You know what you need to do.
You've consumed the content. You've taken the courses. You've hired the coaches. You know exactly what steps to take to grow your business, improve your health, or finally hit that revenue goal.
But you're not doing it.
Welcome to the action gap. It's the difference between what you know and what you actually do. And if I'm being honest? It's probably making you miserable.
What Is the Action Gap?
I came up with this term recently after months of traveling to business retreats, VIP coaching days, and masterminds. I absorbed so much valuable information.
But here's what I realized: I wasn't learning that much new information. Most of what they taught me? I already knew it.
I knew I should start podcast episodes talking about feelings instead of jumping straight to solutions. But I was still leading with solutions.
I knew I should make more reels than stories if I want to grow my Instagram. But I kept making stories because they're easier.
I know I need to plan dedicated content days with my team to create viral growth content. But we keep “squeezing it in” between other priorities.
This is the action gap. That space between knowing and doing.
And if you let this gap get too big for too long, you end up disappointed in yourself.
Frustrated with your lack of progress.
Stuck in the same patterns.
Why Willpower Won't Close the Gap
Here's the uncomfortable truth: you can't out-will an action gap.
Think of your brain like Mario in a video game. You start the day with full battery power. Every decision you make, every task you complete, every time you resist temptation? That's Mario bumping into obstacles and losing battery life.
By the end of the day, you're running on empty. There's no “level up toad” that magically restores your brain power. You get one battery per day. That's it.
So when you tell yourself “I'll just use more willpower to cook healthy meals at 9pm after a full day of work,” you're setting yourself up to fail. Your battery is dead. The willpower isn't there.
This is why knowing what to do isn't enough. You need to hack the system.
How to Close Your Action Gap
The solution isn't to try harder. It's to make taking action simpler and more automatic.
Here's how:
1. Identify where your action gap exists
Get specific. Don't just say “I'm not doing enough marketing.” Ask yourself: What exactly do I know I should be doing that I'm not doing?
For me, it's creating growth content. For you, it might be:
- Following up with leads
- Raising your prices
- Setting boundaries with clients
- Meal prepping on Sundays
- Posting consistently on social media
2. Stop trying to out-will it
If you haven't done something for three days straight, hoping harder won't make it happen on day four. Your brain has already proven it won't work with willpower alone.
Accept this. You're not lazy or unmotivated. You just need a different approach.
3. Simplify the action or create a system
Make the thing you need to do so easy that you can't NOT do it.
Real examples from my life:
Eating healthy: I used to forget to eat entirely. Now I have a hard stop in my calendar from 1-2pm every day for lunch. I order the same groceries every week on a specific day. I triple batch cook on Mondays when my brain is fresh. I eat the same salmon recipe multiple times a week because I don't care about variety. I care about actually eating.
Waking up early: I put my alarm clock across the room. At night, I make the conscious decision about when I need to wake up. In the morning, I can't negotiate with myself because I have to physically get up to turn it off.
Creating content: My team and I know we need dedicated content days to make growth content together. So we're blocking full days in the calendar where we literally get in the car and go do “stupid shit” to get it on video. No meetings. No distractions. Just content creation.
The pattern? I'm not relying on willpower. I'm using systems, simplification, and strategic planning when my brain battery is full.
Your Action Gap Exercise
Here's what I want you to do right now:
Write down one thing you know you should be doing but aren't. Just one.
Now ask yourself: Can I simplify this action? Can I create a system that makes it automatic?
Maybe you know you should be emailing your list regularly. Simplify it. Write one template you can reuse every week. Block 30 minutes every Monday morning. Same time. Same format. Done.
Maybe you know you should be reaching out to potential clients. Create a system. Every Tuesday at 10am, you send five DMs. No exceptions. Put it in your calendar. Make it non-negotiable.
Maybe you know you should be eating healthier. Order groceries online so they're always there. Prep meals when you have energy. Give yourself permission to eat the same thing multiple times.
Stop making it complicated. Start making it simple.
Knowledge is not power. Action is power.
And if there's a gap between what you know and what you do, that gap is costing you money, energy, and peace of mind.
Close the gap. Simplify the action. Hack yourself into following through.
Because hoping things will change without changing your approach? That's the real toxic trait.
Listen to the full episode for the complete story:
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