Speed, Velocity, and Acceleration
Speed measures distance per time (scalar), velocity measures displacement per time with direction (vector), and acceleration measures the rate of change of velocity. Applied as mental models, they draw attention to direction and the rate of improvement in business and personal growth.
THE IDEA
SPEED
According to its technical definition, it is a scalar quantity that indicates the rate of motion distance per time. Its units are length and time. Putting this in another way, speed is a measure of distance traveled over a certain amount of time. It is often described simply as the distance traveled per unit of time. It is how fast an object is moving.
VELOCITY
By definition, velocity is a vector quantity that indicates distance per time and direction. Like speed, its units are length and time, but direction is also involved in the equation. Velocity measures displacement over time, as opposed to distance.
Market leadership can translate directly to higher revenue, higher profitability, greater capital velocity, and correspondingly stronger returns on invested capital.
—Jeff Bezos
ACCELERATION
It is defined in technical terms as a vector quantity that indicates the rate of change of velocity. It has dimensions of length and time. In simpler terms: Acceleration is often called speeding up—though it would more accurately be referred to as velocity up. The everyday experience of acceleration is in a vehicle. You step on the accelerator, and the car speeds up as increasing force is applied to the drive train by the engine.
When to use it
Business: Enhancing capital velocity by focusing on market leadership to ensure resources are deployed in the most profitable direction.
Personal Development: Setting goals with clear direction (velocity) and measuring progress not just by tasks completed (speed) but by milestones achieved toward a vision.
Physics Education: Teaching the difference between speed, velocity, and acceleration using real-world analogies like driving a car.
Productivity: Evaluating whether your daily activities contribute to your long-term goals (velocity) rather than just being busy (speed).
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Capital Velocity in Business
Jeff Bezos applied the concept of velocity to capital, emphasizing that market leadership increases capital velocity—the speed and direction at which invested capital generates returns. A business that moves quickly and strategically outperforms competitors.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
How can you apply the concept of velocity (speed + direction) to your personal or professional goals to ensure you're moving in the right direction?
What is your current 'acceleration' regarding a skill or project—are you increasing your rate of improvement, and what force (effort) are you applying?
In what areas of your life might you be focusing too much on speed (how fast) rather than velocity (where you're going)?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Wisdom Theory 100 Mental Models (2020) (Wisdom Theory)