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

by Dan Sullivan

“The Start is where you were 90 days ago. “The Achieved is what you’ve actually achieved over the past 90 days. “The Ideal is where you wish you were. “You have an ideal in your mind, and you’re measuring yourself against your ideal, rather than against the actual progress you’ve made. This is why you’re unhappy with what you’ve done, and it’s probably why you’re unhappy with everything in your life.

You’re in the GAP every time you measure yourself or your situation against an ideal.

Being grateful helps you appreciate your GAINS. It also helps you make smart short-term and long-term decisions. To be clear: being in the GAIN doesn’t mean you’re a pushover. It doesn’t mean you accept unfair treatment. It simply means you appreciate your GAINS and don’t get overly reactive or in the GAP when your situation isn’t exactly how you felt it should be. Rather than getting emotionally reactive and caught up in small moments, you appreciate your GAINS and learn from your experiences. Time

What you do during the hour before bed sets the tone for the rest of your life.

Writing down three wins daily is one of the most effective ways to stay out of the GAP. You feel like you’re always winning and making progress. It keeps you in a state of momentum and confidence.

The Power of Starting Something Stupid.17

Taking time to sit down and think about your experiences is what psychologists call deliberate rumination.31 It’s where you: Actively think about an experience. Proactively create the meaning you want that experience to have for you. Revise your life narrative in a positive way as a result.