Closing the Gaps in Life and Work
Dr. David Rafeedie
Unless you are a dentist, when I say close the gaps in your life, you probably wonder what I mean by a gap.
A gap is the space between where you are and where you want to be.
Gaps in the growth of your business.
· Gaps in your personal growth.
· Gaps in your profession.
· Gaps in your leadership skills or behaviors.
· Gaps in your team unity.
· Gaps in relationships, whether at home, friends, or business.
· External gaps, such as location, marketing, what you want to accomplish and your cash flow, organizational gaps, a gap in the number of employees you need, COVID.
We can all agree that gaps are a part of life. Gaps are a part of the human condition.
Gaps have a starting point, and they have an endpoint. Think of it as going from A to B. A being your starting point and B being your destination. But the line from A to B in a gap is never straight. There are twists and turns and obstacles. Some are visible, and some are not visible. Some gaps are external, and some are internal. I call the space between A and B the unknown middle.
The Unknown Middle in-between
Two things we know for sure about the unknown middle, the line from A to B is not straight, and you are a part of that unknown middle.
There are four overarching principles to keep in mind to close gaps:
1. You must be intentional, which involves discovery or identification.
2. You need a strategy with measurable action steps to take you to where you want to be.
3. You must have accountability to keep you on track because closing gaps requires will and perseverance.
4. You must be brutally honest with yourself.
Here is a five-step process to closing gaps. None of these may be new to you, but the particular sequence is essential. Besides, knowing does not translate into doing.
Step 1 Understand where you are.
Again, this can be in any area I have mentioned, and it is crucial to have clarity, whether it is in your business, profession, or personal life. If you are not clear about where you are, you will not have clarity on the gap you want to close.
Understanding where you are is a layered step because you are part of the gap and must also consider that. I am not talking about naval-gazing but an objective assessment of your role in the gap. Do you feel like you are spinning your wheels? Do you feel lost as to the next steps because of the post-COVID era?
It is easy to get overwhelmed by gaps because we all have more than one. Unless you love the status quo (which doesn't last long), you want more for your business and relationships. But you can't work on a bunch of gaps at the same time. So you have to decide what is most important right now. And that is why you must have a clear picture of where you are in whatever area and gap you want to close.
Step 2 Understand where you want to be.
Again, your understanding must have clarity. And I mean to know it well, in detail. Have that picture, or vision if you like, written down. Think about three years down the road. What a beautiful future you are envisioning. Look at it daily! To help you understand where you want to be, here is a question that will help get you started. "If you could wave a magic wand and you are three years down the road, what do your life and business look like?" Answer that question in writing and continue to refine it as you reflect on what you have written.
Step 3: Understand yourself
The more objective you can be about yourself, the greater your capacity for growth, the more clarity you will have in steps one and two, and the higher your emotional intelligence will be. Knowing yourself well, you will know your strengths, soft spots, and internal barriers or obstacles that hinder your success. Here is a significant side benefit, if you know yourself well, you will understand others better.
In addition, when you understand who you are, it will help you explain a big part of why you have some of the gaps you have, and it will go a long way in helping you close those gaps. But, here is a sad truth, if you are not self-unaware, you are probably not teachable, and it will be difficult for you to close the gaps. Understanding yourself might be one of your gaps. Everyone has blind spots.
Step 4: Shape your perspective. You know the old saying, perspective is reality. It should be said; your perspective is your reality. There is an objective reality, and the closer your perspective is to the objective reality you are functioning in, the better you will be able to successfully maneuver through the unknown middle. If you have done the first three steps, you will have a more objective perspective. When I say 'shape' your perspective, I am talking about being intentional in shaping it. Purposely reflect on how you see things.
What does it take to shape your perspective? Perspective is the way individuals see the world. Perspective comes from your point of view and is shaped by life experiences, values, your current state of mind, the assumptions you bring into a situation, and many other things. Having gone through the exercise of steps one through three, you have essential information to apply to your perspective on the gap you are seeking to close.
Step 5: Strategize on closing the gap.
The first four steps will give you enough information to begin taking steps to close the gap you want to close. I don't recommend working on more than one, but two at the most. The questions for you are, How will you close the gap? What are the plans or action steps you will design to close the gap? Here is a tip: Go back to step two and work backward, putting some S.M.A.R.T. goals in place.
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time bound
The line from where you are to where you want to be is not straight. It is more of a zig-zag. And sometimes, there may be a setback or two. As an example, the future is a mystery no matter how well we plan. Covid became a part of the unknown middle between point A, where you are, and point B, where you want to go.
I am passionate about partnering with people to help them close their gaps in life and work. We all have them, and we all need help in closing them. Email me at info@davidthecoach.com, text me, or feel free to call me on 520-709-1860. If you like, text me your name and phone number, and I will contact you to start a conversation to explore a coaching relationship.
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