Look at the gain, not just the gap

As you make progress, you can look at how far you have to go to reach your goal (the gap), or you can look at how far you've come since you started (the gain). If you're like most people, you naturally focus more easily on the gap and not the gain.

Why it matters:

• Focusing on the gap can lead to discouragement, and cause you to abandon a strategy or program that is helping you make progress.
   
• Appreciating the gain gives you a better balanced perspective, allowing you to keep doing what is working and look to adjust what is not helping you make progress

What you can do:

1. Take a benchmark. It's hard to know if you're moving forward or backward if you don't recall where you started. You might fill out this Health Goals Worksheet periodically, and then compare with previous times to help see your gains.
    
2. Celebrate success. Take the time to appreciate your progress and allow good feelings to displace some of the negative emotions that arise when you feel stuck.
    
3. Look for 1% improvements. Once you've celebrated the progress you've made, then take a look at what's not working perfectly and see if you can make a 1% improvement. A 1% improvement made every day leads to 3700% over the course of one year.

Have a super week,

Dr. Topher Fox

P.S. If you missed any previous emails, the content is posted weekly here

P.P.S. Below are the pictures from my exam room wall which we are exploring for this email series.