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

Dr. Benjamin Hardy · Dan Sullivan

Oct 2021 · Hay House, Inc

About this ebook

As he did in WHO NOT HOW, Dr. Benjamin Hardy shares one of Dan Sullivan’s simple yet profound teachings that until now has been known only to his Strategic Coach clients: unsuccessful people focus on “The Gap,” but successful people focus on “The Gain.”

"[T]his one simple concept is a masterclass on positive psychology, healthy relationships, mental well-being, and high-performance. Everything that psychologists know about how to create a high-functioning and successful person can be achieved using The GAP and the GAIN."- Dr. Benjamin Hardy

Most people, especially highly ambitious people, are unhappy because of how they measure their progress. We all have an "ideal," a moving target that is always out of reach. When we measure ourselves against that ideal, we're in "the GAP." However, when we measure ourselves against our previous selves, we're in "the GAIN."

That is where the GAP and the GAIN concept comes in. It was developed by legendary entrepreneur coach Dan Sullivan and is based on his work with tens of thousands of successful entrepreneurs. When Dan's coaching clients periodically take stock of all that they've accomplished-both personally and professionally-they are often shocked at how much they have actually achieved. They weren't able to appreciate their progress because no matter how much they were getting done, they were usually measuring themselves against their ideals or goals.

In this book you will learn that measuring your current self vs. your former self has enormous psychological benefits. And that's really the key to this deceptively simple yet multi-layered concept that will have you feeling good, feeling grateful, and feeling like you are making progress even when times are tough, which will in turn bolster motivation, confidence, and future success.

If you're finding that happiness eludes you no matter how much you've achieved, then learning this easy mindset shift will set you on a life-changing path to greater fulfillment and success.

Ratings and reviews

I really enjoyed this book and have applied a few of the lessons I learned from it to my own life. My favorite lesson is the importance of setting small goals and celebrating your wins. The author suggests aiming for three wins a day, and I've found that this simple practice has helped me stay motivated and on track. I also like the author's emphasis on seeing everything as a gain, even if it's something small. This mindset has helped me to appreciate the good things in my life, even when things are tough. The author suggests that it's important to track your progress, so that you can see how far you've come. "You are not serious about your progress if its not measurable and recorded" <---- this really hit me Pearson's law states that, "When performance is measured, performance improves. When performance is measured and reported back, the rate of improvement accelerates." This quote really opened my eyes, because I'm actually so lazy to record or journal my daily activities.

This is a life-changing, eye-opening book. It makes you realize how much life you're wasting by staying in the gap! And helps you change your mentality, to keep focusing in the Gain. I simply loved it from the beginning until the end!

This book provides readers with a powerful tool for transforming their lives. I can change my mindset and take action in any given moment by checking if I'm in the Gap or the Gain. I love this concept and how clearly and practically it was presented. I highly recommend it

About the author

Dan Sullivan is the world's foremost expert on entrepreneurship and has coached more successful entrepreneurs than anyone on the planet. He is the co-founder of Strategic Coach®, the leading entrepreneurial coaching program in the world, and author of more than 50 publications on entrepreneurial success. Over the past 30+ years, Strategic Coach has provided teaching and training to more than 20,000 entrepreneurs. He is the co-author, along with Dr. Benjamin Hardy, of Who Not How and The Gap and the Gain.

Dr. Benjamin Hardy is an organizational psychologist, author, and the world’s leading expert on the application of the Future Self science. His books have sold hundreds of thousands of copies, and his blogs have been read by hundreds of millions. He and his wife, Lauren, are the parents of six kids. They live in Orlando, Florida.