From the Gap to the Gain

Arianne Craig Jolla
Oct 15
1 min read

Some leaders never stop climbing.

One mountain conquered, and they’re already reaching for the next — no pause, no reflection, just more grind.

I used to call that ambition.

Now I know it’s the Gap — that exhausting space between where you are and where you think you should be. It’s the measuring stick that keeps moving every time you hit a new milestone.

The Gain, though? That’s different.

The Gain measures from where you started, not where you think you should already be. It forces you to pause, reflect, and actually see the progress you’ve made.

And that reflection doesn’t make you complacent.

It makes you clear.

It shows you what’s working so you can multiply it.

That’s the 10x principle in real life:

10x isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing what works, better.

But you can’t 10x anything you haven’t first paused to evaluate.

So before you push your team up another mountain, stop.

Look back.

Show them the Gain.

Let the wins inform your next move.

Let clarity drive your next climb.

👉 Where have you been leading from the Gap — and what might shift if you started celebrating the Gain instead?