The GAP Framework – Part 1
Identifying what’s keeping you stuck.
Today, I want to give you a framework to help you leap over your current gap (from where you are) to where you want to be.
If you’re struggling with anxiety because you’re in the gap and haven’t yet “achieved” the goal, check out last week’s email.
This is a quick framework that I’ve been using with my clients, and they love it.
It helps to clear the fog.
If someone had given me this simple framework, I think it would have saved me a lot of heartache in my business journey.
Flow vs Force
Before this framework, I was ALL FORCE. I’m good at engineering growth. I know what pieces need to go where and when. FORCE has utility, but it’s dangerous with ongoing usage. It can get you started but shouldn’t keep you going.
Force is moving against my intuition
Force is building from an unhealthy identity
Force is not operating according to my values
Force is unnecessary energy expenditure
Scaling my businesses before went something like this:
- Figure out the math
- Put in the right people
- Don’t listen to my intuition or emotions
- Push
- Don’t listen to my wife
- Push some more
- Don’t listen to God
- Force
- Die
As I’ve discovered, it’s not the best long-term strategy.
It’s the easiest way to burn out, hate business, and, as mentioned above, die.
Ever want to burn your business to the ground?
Keep reading…
Let’s discuss a better strategy.
In a minute, I will give you questions to consider so you can identify your gaps.
What are Your Gaps?
We all have different continual GAPS. Knowing that relieves tension (at least for me).
Here are the gaps that we need to identify:
Note: as I started writing this, I realized this would need to be a two-parter. In part 1, I’ll cover:
1. Clarity
2. Belief
3. Alignment
In part 2, I’ll cover…
4. Knowledge
5. Skill
6. Resources
7. Biology
The WHOLE IDEA around the GAP Framework keeps us in healthy motion toward our desire.
Perpetual motion forward.»
If you don’t know your next step in business (or life), you might have a gap.
If you feel sick about what you’re doing, you might have a gap.
If you know what and why but not how you might have a gap.
If you feel unmotivated… I can’t help you. Just kidding.
I want to use the Gap Framework to oscillate between logic and emotion.
Okay, let’s jump in with our first G-A-P.
The Clarity Gap
When you don’t know where you’re going or what you’re doing, you DON’T have clarity.
No shame. I’ve coached many people, and a lack of clarity is common. Even if you’ve already achieved cool things and don’t know “what’s next.” This is why clarity should become a practice.
The first step in filling the clarity gap is answering these three questions.
- What – do I want?
- When – do I want to get there?
- How – how am I going to get there?
Here’s an example of me breaking this down to start filling the Clarity Gap. Practice this with any part of your business or life. Do a thought experiment and speculate. Have fun with it.
What: I want a simple one-man “lifestyle” consulting business that operates within 15 hours a week and produces $70,000 per month in rev. Ten hours a week I spend creating (assets, external and internal), and 5 hours I spend serving clients. It’s pretty clear now what I want. Clarity.
When you get here, how does it feel? Is it an “ahh” or an “ick”? If it’s an “ahh, that feels good,” move forward. If not, then go again—more on this on #3.
When: I plan to be there by December 31, 2023. Clarity.
How: 20 monthly recurring group clients at $3500 each. That means I need to acquire three monthly clients w/no turnover until December. That means I probably need 300 monthly leads (assuming not a great conversion rate). I’ll probably spend $25 CPL for a CAC of $2500. Clarity.
Note: You can utilize this mental model for anything large or small. Want to scale your business, descale your business, close your business, sell your business, lose 10 pounds, buy a commercial property, etc.?
Alright, so here we are on closing the Clarity Gap:
- $70,000/month in revenue working 15 hours a week
- I’ll accomplish this by December 31, 2023
- I’ll do this by adding three clients per month over the next seven months
- 300 leads with a 1% conversion rate should get me there
- My cost will be $7500
- That should net me $3000
Now, I’m clear on what I want when I’m getting there and how I’m getting there. If you’re not clear on any of these and can’t get clear by yourself, you need to elicit the help of someone who knows what they’re doing.
Part of filling the Clarity Gap is having something to commit action to. That’s it. I need a direction to move towards so that I can move and not be stagnant.
