Week 2

October is all about Progress.

This week, learn why the Gap is ever-elusive and how to redirect focus.

A very common, human misconception is that our identity is fixed.

If you ask a person how much they think they will change in 10 years, they will (more than likely) say not so much, if at all. But if you ask that same person how much they have changed in the last decade, they will (most likely) have a lot of transformational tales to tell you.

We tend to believe that we’re stuck; we don’t easily notice the progress happening right in front of us at any given moment. But as humans, we are comprised of intricate ecosystems; any one change has countless spillovers into other areas of our lives.

If we choose to focus on the gap (that sizeable space between where we are today and where we ideally want to be), we miss our own measurable moments.

Mind the Gap, Focus on the Gain

If you fall into the gap, you end up measuring your current self against your future self—or, what you believe to be your most ideal self.

That gap, though, is constantly growing and morphing. How is that possible, given that you have a benchmark end result that you’d like to achieve?

As humans, we are constantly evolving, ever-changing and growing. Depending on all of the endless life circumstances and variables, no one person is or stays the same.

Who you were last year is a completely different person than who you were ten years ago; likewise, who you will be in another 5 years is different from the person you are today.

What you choose to pursue will constantly elude you because your ideal is a naturally always-moving target.

Rather than focus on that target, direct your attention instead towards your gains. In doing so, you’ll begin to experience a sense of achievement which, in turn, will crush your inner critic and propel you forward.

Redirecting Focus

Finding gains is a process; it can often feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. What is it that you’re even looking for, when you’ve had your eyes set on something else for so long? How can you find achievement when your expectation isn’t meeting your reality?

Finding your gains, big or small, means learning to recognize progress, even when it can seem like there is none.

How do you access your own fulfillment? How do you train yourself to recognize your progress?

Rather than waiting on the sidelines for that perfect day when you reach that perfect health goal, you create your ideal moment right now.

You look back at the last year, the last 6 months—whatever time frame you would like to measure. Then, ask yourself:

• Who were you then? Where were you then?
• Who are you now? Where are you now?
• What are some of the small or mighty steps you’ve taken forward?
• What have you learned along the way?
• What have you nurtured along the way?

When you feel that you’re stuck in your own gap, that you’re not moving fast enough towards your goal, remember that you are still moving forward, you are still learning, growing, and evolving. Take the time to look back at how far you’ve come.

Your process may not be unfolding in the way you imagined, but you can still emerge with profound progress.