in content creation means building a queue - not just reacting week to week.
If you’re a creator, teacher, or coach, this one habit can buy you freedom during tough times.
3. Build Relationships When You Don’t Need Them
When everything is working, you feel like you don’t need anyone. That’s the best time to build relationships - because you’re not asking for anything.
Over the years, I’ve built connections with writers, marketers, founders, and creators without needing favors. We just exchanged ideas, shared feedback, and stayed in touch.
So when I needed to relaunch something or needed a quick shoutout, those relationships paid off. But the trust was built before the ask.
“Relationships are momentum. Build them when you don’t need them.”
4. Invest in Systems and Delegation
Good times are when you have mental space to build systems.
Document your workflows. Automate repeatable tasks. Train your team. Organize your assets.
In 2023, I finally created standard operating procedures for my course launches. From ad creatives to onboarding emails, everything became plug-and-play. When I had to step away for weeks in 2024, my team still knew what to do.
Think of this like setting up a flywheel. It takes effort to get it going, but once it’s spinning, it needs far less force to keep moving.
5. Grow Your Brand While Energy Is High
When you're feeling good, you're more confident in front of the camera. You speak better. You write better. You engage more freely.
That’s the time to build your brand.
Go on podcasts. Write that book. Launch your YouTube channel. Shoot your next webinar. Schedule your next 10 social posts.
People assume branding is a slow, long-term game. But when you consistently show up for 90 days with energy and quality, the momentum you generate can carry your brand for the next year.
Why Most People Don’t Use Good Times Well
Ironically, good times make us lazy.
It’s like we’ve reached a checkpoint and now we just want to rest. We think this flow will last forever. We stop doing what got us here.
The truth is, success can blind you. It makes you comfortable. You start thinking in terms of maintenance instead of growth.
And that’s the trap.
Good times are not a finish line. They’re a launchpad. Use that launchpad. Push harder while it’s easy. Because when it gets hard, you’ll wish you had.
How This Saved Me in Real Life
Let me be honest.
In early 2024, I had every reason to slow down. My mom was recovering from a major health scare. I was traveling back and forth to be with her. I wasn’t launching new campaigns. I wasn’t active on social media. Revenue dropped.
But the business didn’t collapse.
Why? Because I had content scheduled. I had money saved. My team knew what to do. My audience trusted me. And we had systems to keep delivering value.
It wasn’t a record-breaking year. But the business stayed alive. And that’s what mattered most.
“You don’t win every round. But if you stay in the ring, you always have a chance.”
Final Thoughts: Build Now, Relax Later
If you’re in a phase where things are going well - your energy is up, business is growing, customers are happy - this is not the time to slow down.
This is the time to build aggressively:
Save more than you need
Create more than you publish
Strengthen relationships
Document everything
Amplify your brand
Momentum is earned, not gifted. And if you build it now, it will show up when you need it the most.
So the next time life is flowing, don’t just enjoy it. Multiply it.
Your future self will thank you.