### Any change, even the slightest one, in your direction today will make a significant difference hundreds of kilometers down the road.

Who of you remember, or have seen the video clips showing the lunar voyage of Apollo 11. Those of us who watched it were unquestionably captivated. We could hardly believe our eyes when we saw men walking on the moon. Avowals such as “unbelievable” and “astonishing” were scanty to describe those eventful days.

 

### Launch of Apollo 11

“Where do you think the most power and energy were disbursed on that heavenly journey, going a quarter of a million miles to the moon, orbiting the moon, separating and re-docking the lunar and command modules, lifting off from the moon and returning to the earth?”

### Apollo 11

![](https://assets3.thrillist.com/v1/image/2408370/size/tmg-slideshow_l.jpg)

[Image credit](https://assets3.thrillist.com/v1/image/2408370/size/tmg-slideshow_l.jpg)

No, the power and energy expanded were not in any of those, not even in all of them together. It was lifting off from the earth. More energy was spent in the first few minutes of liftoff from the earth, in the first few miles of travel, that was used in half a million miles for several days.

The gravity pull of those first few miles was enormous. The earth’s atmosphere was compressing heavy. It took an internal thrust greater than both the pull of gravity and the resistance of atmosphere to finally break out into orbit.

### Ascent stage of Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmT2JFY6kvnE3s6Ye1h4gq62dhywfwJgcMbtxmA859voWb/image.png)

[Image credit](https://steemitimages.com/DQmT2JFY6kvnE3s6Ye1h4gq62dhywfwJgcMbtxmA859voWb/image.png)

But once they did break out, it took almost no power to do all those other things. In fact, when one of the astronauts was asked how much power was expended when the lunar module separated from the command module to go down and survey the moon, he answered. “Less than the breath of a baby.”

 

### Landing on the Moon

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmdnhfYVM1TkN3Tn2aAU5mLGzbHqEVw29ghfRAwxvAPLJZ/image.png)

[Image credit](https://steemitimages.com/DQmdnhfYVM1TkN3Tn2aAU5mLGzbHqEVw29ghfRAwxvAPLJZ/image.png)

 

This lunar voyage provides a powerful metaphor for describing what it takes to break out of old habits and create new ones, such as having weekly family times.

The gravity force of the earth could be compared to deeply embedded habits, tendencies programmed by genetics, environment, parent, and other significant figures. The weight of the earth’s atmosphere could be compared to the turbulent family-unfriendly environment of the wider culture, the wider society. These are two powerful forces, and you must have a collectivized social will that is stronger than both of these forces in order to make liftoff happen.

### Change brings Freedom

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbUyEUGtKXuKxUcKsQ75fEJEwRbQo7vnAP5yFB9J4CLhn/image.png)

[Image credit](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbUyEUGtKXuKxUcKsQ75fEJEwRbQo7vnAP5yFB9J4CLhn/image.png)

Once it does happen, you will be amazed at the freedom it gives you and your family. During liftoffs, astronauts have no freedom, no power, all they can do is carry out the program. But as soon as they pull away from the gravity of the Earth and the atmosphere surrounding the Earth, they experience ab unbelievable surge of freedom.

William James (American philosopher and psychologist) suggested, when you are attempting to make a change, you need to make the resolve deep, seize the first moment of the initiative to act on that resolve, and allow no exceptions. The most important thing is to make the commitment to do it.

 

![](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQkWPc8JkWtacWY16MTeJaj66UvNy4UN4pRZbJu78f7gJ/image.png)

[Image credit](https://steemitimages.com/DQmQkWPc8JkWtacWY16MTeJaj66UvNy4UN4pRZbJu78f7gJ/image.png)

 

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