Rising with Momentum
November 9, 2025
Reflect
When disaster strikes, José Andrés doesn’t wait for permission or perfect plans. He shows up.
While others look for structure, he looks for people to feed. Through World Central Kitchen, he and his team move toward the crisis, setting up stoves in parking lots and open fields, turning uncertainty into care. They cook in floods, after earthquakes, and in the middle of war. There are no headlines or applause, only the steady rhythm of people showing up for one another.
It began in 2010 after the earthquake in Haiti with a few pots, a handful of volunteers, and a deep belief that food could restore hope. Since then, World Central Kitchen has served millions of meals across the globe. Their approach is simple: start where you are, feed who you can, and let compassion create its own momentum.
Every meal says, you are not forgotten. Each act of service becomes a spark that connects and sustains.
José often says that leadership is not about waiting for the right moment. It is about moving with purpose when people need you most.
This is what rising with momentum looks like. It begins when we take what we have, offer what we can, and keep showing up for one another.
Implement
This week, think about what it means to show up with purpose. Not only in crisis, but in the quiet places where consistency and care make the greatest difference.
Ask yourself:
• Where can I turn empathy into action right now?
• Who could benefit from something simple I already have to give such as time, encouragement, or partnership?
Every act of service, no matter how small, builds trust and strengthens the fabric that connects us.
Strengthen
🎥 Watch: José Andrés: Why Did I Start World Central Kitchen? (YouTube, about 4 minutes)
Watch here
In this short video, José Andrés shares how World Central Kitchen began with one clear intention: to cook for people who had lost everything and to do it without delay. His message is simple and powerful. Start with what you have, trust the people beside you, and begin.
Momentum often starts this way. One person acts, another joins, and together something meaningful takes shape.
As you watch, think about what this could look like in your world. How might one small act of care create movement where it is needed most?
Elevate
Rising with momentum is not about reaching the top. It is about what we carry forward.
The lessons, the courage, and the connections become the fuel for what comes next.
When we show up with purpose and we lead with compassion, we make space for others to rise beside us.
Momentum Insight
Momentum doesn’t fade when the moment ends. It continues in the people we’ve lifted and in the quiet good we’ve set in motion. Ask AI to help you bring this spirit into what comes next:
“Help me identify one way to apply what I’ve learned this month to strengthen how I lead and support others.”
Next week: The Pause Between: How leaders find direction in stillness before the next climb.
Subscribe to The Weekly Momentum.
