The Izzy Way Book Review
Some books don’t teach you a new skill—they quietly call you out.
The Gap and the Gain did precisely that for me.
At first glance, the idea is simple: most of us measure ourselves against where we want to be instead of how far we’ve already come. Sullivan and Hardy call this living in the Gap. The alternative—living in the Gain—means measuring progress by looking backward rather than forward.
Simple idea. Big wake-up call.
Why This Hit Home
Like many leaders, I’m always moving forward. I set goals, focus on outcomes, and jump quickly from one milestone to the next. What I missed for a long time was how little space I left actually to recognize progress—my own or my team’s.
Wins were brief. Reflection was short-lived. The next challenge always took centre stage.
Reading this book made me uncomfortable in the best way. It put words to something I’d been feeling for a long time: you can be successful on paper and still feel like you’re falling short.
That’s the Gap.
When leaders live in the Gap, it never quite feels like enough. You deliver results, hit milestones, move things forward—and almost immediately your attention jumps to what’s next or what’s missing. Over time, that takes a toll. Confidence erodes quietly. Pressure builds. Progress gets lost in the constant chase.
What’s harder to admit is how easily this shows up in our leadership. We skim past wins in meetings. We give feedback focused on gaps instead of growth. Without meaning to, we teach our teams that success is temporary and that there’s always another bar to clear.
What I personally like about this book is that it doesn’t tell you to be less ambitious, not sure I could if I tried. It simply asks you to be more grounded, which I try to do daily. Living in the Gain has allowed me to notice my progress, not just my outcomes. It’s about acknowledging growth without slowing down. Since reading it, I’ve caught myself asking different questions: What’s actually stronger than it was six months ago? What did we learn the hard way? What would our past selves be proud of?
Those small shifts have changed everything for me. The conversations I have feel different. My confidence shows up faster, and I have noticed that momentum builds more naturally.
What Changed for Me as a Leader
I’m now more intentional about pausing, especially after big pushes on a goal, project, or deliverable. I try to celebrate progress before moving on, and I listen more closely when high performers are being overly burdensome on themselves (because I recognize it now).
Most importantly, I’m more aware of the leadership mindset I’m modelling. Leadership isn’t just about where you’re going; it’s about how you help people understand where they already are.
Final Thought
If you’re someone who keeps achieving but rarely feels satisfied, if you move the goalpost the moment you reach it, or if your inner voice is harsher than anything you’d say to your team – then this book is for you.
The Gap and the Gain didn’t make me less driven. It made me more grounded—and a better leader because of it.
If you read it, I’d love to know: where are you spending more time right now—the Gap or the Gain?
Check out some of my other book reviews.
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