Do you in live the GAP with your fitness?
The concept I’m going to go over today is from a book called The Gap & The Gain by Dan Sullivan…
I’ve had this book in my audible library for a few years but never got round to listening to it because I knew it was likely going to uncover a big flaw in me.
It takes effort to not live in The GAP…
It’s easy to live in the gap when thinking about your fitness, your weight and all things health related.
To explain the gap and the gain simply; I want you to think about standing on the edge of a cliff, looking out into the horizon. The horizon looks like a place we could walk to – but every step we take, the horizon moves an we never get any closer.
The horizon represents our ideals. In fitness terms – it might represent a 500lb deadlift or the bodyfat percentage you’d like to be. Like the horizon, our ideals often change. Those who have achieved a 500lb deadlift, may want to lift 550lb or may switch their ideals and also run a 5min mile. It’s not a bad thing that our ideals change – when used properly this can fuel us.
Back to standing on the cliff looking out at the horizon…
Somewhere between where you are (your start position) and the horizon (your ideals) there will be a place that you may want to get to. This place represents your goals, the destination. The horizon gives us context as to how far away that particular place is, just like our ideals allow us to set goals along our journey.
The GAP is the distance between our goals and our ideals. The GAIN is the distance between our goals and our start position…
Look back to see how far you have come!
It’s easy to live in the gap when it comes to fitness, how we look or even how we feel. The ideals are always moving further away. There is always something we can do better…
Living in the gain takes work, a switch of focus and real intention (not just in fitness terms either)
Action Items: Start Living in the GAIN Today
- Reflect Weekly
Take 5 minutes each week to write down three wins — things you’ve done or improved on, no matter how small. This keeps your focus on progress, not just perfection. - Track Backwards
Instead of only chasing your next goal, pause and look at how far you’ve come. Compare your current self to your starting point, not your ideal future self. - Revisit Your Starting Line
Think back to where you were 3, 6, or 12 months ago — physically, mentally, or emotionally. Celebrate the gains you’ve made since then. - Set “Gain-Based” Goals
Alongside your big goals, set milestones that reflect effort and consistency (e.g., “I’ll train 4x/week for the next month”), not just outcomes. - Talk to a Coach or Teammate
Ask someone you train with what they’ve noticed improve in you. Others often see our progress more clearly than we do.
If, like me, this concept is something you can apply to other areas of your life then I urge you to read the book.
