The Impulse, Momentum, Regression Cycle: A Wake-Up Call for a World Stuck on Repeat
By Babajide E. Ikuyajolu
There’s a rhythm to life that we don’t often notice, a cycle that repeats in our finances, governments, businesses, even in our personal goals.
I call it the Impulse, Momentum, Regression (IMR) Cycle.
It’s simple: something sparks attention (Impulse), everyone jumps on it (Momentum), then things slow down, lose efficiency, or collapse under their own weight (Regression).
And the truth is: we see this everywhere. Our world runs on this cycle, sometimes gracefully, sometimes like a drunk driver bouncing from curb to curb.
The World’s Favorite Bad Habit: Staying at the Peak
Let’s be honest. The “Peak” is overrated. It’s loud, expensive, and unsustainable.
Take the United States, often considered the “standard” for progress. From Silicon Valley innovation to trillion-dollar consumer spending, the country has been on a peak for decades. But look closer: rising healthcare costs, insane student debt, and a population that’s burned out but still proudly shouting “hustle harder.” The rest of the world looks at them and says, “Wow, they’re ahead.” But what if they’re actually at the point just before regression, running on fumes, confusing noise for progress?
Or look at China. It’s often painted as either unstoppable momentum or terrifying regression. The truth? It’s somewhere between late-momentum and early regression, too many empty apartments, too much debt, and too many cities built faster than people could fill them. Yet, people still argue whether China is about to collapse or take over the world. Maybe neither. Maybe they just need to breathe.
Meanwhile, countries like Rwanda and Vietnam are sitting quietly in what I’d call Prime. They’re not flashing wealth in everyone’s face, but they’re building solid systems, improving healthcare, logistics, and digital infrastructure. That’s the beauty of Prime: no one sees you coming until you’re suddenly the model everyone copies. Even Burkina Faso is quietly prioritizing food security and local production, planting the seeds for momentum instead of chasing shiny peaks too early.
When Regression Pretends to Be Progress
You’ve seen it. You’ve probably lived it.
It’s when you watch the stock market rally, feel the urge to jump in at the top, then watch it crash and swear you’ll never invest again. Or when crypto goes from “the future of money” to “where did my money go?” in a single week.
