Jumpstart the economy?

Reader question:

Please explain “jumpstart the economy”. What does it mean exactly?

My comments:

It means you do something to enliven, revive and rejuvenate the economy that’s gone stagnant. This description is often used during an economic crisis, such as a recession, in which the economy stops growing – not only stops growing but begins to decline, with factories closing down, for example.

Anyways, jumpstarting or jump-starting the economy is likened to jump-starting or kick-starting a car or motorcycle.

Before writing this article, I thought “jump-start” and “kick-start” are the same, but upon closer examination, I found that they are different.

To kickstart a motorcycle is easy to explain. Old timers like yours truly have all seen people kickstarting an old motorcycle. Youngsters of today must have seen someone do it, too, like, in a movie. And it’s done by actually kicking a pedal downward, which ignites the engine.

To jump start a car, on the other hand, is different. In this situation, one car is dead and will not ignite because it has run out of batteries. Therefore a cable called jumpers is needed to connect the car to the battery of another car. By using the other car’s batteries as the power source, the dead car gets to reignite and start moving again.

As a practice, “kickstart” (prod or propel something into action) has been in use since 1915-20, according to Dictionary.com. “Jumpstart”, on the other hand, was first recorded in 1973, according to Merriam-Webster.com.

Okay, now we see why “kickstart a motorcycle” is not exactly the same as “jumpstart a car”. To kickstart a motorcycle refers to the very first action in getting the motorcycle to move; to jumpstart a car means to re-ignite it after a stop or hiatus.

Hence, metaphorically speaking, “kickstart” is usually used when we kick off a project (start a process and get things in motion) whereas “jumpstart” is used when we actually want to repeat the starting process once again after a period of inaction or stagnation.

Still, I think I’ve come across both “kickstart the economy” and “jumpstart the economy” in print and I think in this case they mean the same thing – revive and revitalize the economy, doing so by, for instance, cutting taxes for businesses.

Oh, by the way, do you know why “jump” is the word in “jumpstart”?

I believe it refers to how a starting car or motorcycle behaves at takeoff, especially in the old days. In the old days, when the old vehicles got ignited, they all gave a sudden jump – a lurch or a jolt.

In the old days, all vehicles had a jumpy start, literally.

All right, here are media examples of jumpstarting this or kickstarting that:

1. Returning from a weekend off can be a shock to the body and brain. Start your day off right and practice a few routines to keep your Mondays in check. Jumpstart your morning with a workout to get your blood flowing, or at the very least enjoy some coffee and industry news to get your brain in action before diving into work. Soak up some vitamin D during a few brisk walks around the block during the day. You can even turn one of your Monday meetings into a walking meeting to accomplish two things at once.

Achieve one big task.

Aim to tackle and complete one major item on your to-do list. You have the benefit of fewer distractions while others get back into the grind, and you'll feel more accomplished and productive moving into the rest of the week. Try to get something done that you've been putting off for a while, or focus on something that will have an instrumental impact on your business that week. While others are grinding through the misery of Monday, you will be catapulting your business forward.

Mondays may never be easy or enjoyable, but with some effort they can become manageable and productive. These tips will help you maximize your Mondays and prepare for a successful week.

- How to Jumpstart Your Workweek, Entrepreneur.com, October 15, 2017.

3. When the doors open to Vintage Charlotte’s Winter Market on Saturday, more than 4,000 shoppers will flood the Fillmore for a chance to buy curated vintage items and locally made products. In six years, founder Amy Herman has grown the pop-up market into a can’t-miss event by carefully selecting vendors and always thinking one step ahead.

When Vintage Charlotte first launched, the sale drew 800 people and 17 vendors. Herman selects about 65 vendors now, aiming for 25% new booths each sale to keep things fresh.

“I think a lot of it is just about the quality of the vendors. Our market has really exploded among desirability for vendors with more than 200 applications,” she said. “It is extremely competitive.”

The Winter Market caters to people looking to kickstart their holiday shopping. They’ll find diverse offerings from ugly Christmas sweaters and vintage Hornets gear to handmade art prints and jewelry.

- How Vintage Charlotte became one of the city’s most-loved pop-up markets, CharlotteAgenda.com, November 13, 2017.

3. The Mayes family transformed a Thomas High Top into a well-organized and airy humble abode, using thoughtful storage and a minimalist color palette.

When Gabriel and Debbie Mayes decided to embrace the tiny house movement, they knew the transition would be anything but easy. For starters, they—along with their four children—were used to calling 5,000 square feet home. But they were intrigued with the idea of living in a much smaller space, so when they found “Skoolie,” an old school bus, they knew the time had come to take the plunge and downsize.

Yet, before they could kickstart their adventure on the road, they had to conduct a major DIY renovation. After months of hard work, the Mayes Team successfully transformed the 250-square-foot bus into a comfortable home for their family.

In the redesign, the couple eschewed a common center aisle layout, as they did not want people walking into the bus and having a sightline to the sleeping area. Therefore, they decided to cluster the kitchen and bathroom together about midway through the bus’s length.

By positioning the children's bunks and master bedroom toward the back, they were able to keep the social areas—such as the kitchen and living space—separated from the private sleeping quarters.

For finishes, they opted for a predominantly black, white, and gray palette, while also incorporating wood accents for warmth.

- A Couple Convert An Old School Bus Into A Light and Efficient Family Home, Dwell.com, February 27, 2018.

About the author:

Zhang Xin is Trainer at chinadaily.com.cn. He has been with China Daily since 1988, when he graduated from Beijing Foreign Studies University. Write him at: zhangxin@chinadaily.com.cn, or raise a question for potential use in a future column.