At 13 I competed in my first Cycling National Championship and remember, as if it were today, the flight I took from Los Angeles to New York, by myself. It was a bit scary, and pretty intense. The riders were all bigger and faster than those I’d competed against to get there. But… I won every single race.
On paper I certainly wasn’t favored to win. More experienced and popular racers had that honor.
Begs the question then, why did a rider with less statistical credibility take the races other riders where a shoo-in to win?
“WITH ENOUGH WILL AND TALENT YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANYTHING!” RIGHT??
The other riders had loads of talent, and plenty of will, if how fiercely and expertly they competed was any indication. But despite the mantra in a plethora of books, blogs, training programs, and commencement speeches; will and talent are NOT enough to guarantee success.
It sounds so right though, even great, doesn’t it? But history shows us, it’s simply never been the case.
Sure, talent and will are relevant, but they aren’t what causes someone to succeed. So what does?
After experiencing significant success in my own life and helping others do the same as their Cornerman, something occurred to me. I was on a long bicycle ride one day, thinking about these questions: Why do those who can (and should) win gold medals, often fall short? And why do those who seemingly lack the ability (and aptitude) to win, often excel and succeed?
The answer, I realized, has everything to do with THE most basic assumption in the chronicles of human performance and achievement.
EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT ‘CLOSING THE GAP’ IS WRONG
The most common approach to ‘Closing The Gap’ in achieving goals, should sound familiar to you. It goes something like this: have a big goal, a great plan, work hard, and you can achieve anything you want. Sounds good, and seems like it should deliver. But, when in the course of human history have you ever seen this predictably work?
A perfect example is my dad. He had big goals, lofty dreams, to-die-for talent, meticulous planning and mega-tenacity, but when he died he was homeless and alone. What went wrong?
We see it all the time. An entrepreneur, executive, athlete, or parent has everything needed to succeed, but then to the bewilderment of anyone watching everything go horribly sideways. Blind-sided by something they didn’t see coming or taken out by something obviously preventable; we immediately ask questions like, “What the heck just happened?! Didn’t they see what they had going? Why on earth did they do that?!”
Perhaps you’ve even had the unfortunate and unpleasant experience of failing to reach a goal or fulfill a dream. More than likely, your failure was entirely preventable.
‘THE GAP’ IS NOT A VOID
Most people assume ’The Gap’ is an empty space with nothing in it, a void. It’s the undefined nebulousness between them and what they want.
If you view The Gap as a void then you’re using what I call the Void Model of performance and achievement. And your objective here is to “close”, or more accurately stated “bridge”, The Gap (from where you are to where you want to be) in order to achieve your goal.
Key factors in the Void Model include the size of your goal, how much effort can be expended over a defined period of time, and the accuracy and effectiveness of the plan.
In practice, the Void Model is a lot like GPS. The starting point is known, the destination (your goal) is known, and you can *usually* select a route (the plan) you believe is best (e.g. fastest, shortest distance).
If you follow the GPS route and directions as they appear you’re supposed to be quickly and easily guided to your destination. Reality however isn’t quite so simplistic.
For example, while traveling to a recent speaking engagement I rented a vehicle that had a brand new, state-of-the-art GPS. I programmed in my destination, pushed the “Go!” button, and zipped away from the airport with all the confidence of a man who knew where he was going and precisely how to get there.
About one mile into my drive though I found myself face-to-face with a bright yellow “Closed Road” sign and a barricade blocking my route. I tried driving around, but no matter how far from the original route I went the GPS would not re-route me. It just kept taking me back to the closed road.
Didn’t take long to figure out the GPS was not going to get me to where I wanted to go, despite knowing my destination (goal), having a route (plan), and my being committed. I couldn’t simply drive faster to get there.
What I really needed, in advance, was to know the existing road conditions and traffic patterns, to have multiple route options, and to have easy access to several guidance resources, i.e. tools and people.
Just like GPS, the Void Model of performance and achievement assumes that with a clear goal, a good plan, enough will and talent, plenty of time, and massive action… you’ll reach your destination.
This, of course, ignores the reality of roadblocks, traffic jams, inaccurate or faulty plans, lacking resources, time constraints, etc. that can and will derail your ambitions.
