Your ambition is betraying you,
The very drive that got you here is now sabotaging your success and happiness.
The culprit?
You're constantly focused on the GAP.
That next promotion.
That ambitious revenue target.
That skill you haven't mastered yet.
That future version of your career.
This forward fixation isn't true ambition. It's a trap.
The most successful leaders I know balance two perspectives:
They chase ambitious goals AND measure the GAIN - celebrating how far they've come.
Two simple practices that transformed my relationship with growth (and can do the same for you):
1/ Before logging off each day, document ONE win - no matter how small. Even on difficult days, there's progress somewhere.
2/ Once a month, review work from 3-6 months ago. You'll be shocked by how much you've evolved, even when daily progress feels invisible.
This isn't about abandoning ambition.
It's about fueling it properly.
The gap drains your confidence, creativity, and joy.
The gain provides the perspective, energy, and fulfillment needed to keep pushing forward.
The most sustainable success comes from honoring both where you're going AND how far you've come.
Society sells the gap. I'm betting on the gain.
Which are you measuring today?
Inspired by Dan Sullivan's "The Gap and The Gain" and brought to you by Omar's Desk.
