The Gap: Why We Don’t Do What We Know We Should

The bottom line…

Most people and businesses aren’t suffering from a lack of information. They know what needs to be done. The problem is, they don’t actually do it. Exercise more, lead better meetings, align strategy with behaviour, rest properly, have that hard conversation, execute the plan.

This disconnect between what we intend to do and what we actually do is called the intention–action gap. It’s one of the most costly, invisible performance killers in work, life and leadership. Closing this gap is central to realising high performance. That’s why it sits at the core of my coaching programs.

We Know What To Do But We Don’t Do It

Human performance, whether in business or life, rarely fails because of a knowledge deficit. We live in an age of unlimited information. If knowledge alone led to transformation, every executive would be thriving, every team would be aligned and nobody would carry the belly fat they want to lose.

What we’re lacking isn’t strategy. It’s consistent action.

This Gap Is Everywhere And It’s Costly

Here are just a few examples below. How many of these do you recognise in your own context?. In my experience, even at the highest level, every single one.

• The leader who says their people matter but never makes time to coach or develop them.

• The executive team that agrees on strategic priorities but whose daily behaviours undermine collaboration.

• An individual who intends to have better work boundaries but still checks emails at 10:30pm and first thing on waking.

• The business that preaches innovation but punishes risk-taking in practice.

• An individual who wants to feel more energetic and clear-minde but sacrifices sleep for mindless and draining screen time.

Each of these is a breakdown between what we say and what we do. The very definition of integrity. And every time this happens, we lose traction. Traction on our goals, our values, our performance and our leadership. Within my coaching practice we call the our 'profile'.

High Performance = Alignment

High performance isn’t a title or outcome. It’s a condition we create through alignment, something we pursue with:

• Intention (what matters)

• Action (what we do)

• Identity (who we believe we are)

• Environment (what supports or sabotages us)

In my coaching whether with emerging leaders or elite teams, one thing becomes clear. The highest performers aren’t perfect. They’re just better at creating alignment between their mindset, behaviour and attributes. They don’t live in the gap.

The Cost To Business And Life Is Significant

When leaders operate with good intentions but poor execution the result is mistrust and underperformance. Strategies stall. Cultures drift. Results plateau.

When individuals live in the intention–action gap they suffer frustration, loss of energy and chronic self-doubt. They know what they should do. But the lack of follow-through eats away at confidence and self-belief. Impacting work and life.

Over time this gap turns into a performance tax. Quietly compounding until the cost is culture erosion, leadership fatigue, wasted potential....or health issues.

So What Can We Do About It

1. Audit Your Gap

Pick one area in your work or life where you’ve felt stuck. Ask yourself:

• What’s my intention here?

• What actions am I actually taking?

• What’s missing between these two?

Awareness is the first lever to high performance. You can’t close a gap you haven’t named.

2. Make The Commitment Smaller, Not Bigger

One of the biggest mistakes high performers make is going too big, too fast. “Get healthy” becomes overwhelming. “Be a better leader” is too abstract.

Shrink the commitment. Want more vitality? Start with a daily walk. Want to be a better leader? Have one 15-minute check-in per week with a team member. Progress builds from consistency, not intensity.

3. Design Your Environment For Follow-Through

Humans aren’t just rational. We are also contextual. Set up your environment to support action:

• Lay out your clothes the night before.

• Block time for strategic work, not just reactive tasks.

• Set up your phone to limit distractions.

• Have visual cues that anchor your priorities.

We don’t rise to the level of our goals. We fall to the level of our systems.

4. Get Real Accountability

Most people don’t follow through because no one notices when they don’t. That’s where coaching comes in. Accountability isn’t about pressure. It’s about creating a container where your actions stay visible, your intentions stay alive and your progress gets reinforced.

High performers don’t leave this to chance. They engineer it.

The gap between where you are and where you want to be isn't a mystery. It's often a gap between knowing and doing. That’s exactly what we work on in my coaching practice. Building clarity, closing the gap and turning intention into repeatable sustainable action.

Are you an executive, a leader or a team looking to stop circling the same goals and finally make the move? This is your invitation to reach out to me here. Take action.