I spent 2 years living in London in the 2000s while attending grad school at the Royal College of Art… and one of the most iconic parts of London is the Tube, the underground system that crisscrosses the city.
From the circular logo with the names of each station inside to the words MIND THE GAP painted on the edge of the station floor, right before you make the small leap onto your train… echoed over the PA system in a right proper British voice, “MIND THE GAP.”
And no matter who you are or what you do there’s always a gap between where you are and where you want to go in some area of your life… and especially business.
And the key to unlocking both your sense of fulfillment in the everyday and your ultimate success is being able to mind the gap…
First, you have to know where the gap is, which involves 3 crucial but often elusive bits of information:
– exactly where you are
– exactly where you want to go, and
– the exact size of the gap between you and the destination you desire
And second, you have to put the gap into perspective.
Some people? They have the tendency to imagine a gigantic Indiana-Jones style gaping chasm sized gap that’s almost impossible to cross without superhero abilities. And others underestimate the challenges that await them. They leave the house in dress shoes when they should’ve donned their wellies and mackintosh.
Objects in the mirror may be closer (or farther) than they appear…
When you misjudge the gap, you either psych yourself out before you get started or you set yourself up for failure…
The London Tube system alone has 270 stations… 270 places to begin and end your journey… but in business it’s 10X that… so where do you even begin?
How can you become a gap-leaper while still embracing and appreciating where you are, being present to what’s going on right now, while still setting your sites on distant stations, where the doors open onto a new vision of your life?
The truth is that there are times in life where you look up and think to yourself, “I still have so far to go.” And times when you look down and say, “Look how far I’ve already climbed…”
And the secret to being a gap-leaper is to balance looking up with looking down.
To balance aspiration with celebration…
To use where you are to get to where you want to go…
Because you can’t leap the gap and make it to your destination without boarding the train in the station.
This is your invitation to board the train and make the right leap at the right time to the business of your future…
Join me at Message to Money Live to create a clear picture of:
- where you are
- where you want to go
- the gap that separates you from the destination you desire
- and the right train to board at the right time
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Hi! Excellent advise … MIND THE GAP. But be sure where the other side is before you step! I would love to have a chat with you, but not sure if I know how to do that! Could you tell me how?
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Hi Colleen – Thanks! If you’re interested in working together, there is a consultation form on our website: https://liveyourmessage.com/free-consultation
For other requests, you can email assistant (at) liveyourmessage (dot) com
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When we’re fortunate, minding the gap is routine, a mere step from the station platform edge onto the train.
Yet sometimes, we – through misleading signage or own inattention – find ourselves on an express train to a destination we know is wrong for us. And it takes a leap of faith and courage to jump off that moving train, tuck and roll, dust ourselves off, and run like hell to catch that other train going where we want to go.
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Beautiful insights Bren! I totally agree… and you can take charge of your destiny at any time.
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Marisa – I have fallen into the trap of over-estimating the gap at times and then discovered that the leap was much smaller than I had wrongly anticipated. I try to remember that when looking at new endeavors. The GAP is not a monster, it’s a normal part of living. We do it often without even thinking about it because we trust our instincts and capabilities.
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True dat Virginia! It’s easy to think the gap is bigger than it is when you’re doing something new… and yes you are fully capable of making the leap.
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