Cast your mind back 6 months. A new year lay ahead, full of possibility. Whether or not you set resolutions, most people will have given some thought to how they would like 2026 to shape up. Now we have reached the halfway point, it is a good time to check in. How we choose to do this, can have a big\u00a0 influence on outcomes going forward.<\/p>\n
For most people, January starts with a flourish. But high hopes can soon become nothing more than distant memories, leaving us with a feeling of failure and deja vue. Herein lies the key. According to entrepreneur Dan Sullivan and psychologist Dr Benjamin Hardy in their book The Gap and The Gain,\u00a0<\/em>humans have a tendency to measure ourselves against a point we have not yet reached. In so doing, the focus is on what we haven’t done, ‘the gap’\u00a0 rather than what we have, ‘the gain’.<\/p>\n It reinforces a negativity bias<\/strong> – w<\/span>e naturally pay more attention to problems than successes\u2014a tendency known as negativity bias<\/em>. If you only notice what’s left to accomplish, your brain has overlooked genuine progress and so missed out on the positive encouragement and motivation it provides.<\/p>\n ‘Never enough’ thinking<\/strong> – by focusing on what you haven’t done rather than what you have, there is a constant feeling of never being quite enough, As many women know, this is not only draining but impacts on confidence, dramatically reducing the chances of success.<\/p>\n It encourages unhealthy comparison<\/strong> – the “gap” often leads comparison with others.,,,and naturally it will only ever be with those you perceive as doing better. Research shows that this kind of social comparison lowers self-esteem and life satisfaction as well as impacting on results.<\/p>\n If you have experienced any of the things I have listed above, it’s natural\u00a0 to shy away from instigating change and falling short again. Equally, it takes courage to be honest with yourself about where life’s ‘gaps’ might be – maintaining the status quo is much easier.<\/p>\n However, it’s also worth noting that stepping into that uncomfortable place between where you are and where you want to be, is what sparks growth and personal development. It is what gives life a sense of meaning and direction. Without it, we drift aimlessly and watch time slipping by.<\/p>\n I recently came across this quote:<\/p>\n Memento Mori. Memento Vivere.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Remember you will die. Remember to live.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Having recently attended the funeral of a dear friend, and learnt of the death of a client, and two family members of other close friends, this was even more poignant. Loss puts things into perspective. It prompts us to ask different questions. It’s about letting the awareness of life’s finiteness help us live with greater intention. In that, we each absolutely have a choice and, indeed, a responsibility.<\/p>\n Looking back at the year so far, we can start by celebrating the ‘gains’. Highlighting the positives doesn’t make us complacent\u2014it reminds us that we’re capable and gives us the fuel we need to continue the journey. After that it’s about embracing the power of the ‘gaps’, uncomfortable though they are, to work out what we need to do to make us feel more alive.<\/p>\n There’s 6 months left of the year – let’s make maximum aliveness our goal!<\/p>\n \n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Halfway through the year and a chance to take stock. How you choose to do so can have a huge bearing on how the next six months turn out…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1582,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy is this a problem?<\/h2>\n
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