No. 144 · Work · Physics
Velocity
Progress is speed with direction; being busy is not the same as moving forward.
In the Almanac
“Liberty ships”, 1942 · “Pfizer’s Project Lightspeed”, 2020
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
Get the AlmanacQuestions
What is Velocity?
Velocity is the rate at which something changes position, and unlike speed it includes direction. A car circling a track can be fast and still go nowhere. As a mental model, velocity reminds us that being busy is not the same as making progress toward the right goal.
How do you use Velocity?
To use it, review each week which tasks actually moved your most important goal forward. Point your extra money at one financial target at a time. And once a year, check whether your daily habits still point where you want your life to go. Aim first, then accelerate.
When does Velocity matter?
Velocity is one of the 43 mental models for work, the situations where you ask: How do I get the right things done? Within that, it belongs to “Focus and priorities”, alongside Bikeshedding, Law of Diminishing Returns and Leverage.
What is an example of Velocity?
Two stories show it at work: Liberty ships (1942) and Pfizer’s Project Lightspeed (2020). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.
Which mental models are related to Velocity?
Momentum, Strategy vs Tactics and Opportunity Costs. Velocity itself comes from physics.