{"id":559,"date":"2025-03-28T12:20:23","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T12:20:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/?p=559"},"modified":"2025-03-28T14:15:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T14:15:47","slug":"the-gap-and-the-gain-why-success-never-feels-like-enough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/uncategorized\/the-gap-and-the-gain-why-success-never-feels-like-enough\/","title":{"rendered":"The Gap and The Gain &#8211; Why Success Never Feels Like Enough"},"content":{"rendered":"<table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" bgcolor=\"#F6F6F9\" style=\"width:100%;margin:0 auto;background-color:#F6F6F9\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div class=\"ck-section\" style=\"margin:30px auto 0px auto\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"width:100%;margin:0 auto;max-width:800px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"800\" style=\"background-color:#ffffff;border-radius:0px\" bgcolor=\"#ffffff\">\n<div class=\"ck-inner-section ck-padding-left-mobile-friendly ck-padding-right-mobile-friendly\" style=\"padding:40px 36px 24px 36px\">\n<div style=\"margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\">\n<table class=\"ck-layout-block ck-layout-stack\" width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" bgcolor=\"transparent\" style=\"padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;border-radius:0px;overflow:hidden\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"ck-column ck-column-stack ck-column-1\" width=\"50%\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-position:center;border-radius:0px;vertical-align:top\">\n<div style=\"padding:0px 0px 0px 0px\">\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" style=\"text-align:center;float:none\" class=\"email-image\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"center\">\n<figure style=\"margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:12px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:800px;width:100%\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.filekitcdn.com\/e\/oh4UyimtaVpDdq4v3xpjNZ\/EYj7oHsTocEWDETZgrRxx\" width=\"800\" height=\"auto\" style=\"border-radius:4px 4px 4px 4px;width:800px;height:auto;object-fit:contain\"><\/div><figcaption style=\"text-align:center\">\u200b<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding-left:20px\"><\/td>\n<td class=\"ck-column ck-column-2\" width=\"50%\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-position:center;border-radius:0px;vertical-align:top\">\n<div style=\"padding:0px 0px 0px 0px\">\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:16px;color:#4F4F4F;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5;margin-top:8px;margin-bottom:8px\" class=\"\">\u200b<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ck-section\" style=\"margin:0px auto 0px auto\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"width:100%;margin:0 auto;max-width:800px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"800\" style=\"background-color:#fff;border-radius:0px\" bgcolor=\"#fff\">\n<div class=\"ck-inner-section ck-padding-left-mobile-friendly ck-padding-right-mobile-friendly\" style=\"padding:30px 36px 40px 36px\">\n<div style=\"margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\">\n<table class=\"ck-layout-block ck-layout-stack\" width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" bgcolor=\"#ffffff\" style=\"background-color:#ffffff;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;margin:24px 0px 24px 0px;border-radius:0px;overflow:hidden\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"ck-column ck-column-stack ck-column-1\" width=\"25%\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-position:center;border-radius:0px;vertical-align:top\">\n<div style=\"padding:0px 0px 0px 0px\">\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" style=\"text-align:center;float:none\" class=\"email-image\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"center\">\n<figure style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:100%;width:100%\"><a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/428J9Bl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"kit-image-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.filekitcdn.com\/e\/oh4UyimtaVpDdq4v3xpjNZ\/fEqj1h4xScFE62urRHRqRQ\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\" style=\"border-radius:0px;width:100%;height:auto;object-fit:contain\"><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding-left:30px\"><\/td>\n<td class=\"ck-column ck-column-2\" width=\"75%\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-position:center;border-radius:0px;vertical-align:middle\">\n<div style=\"padding:0px 0px 0px 0px\">\n<h2 style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:32px;color:#000000;font-weight:700;line-height:1.25;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\" class=\"\"><strong>The Hidden Reason You&#8217;re Never Satisfied (Even After Big Wins)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">Hi Reader,<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">\ud83d\udca1 <strong>Today&#8217;s Niblit:<\/strong> In <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/428J9Bl\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ck-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#FF630B\">The Gap and The Gain<\/a>, Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy reveal why high achievers feel perpetually dissatisfied despite remarkable success. They&#8217;ve discovered that measuring yourself against ideals instead of your starting point creates a psychological trap that steals happiness and momentum.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">\ud83d\udd11 <strong>Key Insight:<\/strong> You&#8217;re in the GAP whenever you measure yourself against an ideal or perfect standard rather than acknowledging how far you&#8217;ve come. This mindset creates a moving target that&#8217;s always out of reach, leaving you feeling inadequate despite real progress.