From Rumbling to Rising: Building Momentum for Real Change
What a shuttle launch can teach us about life, struggle, and lasting change.
I watched as thousands of us counted backwards from 10…9…8…7…6… Suddenly, the engines of the space shuttle Discovery roared to life for her final mission— massive flames, exhaust clouds, and a thunderous roar drowned out the chanting voices. Yet the shuttle stayed motionless. What was going on? Who hit the ignition so early? Why was the shuttle still clamped to the launch structure. Was I about to witness an catastrophic failure?
Often the most meaningful life change begins with a lot of energy, drama, and failure with very little movement. Creating just a tiny bit of momentum toward life change is a monumental task we often take for granted.
In this article, our Clarity Coach, Matt Johnson, explores how space travel and personal life change have the same challenge to over come: creating meaningful and sustainable momentum. Through story, therapeutic insight and life experience, Matt unpacks why creating change is challenging and offers practical steps you can take when progress feels stagnant.
“Momentum begets momentum, and the best way to start is to start.” — Gil Penchina
What a Shuttle Launch Teaches Us About Change
That moment—when the engines roared to life but the shuttle didn’t move—was a powerful metaphor for life transitions. Something big was supposed to be happening, yet outward progress seemed stagnant, loud, and filled with uncertainty. The clamps holding the shuttle finally released, and instead of soaring upward, it tilted forward ever so slightly. For a split second, I feared it was about to topple. Then—LIFTOFF! Not all at once, but with a steady climb, the shuttle rose higher until it was overhead.
The shuttle itself had been decades in the making. First imagined in the 1960s, ordered for production in 1979, and completed in 1983, it was a project of persistence and vision. Fully loaded, it weighed 4.5 million pounds. Moving that kind of weight even an inch required tremendous force, precise calculations, a skilled crew both on and off the shuttle, and countless failures, resets, and aborted launches.
I later learned that the rockets ignited six seconds before liftoff to build enough energy to sustain the shuttle once the clamps released. To escape gravity’s grip, the shuttle had to tip forward into the correct trajectory. It would burn through nearly 70% of its fuel in the first eight minutes, enduring violent vibrations, deafening noise, and the shedding of massive weight before finally reaching orbit. What I once mistook as disaster was actually by design—a feature, not a flaw—meant to propel the shuttle into its climb.
In life, our efforts to change work much the same way. Whether recovering from addiction or loss, beginning or ending an intimate relationship, or launching a new career, momentum often feels chaotic, stalled, and costly long before it feels like we’re making progress. I propose a shift in our perspective: “The very struggle you feel is evidence that the process of change is underway.”
The very struggle you feel is evidence that the process of change is underway.
The Stages of Change: A Map for Your Journey
Researchers have confirmed what experienced therapists, coaches, and even rocket scientists have known for years: most of the energy required to move the seemingly immovable is spent long before the progress becomes visible.
Coincidentally, around the same time the Space Shuttle Discovery was being built, researchers James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente were developing the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM). Their goal was to make the invisible process of personal transformation more tangible, breaking it down into stages that could be studied, understood, and navigated.
Precontemplation: You don’t see the problem yet, or change feels impossible.
Contemplation: You weigh the pros and cons, caught between desire and fear.
Preparation: You plan small steps, gather resources, or reach out for help.
Action: You begin taking visible, intentional steps forward.
Maintenance: You work to stay steady and prevent setbacks.
Return (Relapse): Slipping back isn’t failure—it’s a reset that helps you learn and re-engage.
Why the Struggle Is Part of the Launch
Momentum is hard because it rarely feels smooth. Fear and doubt rise up from within, old habits tug us backward, and everyday demands like work, family, or finances weigh us down. Even when we push forward, the middle of change can feel shaky and unstable, leaving us unsure if progress is really happening. And because growth usually comes in small, almost invisible steps, it’s easy to feel like nothing is moving until much later, when we finally look back and see how far we’ve come.
Momentum takes time—what looks like failure is often just part of the process.
For many of us, the slow pace of change carries painful consequences. I’ve sat with clients whose progress felt so delayed that it cost them another relationship, led to a near-fatal relapse, or left them discouraged in their search for meaningful work. In moments like these, it’s easy to judge ourselves—or feel judged by loved ones, professionals, or even the systems around us. But momentum takes time. Setbacks are not failure. With the right support from a therapist, coach, or mentor, we can find resources, encouragement, and perspective that help us keep moving toward a better future.
What Fuels Real Momentum
Momentum grows when we commit to the process. Even just thinking about change counts as progress, much like the years of designing, developing, and testing each piece of the space shuttle long before its first launch. Setbacks will come, and the urge to spiral into shame or discouragement can feel overwhelming, but remember—setbacks are feedback, not failure. Momentum is best fueled by compassion and curiosity rather than criticism.
Habits That Keep You Rising
Change doesn’t come from one giant leap. Like a shuttle, it’s built through countless small adjustments that add up to creating momentum. Start with tiny, measurable steps—ten minutes of walking is more powerful than a vague promise to “get in shape.” Celebrate the small stuff, because every inch upward fuels the climb. Check and adjust along the way, noticing what helps and gently shifting what doesn’t. And remember, shuttles aren’t in constant thrust—they rely on periods of quiet stability. In the same way, rest on purpose. Recovery, connection with friends, and self-compassion keep you strong for the long haul. Finally, practice gratitude. Naming even one thing you’re thankful for each day shifts your perspective and keeps hope alive, especially when progress feels slow.
We Weren’t Meant to Launch Alone
No one escapes gravity alone. A shuttle needs a launch crew, and we need support teams too. Clarity Coaches can help with transitions and goals. Therapists provide deeper guidance when mental health challenges are part of the struggle. Support groups remind us we aren’t alone, and communities—whether classes, hobbies, or faith groups—offer natural accountability. Together, this kind of crew can lift us when we’re low and give us the motivation to persevere. Change is messy and difficult, but you don’t have to face it alone.
“Here is what we seek: a compassion that can stand in awe at what the poor have to carry rather than stand in judgment at how they carry it.” — Gregory Boyle
Trust the Process, Trust the Launch
Change will never be a single, perfect launch. It’s the rumble, the hesitation, the unexpected tilts, and the steady climb. Each small step, each setback, and each act of courage adds fuel to your journey. Trust the process. Trust the crew around you. And trust that the struggle you feel is not proof of failure, but proof that momentum is building.
Trust the process. Trust the crew around you. Trust that momentum is building.
If you’re ready for extra support on your own launch, consider connecting with a Clarity Coach, a therapist, or a supportive group. Each offers a different kind of guidance, but all share the same goal—helping you build momentum, stay steady through setbacks, and rise toward the life you’re reaching for. You don’t have to navigate the turbulence alone—help is available, and your next breakthrough may be closer than you think.
