The Gap: Why The Not There Yet Project Exists

The First Note... 

On paper, I’ve done well. I own my home. I’m in a good relationship. I’ve worked (really) hard in my career to get to where I am today — to give myself the stability I thought I needed. And yet… there’s a gap. A hole I’m not filling. A deeper sense of purpose still not grasped.

I’ve just come back from nine days in Scotland. The word beautiful doesn’t even come close to describing that place. Yes, the landscape is breathtaking — but it wasn’t just that. It was the people. The history. The way community felt woven into everything. There’s a respect, almost reverence, for what matters.

I broke down. Multiple times. Out of nowhere, I found myself asking: Why do I make life so complicated? Why does every day feel like a battle? Surely life doesn’t need to be this hard.

That trip cracked something open. And since then, questions keep circling in my head:

• Who am I?
• What’s my why? (Thanks Simon Sinek) 
• What value am I really giving to the world?
• Is this the life I want — or just the life I’ve fallen into?
• Is this it?

If I’m honest, I don’t know the answers. I’ve worked hard, but I’ve often followed paths laid out by others more than ones I’ve drawn for myself. And one word continuously haunts me: satisfied.

What does it mean to feel satisfied?
Is it something you ever truly reach, or just something you keep chasing?

The Hamilton lyric - “I will never be satisfied” - loops round and round in my mind. Right now, I don’t feel satisfied. But does that mean I never will be, or simply that I’m not where I’m meant to be… yet?

Surely I’m not alone in this. Do other people feel that same frustration — the tension between having “enough” and still feeling unfinished? That quiet gap between stability and meaning?

I think it's time to find out.

Introducing The Not There Yet Project 

The Not There Yet Project was born out of multiple breakdowns in Scotland and a first note to myself.

It’s my love letter to those of you just like me. Those in the unapologetic middle - not lost, not arrived, just Not There Yet. It’s for the seekers, the builders, the grafters - the ones still becoming.

The Mission

My mission is to create a community of belonging for people in the middle. A space where stories, struggles, and small steps are shared. Side by side, I want to help you (and me) design a life that feels authentic, purposeful, and possible.

What's Inside the Project 

• Real Stories: Notes from the Not There Yet blog and podcast - sharing inspiring journeys of people building and designing their lives.
• Community Platform: An online “home” for the Not Yets - discussion spaces, live circles, belonging.
• Events: Circles, pop-ups, journaling meetups, creative workshops, and gatherings in Manchester and across the UK.
• Coaching: Group and 1:1 life & business coaching, rooted in belonging.
• Merch & Journals: Everyday reminders of the movement.

Why This Matters

If you’ve ever asked yourself:

• Why do I feel unfulfilled when life looks good?
• How do I find purpose? It doesn’t matter whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s or beyond. If you’re asking yourself this question then you’re in the right place. 
• What does it mean to live a satisfied life?

Then this community is for you.

A Final Thought

Being not there yet isn’t failure.
It’s honesty.
It’s possibility.
It’s a way of being.

This is where the journey begins — mine, and maybe yours too.