At a recent rally, Senate candidate Admiral Mike Franken noted that gas prices follow the “rocket and feather” theory — they shoot up like a rocket and fall down like a feather. It was an interesting analogy that got me thinking about other things that have similar trajectories:
- Expenses — that seem to go up quickly, but fall slowly when trying to make cuts or reduce costs
- Debt — loans that are paid out all at once, but require years of chipping away at the principal
- Weight — not that it really goes up like a rocket, but it seems to surely come off like a feather
- Your to-do list — which can fill up quickly when presented with a new project or event yet feel like it never gets completed
- Grief and its attending condolences — is initially fierce and intense and then well-wishers fade off like feathers
Acknowledging the flow of a rocket and feather situation can help align your mindset with the inevitable reality. Expecting a linear flow can cause you to give up or retreat too soon when the results are slow in coming. Have the patience of that feather and wait it out.
