The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success

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As one of Ben’s friends told him, “I’ve always measured myself against perfection, because that’s what I believe God can make me. And I’m never measuring up.” Jansen decided that he’d dedicate his last race to expressing his gratitude to the world of speed skating. This was to be his goodbye to a long and fulfilling career. Hardy says the GAP and the GAIN are significant tools because they have a language. Give those you love permission to call you out when you enter the GAP by explaining the GAP and the GAIN concept to them. years ago I heard of the term "insecure over-achiever", and happily labeled myself that. I believe it helped me constantly strive for more, and made me always look at my short-comings / areas for improvement. Later on, I also came across the term 'growth mindset' that also pushed me to identify gaps in my life so I can work on improving them.

When your reference point is internal, happiness and success are always right here and right now. Journaling Questions When people are optimistic, they can achieve better results. To be happy, you need neither material possessions nor other people. Trying to acquire all the things you think you require turns life into a never-ending rat race. Right now, you can decide to be happy by deciding to accept and enjoy your life as it is. It's pointless to evaluate oneself in relation to others. As long as you understand why your cycle time is moving over time, you’re in a good place. You should only be worried if your delivery time is changing and you don’t know the reason why. Will this opportunity, etc. take advantage of my unique ability and make me even stronger? Will it lengthen my stride?Although the book referenced a lot to entrepreneurs, The Gap and The Gain is an essential reading for everyone because it changes how you will perceive your achievements and those of others. It is possible to be happy AND be a high achiever.

Throughout the book, there are exercises and journal prompts to help readers get out of the GAP and into the GAIN. Note-to-self: Complete the exercises and restart my journaling practice.Think about any specific experience—positive or negative. Ask yourself: What about this experience worked? Being in the GAP from time to time is okay. You shouldn't get discouraged if you find yourself in a gap. When that happens, it's time to pivot and correct. Make sure you never judge yourself too harshly. Keeping your self-talk positive will make a difference to how you achieve your goals. Another distinguishing feature of Gap- and Gain-thinking is the source of motivation. When you fall into Gap-thinking, external factors motivate you. Your reference point—the standard against which you compare yourself—is an idealized version of yourself based on external standards set by other people. According to the authors, this removes any control you may have over defining what success means, which can leave you feeling helpless and unmotivated.