Part of the priority of getting clarity is to get movement. For example, as I mentioned in 001, I’m testing outbound. We’ve sent over 100 messages, and I wouldn’t say I like how we’re doing it, so that we will change it.
Lack of clarity keeps us stuck, or we’re going in circles.
Exercise: Thinking Time. Grab a notebook and pen. And go through the practice and questions above. Before you begin, rate your clarity 1-10. One is not clear, and ten is very clear. Then after, rate it again. Let me know how it goes!
Filling the Clarity Gap is just the starting point.
Next »
The Belief Gap
Now I know what I want, when, and how to get it. It’s really important to answer THIS question:
Do I BELIEVE it’s possible? Yes, no, or not sure?
Believing what you want is possible is important for taking action. Otherwise, you’ll be in a place of cognitive dissonance, or you’ll be stuck.
Let’s break it down. Do I believe the following “clear picture” is possible?
- $70,000/m? Yes
- 15 hours a week? Yes
- $3500 × 3/m? Three clients, yes. Not sure about the price.
- 300 Leads/m x $25? Yes
- By December? Not sure
- 1% conversion rate? Yes
Pause: I’m getting greater clarity on “what I want” and my current belief system of “what I want.”
Currently, my belief system isn’t solid.
In this scenario, my “want” is $70,000 a month.
The “how” is uncertain. That’s okay.
I have two options if I’m unsure or it’s a no…
1. Talk to someone who’s done it
2. Validate it for myself
The third option is to do both. Be guided by someone who’s done it. I need to validate the variables that are unique to me.
Just knowing where my “lack of belief” is feels empowering. I have clarity around my belief system, and now I’m armed with the knowledge of what I need to find out.
The only thing I need right now are the beliefs that will get me started in a direction. Movement. »
- 300 leads per month? Yes!
- 1% conversion rate? Yes!
- 15 hours? Not a priority right now
- December? Not a priority right now
- $70,000? Not a priority right now
None of that will come unless I START… getting unstuck.
Are you picking up what I’m laying down?
Suppose I BELIEVE my starting point. I’m good to go. That’s all I need right now. That will build momentum. We have enough belief to start. The other items on my list will get more apparent as I MOVE. Because… I have this framework in my back pocket to go back to.
Knowing your BELIEF, GAP will help you identify the stories you are telling yourself and how to weaponize those stories FOR YOU.
Truth: we are constantly telling ourselves stories. ALWAYS. Most often, we are unaware of it.
Note: this framework will help extinguish imposter syndrome. Getting clarity on and admitting what you don’t know and what you might not be good at (yet) is powerful.
Exercise: Thinking Time. Write down your current beliefs about what you want (in detail). Do you believe it’s possible? Yes, no, or not sure?
Next »
The Alignment Gap
If you’ve ever felt “at war” with what you want, what you’re doing, or how you’re doing it, then you might have an Alignment Gap.
This also links to beliefs.
For example, if you say you want to make $70,000/m, but you think money is evil. You’re at war with yourself and “out of alignment.”
To have alignment, you need to have awareness. Awareness is a practice.
Identity and Values
These are the two cornerstones to alignment.
Identify who I am. Values are the principles I adhere to.
Misalignment comes when we act in a way that is not following our identity or what we innately value.
For example, I am a good father, and I value being present with my kids when they get home from school and having dinner every night with the family, yet I want a business that requires me to work 60 hours a week. I’m off.
Or if I’m a person who is integrious and, therefore, I value integrity, yet I’m lying in my marketing. There’s misalignment.
If I’m a person who thinks all people are uniquely created and beautiful, I talk down to someone for working at Starbucks. Misalignment.
If I’m a person who cares about people, I’m writing copy selling a terrible product. Misalignment.
So, right now, where do you have misalignment? Is that what your current Gap is?
Or do you feel fully aligned with what you’re doing, where you’re going, who you’re working with, or what you’re selling?
Here’s an alternate (but quick) viewpoint: “Misalignment” could also be a scapegoat to having your ideologies go unchallenged. “I just don’t feel aligned with having to do any work.” You need to be challenged. Haha.
That’s it for now.
Let me know how this hits by hitting reply. Thanks to everyone who’s responded so far.
Here’s to the overflow,
Chris