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">Imagine two hikers climbing the same mountain. The first constantly looks up at the summit, feeling discouraged by how far they still need to go. The second regularly turns around to see how far they&#8217;ve climbed, feeling energized and proud with each backward glance. Same mountain, same progress, completely different experiences \u2014 all due to where they direct their attention.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">Why does this matter? The brain can&#8217;t simultaneously focus on what you&#8217;ve gained and what you lack. By consistently measuring yourself against ideals rather than your starting point, you&#8217;re programming your mind for perpetual disappointment \u2014 no matter how successful you become. This explains why even achieving massive goals often feels hollow and unsatisfying.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">\ud83e\udd89 <strong>Nibble of Wisdom:<\/strong> &#8220;If you focus on the GAIN, you&#8217;ll be happy. In every circumstance, you&#8217;re either in the GAP or the GAIN, but you can&#8217;t be in both at once.&#8221; (Chapter 2)<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">\ud83d\udee0\ufe0f <strong>Practical Tip:<\/strong> Before evaluating any area of your life, consciously ask: &#8220;Where did I start, and how far have I come?&#8221; instead of &#8220;How far am I from perfect?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">\ud83d\ude80 <strong>Quick Action:<\/strong> Take 5 minutes right now to list three specific areas where you&#8217;ve made progress in the last 90 days \u2014 no matter how small. Write them down, then pause to genuinely feel appreciation for each advancement you&#8217;ve made.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">\ud83d\udd0d <strong>Further Exploration:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"unordered_list\" style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5;text-align:left\">\n<li class=\"list_item\"><span>Think about someone you admire. Are you using their current position as your measuring stick rather than considering their starting point?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"list_item\"><span>Consider which areas of life you&#8217;re most likely to be in the GAP (relationships, health, career). How would your emotions change if you shifted to measuring backward?<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"list_item\"><span>Explore the psychological concept of <a href=\"https:\/\/study.com\/academy\/lesson\/counterfactual-thinking-thought-suppression-the-rebound-effect.html\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ck-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#FF630B\">counterfactual thinking<\/a> and how &#8220;downward comparisons&#8221; can boost happiness and resilience.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">\ud83c\udfac <strong>Wrapup:<\/strong> Remember, the ideal will always remain out of reach \u2014 that&#8217;s why it&#8217;s called an ideal. By measuring backward to your starting point instead of forward to perfection, you instantly transform frustration into genuine satisfaction. Now, go look back at how far you&#8217;ve come!<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">\ud83d\udd17 <strong>Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"unordered_list\" style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5;text-align:left\">\n<li class=\"list_item\"><span>Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/428J9Bl\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ck-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#FF630B\"><em>The Gap and The Gain<\/em> by Benjamin Hardy &amp; Dan Sullivan<\/a> on Amazon<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"list_item\"><span>\u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3DH2Cjk\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ck-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#FF630B\"><em>The Gap and The Gain<\/em> on Kindle<\/a>\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"list_item\"><span>\u200b<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4kTE7Qz\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ck-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#FF630B\"><em>The Gap and The Gain<\/em> Audiobook<\/a>\u200b<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\"><strong>Moving forward by looking backward,<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Arial, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#333333;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5\" class=\"\">Tom &#8220;still climbing my mountain&#8221; Bernthal<\/p>\n<table class=\"ck-layout-block ck-layout-stack\" width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" bgcolor=\"#f9f9f9\" style=\"background-color:#f9f9f9;padding:18px 18px 18px 18px;margin:24px 0px 24px 0px;border-radius:0px;overflow:hidden\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"ck-column ck-column-stack ck-column-1\" width=\"35%\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-position:center;border-radius:0px;vertical-align:top\">\n<div style=\"padding:0px 0px 0px 0px\">\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" style=\"text-align:center;float:none\" class=\"email-image\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"center\">\n<figure style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:200px;width:100%\">\n<div>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.filekitcdn.com\/e\/oh4UyimtaVpDdq4v3xpjNZ\/2FXTkbpNBwAh35ubbC2sG7\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" style=\"border-radius:9999px 9999px 9999px 