Episode 106: The Progress Principle

Show Notes

Episode Transcript

Jesse:
You are now listening to Leverage for Growth. Hey everybody, this is Jesse P. Gilmore, founder of Niche in Control and creator of Leverage for Growth. Welcome to the Daily Leverage Edition. Today’s topic is this, the progress principle, how to fuel your personal and professional growth. Sit back, relax, and welcome to today’s Daily Leverage. So today we are talking about a powerful concept introduced by Dan Sullivan, which is the gap versus gain. The idea is simple, but profound. When we focus on the progress we’ve made, the gain, we feel fulfilled. When we concentrate on what’s left to achieve, or the gap, we feel empty. Sounds intriguing, right? Let’s dive deeper. So let’s understand the psychology behind this idea. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in 2011 found that when people focus on how far they’ve come, they’re more likely to continue with their progress. It’s the gain mindset. On the other hand, when they focus on how much they still have to go, they are more likely to feel overwhelmed and give up, falling into that gap mindset. And your mindset affects performance. Carol Dewek, a well-known psychologist, distinguishes between a growth mindset, akin to the gain, and a fixed mindset, akin to the gap. In her research, she found out that those with a growth mindset focus on progress and learning, achieving more than those with a fixed mindset who focused on inherent abilities and their lack. And when it comes to creating wealth, a gain mindset can be crucial. A study from the Journal of Consumer Research in 2016 found that people who focus on their progress towards goals, the gain, are more motivated to keep pursuing them. And this motivation can fuel your financial goals leading towards wealth creation. Life satisfaction comes into play too. The Journal of Happiness Studies in 2013 reported that individuals focused on how far they’ve come in life tend to experience higher life satisfaction than those focusing on their shortcomings. So let’s see how. we can apply these insights into our lives. In terms of body, focus on the progress that you’ve made in your health and fitness journey. Celebrate the pounds you’ve shed, the miles you can now run, or the healthier choices that you’ve made. For being, focus on the skills that you have learned, the habits you’ve built, or the personal goals that you have achieved. This focus on gain will boost your confidence and motivation. In the realm of balance, Celebrate the quality time that you’ve spent with loved ones or the piece that you found in your daily routine. Avoid focusing on the gap, like vacations not taken or events missed. And finally, in business, focus on the milestones that you have achieved, the growth that you’ve experienced and the lessons you’ve learned. Sure, there may be goals yet to be accomplished, but concentrating on the gain keeps you and your team motivated. To wrap it up, whether it’s your personal health, our business, or our life in general, focusing on the gain rather than the gap can significantly impact our motivation, performance, and overall happiness. So let’s celebrate our progress and keep moving forward one gain at a time. So now it’s time for the daily leverage. So where in your world, whether in your life or business, have you been focusing on the gap when you should be focusing on the gain? Is it in your life with your health and body? Is in your life with your spirituality or self-direction? Is in your relationships with your spouse, partner, or kids? Is in your business, finances, or team? And once you’ve located where you’ve been focused on the gap and you know what needs to change, my question to you is this. What are you willing and able to do about it today? That is the end of the Daily Leverage. This is Jesse P. Gilmore. You’ve been listening to Leverage for Growth Podcast. If you’re enjoying these daily leverage and agency leverage episodes, make sure to subscribe on Apple or Spotify now.