Achieving your goals and manifesting your bigger future then requires an entirely different view of ‘The Gap’ than that of it being an empty void. It requires a view that empowers you to know, in advance, how to develop a state of readiness for any obstacle, threat, and opportunity that comes your way.
So how do those who seemingly lack the ability (and aptitude) to win, often excel and succeed? How do champions view ‘The Gap’?
I’d love to know what you think it is.
Please share and explore answers in the comments.
In my next post I’ll share the view I’ve learned from working with gold medalists, world champions, and business leaders over the past 40+ years.
Great post Jeff! I’m going to venture a guess that champions see the gap as an opportunity. Something of a challenge to be taken on and conquered. Can’t wait to read your next article on the topic.
Sorry to hear about your Dad. That must have been hard on you when it happened. Kim
Thx, Kim, for your sensitive and very thoughtful comment, means a lot. Losing Dad was rough and the impact of a Dad on someone’s life can’t be underestimated. Fortunately, for me, I had great mentors in my life at the right time to provide the guidance so essential at those pivotal moments the picked up the slack from void left by Dad.. I owe my mentors everything
I never thought of the gap as a void before Jeff, but you’re so right! It’s like this black hole of nothing thats always there. Every time I set a goal theres a gap, so consequently there’s another void. I think champions see the gap as rather insignificant. They’re probably so focused on what they want that they don’t even pay attention to it.
Thx, Dexter. Champion’s view the gap, not as a void, but, as a living space. They focus on completing and adapting their plan to current conditions in the living space while simultaneously identifying and removing life’s congestion that can clog the living space prohibiting the plan from moving forward to completion by closing the gap.
You need mentors. No one did it without mentors. They streamline the process. We don’t have enough time to learn from our mistakes. They give you the proven strategy that works and condense decades into days.
Coaches and mentors are indispensable. Can’t succeed big without them. I’m so glad you shared that, Sulaiman, as they deserve their recognition and are all to frequently left out of the accolades conversation. And, there’s actually an adviser category that’s more important that either the coach or mentor but never discussed. I’ll save that for another time, but its BIG.
What great ideas to think about.
so often we are told to “stay the course” for success. I don’t believe this is necessarily true. One can not win by following one path alone, we need to embrace every opportunity that is given us and seek out opportunities to learn more. If its sports we need to cross train and try different sports and movements, if it is business we need to learn all aspects of the business from administrative assistant to CEO to be able to reach our full potential. The gap is the lack of different knowledge that can help make one more well rounded thus bridging the gap.
Nice input, Linda. Staying the course is great if it’s the right course. Seldom, though, does a plan’s initial course heading maintain an accurate trajectory to goal achievement. I’ve never seen a plan in process not encounter a better option or adverse detour that doesn’t require a tweak in compass heading to hit the bullseye. It’s the reading of the terrain in real time and how it changes moment by moment and what actions need to be applied to carry momentum forward that distinguish great achievement from those of lesser impact.
It is not a gap. there are real obstacles there. real issues they will encounter and if they can self manage (or have a team to help them) overcome the known issues that will come up, there are not surprises and they are ready. so the gap is a landscape that is known and they have a plan to get across it.
Awesome post Jeff! From our sessions together, I’ve quickly realized the perspective you share is far more aligned to reality than everything the “pro’s” tend to share.
I’m discovering that during the Gap or The Climb, all the shortcuts I took early on come to haint me like chinks in my armour.
When the pressure builds, it needs to puncture a weak spot to release the pressure.
I suppose those who get through the fap have discovered a pressure-relief valve.
Look forward to hearing more about that valve next post! Thanks Jeff.
I agree that no matter how well anyone is prepared, one should accept the unexpected and consider obstacles as part of the path.
It would be great if its an anticipated obstacle in a certain goal/task. If not the most important thing is the support you get during this period. You need somebody to let you know that this is part of getting to the finish line and the balance of emotional intelligence during tough/challenging times is the key to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Perfect thought progression…. the accuracy of how situations are interpreted determines which responses are applied and their accuracy.
I think adaptability is the key. Champions are built through relationships with people of varying views of how to achieve a”destination ” along with the work and talent. These relationships groom a champion even if they are not the best or most “gifted”.
Great observation, MIchael. Champions aren’t born, they’re coached and bred.