9999px;width:200px;height:200px;object-fit:cover\">\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<table width=\"100%\" border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" style=\"text-align:center;float:none\" class=\"email-image\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td align=\"center\">\n<figure style=\"margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:12px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:800px;width:100%\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.filekitcdn.com\/e\/oh4UyimtaVpDdq4v3xpjNZ\/2CrcobkpKHMN2FyPFwC39G\" width=\"800\" height=\"auto\" style=\"border-radius:4px 4px 4px 4px;width:800px;height:auto;object-fit:contain\"><\/div><figcaption style=\"text-align:center\">Tom Bernthal, Chief Niblr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding-left:30px\"><\/td>\n<td class=\"ck-column ck-column-2\" width=\"65%\" style=\"background-size:cover;background-position:center;border-radius:0px;vertical-align:middle\">\n<div style=\"padding:0px 0px 0px 0px\">\n<h2 style=\"font-family:Charter, Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;font-size:32px;color:#000000;font-weight:500;line-height:1.25;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\" class=\"\">Thank you!<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-family:Verdana, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#4d4d4d;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5;margin-top:8px;margin-bottom:8px\" class=\"\">Thank you for joining the Niblits community. If you have questions, suggestions or want to chat, hit reply.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Verdana, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#4d4d4d;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5;margin-top:8px;margin-bottom:8px\" class=\"\"><strong>\u200b<\/strong><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Check%20this%20out...&amp;body=I%20just%20joined%20a%20free%20daily%20newlsetter%20called%20Niblits.%20They%20send%20you%20one%20key%20idea%20from%20popular%20books%20to%20grow%20a%20little%20smarter%20every%20day.%0A%0AIt's%20a%20quick%203-minute%20read%20and%20I%20thought%20you%20might%20like%20it%20too.%0A%0AYou%20can%20check%20it%20out%20here%3A%20%20https%3A%2F%2Fniblits.com%0A%0A\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ck-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#FF630B\"><strong>Share Niblits with friends<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p style=\"font-family:Verdana, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:20px;color:#4d4d4d;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5;text-align:left;margin-top:8px;margin-bottom:8px\" class=\"\">If you&#8217;d like to get access to more books and ideas, <a href=\"https:\/\/join.niblits.com\/products\/tips-are-welcome\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ck-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#FF630B\">tap here to see how you can help me<strong> <\/strong>grow Niblits faster<\/a>!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ck-section\" style=\"margin:0px auto 40px auto\">\n<table cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" style=\"width:100%;margin:0 auto;max-width:800px\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"800\" style=\"background-color:#fff;border-radius:0px;border-top:solid 1px #F2F2F2\" bgcolor=\"#fff\">\n<div class=\"ck-inner-section ck-padding-left-mobile-friendly ck-padding-right-mobile-friendly\" style=\"padding:40px 40px 40px 40px\">\n<div style=\"margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\">\n<p style=\"font-family:-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, sans-serif;font-size:15px;color:#656565;font-weight:400;line-height:1.5;text-align:center\" class=\"\"><span style=\"font-size:12\"> <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/preview.convertkit-mail2.com\/preferences\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ck-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#808080\"><span style=\"font-size:12\">Update your Niblits newsletter options<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:12\"> | <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/preview.convertkit-mail2.com\/unsubscribe\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ck-link\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" style=\"color:#808080\"><span style=\"font-size:12\">Unsubscribe<br \/>\u200b<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size:12\">113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Hidden Reason You&#8217;re Never Satisfied (Even After Big Wins) Hi Reader, \ud83d\udca1 Today&#8217;s Niblit: In The Gap and The Gain, Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy reveal why high achievers feel perpetually dissatisfied despite remarkable success. They&#8217;ve discovered that measuring yourself against ideals instead of your starting point creates a psychological trap that steals happiness and momentum. \ud83d\udd11 Key Insight: You&#8217;re in the GAP whenever you measure yourself against an ideal or perfect standard rather&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":561,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_convertkit_action_broadcast_export":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"niblit":[],"class_list":["post-559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=559"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":560,"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/559\/revisions\/560"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=559"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=559"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=559"},{"taxonomy":"niblit","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/niblits.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/niblit?post=559"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}