A Mindset Shift: Looking Back to Move Forward

With two months left in this final quarter of 2024, it’s the perfect time for leaders to revisit annual objectives, gauge progress, and recalibrate for the last sprint to year-end. Yet, when most people reflect on their year-end goals, they often focus on the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

With two months left in this final quarter of 2024, it’s the perfect time for leaders to revisit annual objectives, gauge progress, and recalibrate for the last sprint to year-end. Yet, when most people reflect on their year-end goals, they often focus on the gap between where they are and where they want to be. This “gap thinking” tends to emphasize what’s left undone, leaving many feeling unsatisfied with their progress.

But what if there’s a better approach? Rather than looking ahead at the distance left to cover, look back at how far you’ve come. Highlighting progress and acknowledging achievements from the start of the year can energize and inspire momentum in these final weeks. Appreciating the gains made, even if they’re incremental, can shift your mindset and provide a powerful boost as you approach year-end.

Why is This Important?

Mindset is everything. Studies and psychological insights reveal that viewing your journey from a “gain” perspective—focusing on what you’ve accomplished—enhances motivation, reduces stress, and paves the way to future success.

The Gap and The Gain

This concept, popularized by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy in their book The Gap and The Gain, encourages us to compare our current position to where we began rather than to an ideal future state. Sullivan and Hardy’s principles reveal that looking back to recognize our achievements cultivates a positive mental state and builds resilience and momentum. Likewise, as Peter Hollins explains in Neuro Habits, this mindset shift can have transformative benefits. Studies echo these findings, showing that comparing your current state to your former state, rather than an ideal, boosts well-being and motivation.

The Bottom Line: It’s a Mindset Shift

When we fixate on how far we are from our goals—the “gap”—we risk entering a state of stress, anxiety, and self-criticism. In contrast, focusing on the progress we’ve made—the “gain”—enables us to see and leverage our achievements, empowering us to move forward with energy and confidence.

Simply put, it’s the difference between seeing how far you still need to go versus recognizing how far you’ve come. As you make your way through the rest of 2024, consider celebrating the progress you’ve achieved so far. Harness the inspiration that comes from acknowledging these accomplishments and use it to keep advancing toward your year-end goals.

Alternatively, staying in a “gap” mindset could mean stalling your forward movement, blocking future success for the rest of this year and beyond.

We’d love to hear how this mindset shift works for you!

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