For leaders focused on self-improvement, the gap between who they are and who they want to be can become an obsession. Closing the gap by acquiring new skills, experiences, and knowledge is how leaders get better.
Of course, no one ever completely fills the space. Good leaders never accept the idea that they are complete. There is always more to do and learn to become the people they are capable of.
Not surprisingly, leaders who are driven to improve chart a plan forward and begin the hard work of making progress on the next set of challenges.
But what of the progress already made? How important is the reverse gap?
It is actually the past gap that matters most for making great strides forward. Appreciating how far you have come is essential for momentum going forward. Without appreciating how far you have come, leaders can’t recognize fully what is possible in the future.
Through looking backward over the last few years or decades, most leaders realize they have made tremendous change and progress. Their understandings, insights, skills, and abilities have made them into a different person and leader. While their personality has remained relatively stable, everything else has evolved and changed. Recognizing this ongoing transformation is actually an exercise in gratitude.
Examining the previous gap and appreciating the enormous gains that have been made will boost self-confidence and promote a learning mindset. The journey forward doesn’t seem so daunting when measured against the progress already made.
Looking backward at the reverse gap proves the power of the journey and injects a sense of optimism for the future. The personal satisfaction of acknowledging how much change has already occurred creates a unique feeling of gratitude for everything and everyone that has contributed to the positive transformation. That’s why those who have an intense desire to improve focus on the reverse gap before they set new goals for the future.
Articulating past progress makes the future so much clearer. When it comes to self-improvement, the best leaders let the north star of past accomplishment guide the way.
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
