The Benefits of Living in the Gain {Episode 23}

I recently learned the concept of living "in the gain" from the book The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy. Today we're talking about the 3 main benefits that come from focusing on how far we've made it so far in life in business, instead of how far we still want to go.

Making and accomplishing goals is great, but when the goalpost keeps moving, we do ourselves the disservice of acknowledging our past and current blessings and living in lack instead of gratitiude. Learning to live in the gain while keeping God as your business partner will be a total game changer!

Last year I read the book The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Benajmin Hardy; it was a unique look at living in gratitude and abundance instead of lack and scarcity.

An easy way explain the concept is like this: where we are currently is the main floor of a home. Where we were in the past is the basement, and where we want to get to is the second floor.

But instead of rejoicing at how far we've come from the basement, most of us spend way too much time looking upwards at the second floor. There's just one problem...the second floor keeps moving. We think we want to reach a specific goal yet when we get there, we often move the goal without spending any time rejoicing in how far we've come.

I love this concept so much and talked about it to anyone who would listen for months! But as I continue to grow my own businesses, I've realized that living in the gain vs the gap (with God as out business partner) gives us three main benefits:

1. It keeps us grateful. Those who live in the gain realize how far they've come but more importantly, they realize that God is the one who's gotten them this far! They are conscious of how much they've been given. They acknowledge their physical blessings, recognize opportunities that come their way and are constantly thanking God for those blessings.

It's really hard to be unhappy and bitter when you're looking at all you've been given and been able to accomplish. The trick here being, obviously, acknowledging God's hand in all things.

I try do this in three main ways: When I see God intervening in my business, first I say a prayer of gratitude. It looks like: Dear God, I see you, thank you, I needed that. I promise not to squander that blessing.

Secondly, I tell someone. Sometimes it's my husband, usually my business bestie or another Christian friend. I purposely pick someone who will feel awe and gratitude with me. This also functions to strengthen the faith of the person I share it with.

Finally, I write it down. One of my most prized possessions is my journal of God's dealings in my life. Tiny miracles, beautiful coincidences or other inspirational happenings.
This final one is my favorite way of leaning into thus gratitude because it's a written record that I can go back and look at anytime I need a shot of inspiration and warm fuzzies!

2. It acknowledges our infinite potential and keeps us in partnership with God. Relying solely on our own merits and efforts turns us into egotistical narcissists. But we Christian women don't usually swing that direction.
Instead, we downplay our own efforts and pretend that we didn't do any of it ourselves. Christian women love to downplay our own abilities, gifts and accomplishments because we think it makes us humble but it doesn't- instead it keeps us safe.

Don't deny the gifts God has given you nor the growth He's helped you acquire. In fact, if you struggle to acknowledge your potential for greatness, that's not God's influence. If there's one way that Satan can keep God's people from changing the world, it's by telling them that they're not good enough. Don't buy into that. Step into the gain of your life, regularly look at what you've built, who you've become and who you've been able to help. It's not bragging, its celebrating God's goodness because without Him, we're nothing.

3. The third way that living in the gain helps us: it fights imposter syndrome! Everyone has talents and expertise but when we're constantly looking up towards the impossible goals that we have, we'll always feel like an imposter.

I have been an entrepreneur for over 10 years. I've learned so much, made thousands of dollars and been able to figure out how to build a biz while having a ton of babies and homeschooling my kids. But I still feel like an imposter regularly, ESPECIALLY when I'm looking at those who seem to be ahead of me on the success path or when I measure myself against impossible standards.

Measuring backwards (a phrase from the book) has me realizing that I KNOW stuff, and I know how to learn and I belong in the entrepreneurial space. I have things to give the world and have already made it a better place in so many ways. and so have you!!

Even if you're at the very beginning of your business journey, you have SO many experiences that made you who you are today.

Finally - you're probably wondering, how do I make goals and look forward if I'm always measuring backwards?? Goals are still so important and the only way we'll move forward.

Just keep a couple of things in mind as you make goals:
Celebrate old goals first, then make new ones. We love to hit goals, smile for 5 seconds and then start thinking of the next one. Instead, STOP, take time to celebrate and really lean into your accomplishment. Remember our gratitude practice on step one? Say a prayer of gratitude, tell a friend (or 5!) and write it down in your journal.

The last time I created a dream board, I drew a line down the middle. All my dreams and future goals went on the right, and all my current blessings, past accomplishments went on the left! Every time I was tempted to be annoyed at what I hadn't reached yet, I looked at all the amazing things the Lord and I had already created in my life and I was inspired to keep going.

In addition, don't use your goals against yourself. They're just made up! If you don't reach them "on time", it doesn't matter. If you don't quite reach them, celebrate anyway. Look for every reason to lean into the good and the amazing that you've already accomplished and ignore the pull to beat yourself up.

Finally, ensure that your goals are really in keeping with the business you want to build and the life you want to create. If you have no desire to manage a team, don't make a goal to make a million dollars if you'll need a team for that. YOU decide what success looks like for you. And don't let anyone else downplay what you're building or have already accomplished. It's between you and God only.