Introduction

Have you ever found yourself wanting to achieve a specific goal recently? Whether it's something short-term or more long-term, reaching that goal often requires a certain level of motivation.

There are various ways to boost your motivation, but recently, I had the chance to learn about a concept called "gap motivation". To deepen my own understanding and because I believe it will be beneficial for you as well, I’d like to introduce this idea to you all today.

What is Gap Motivation?

Gap motivation refers to the desire or drive to bridge the gap between your current situation and your goals. By being aware of this gap, you can encourage yourself to take action toward achieving your objectives. Let’s start by looking at some specific examples.

💻 Programming:

Goal:

To be able to develop a web application on your own.

Current Situation:

You understand basic HTML and CSS, but lack knowledge in JavaScript and back-end development.

Gap Motivation:

By recognizing the difference between your current skill level and the skills needed to complete a web application, you can fill that gap by learning JavaScript and Node.js little by little each day. As you progress through small projects, the sense of accomplishment you gain fuels further motivation.

🌏 Language Learning:

Goal:

To be able to have fluent conversations in French.

Current Situation:

You understand basic greetings and simple phrases, but find conversations difficult.

Gap Motivation:

Because you currently cannot have free conversations with your friends in French, this gap motivates you to study French daily. By expanding your vocabulary, learning grammar, and practicing conversations, you can close the gap.

💪 Fitness:

Goal:

To complete a 10-kilometer marathon.

Current Situation:

Right now, you can only run 2 kilometers.

Gap Motivation:

To bridge the gap between your current running ability and the 10-kilometer goal, you maintain motivation by gradually increasing your distance each week through training.

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As shown above, the fundamental mechanism of gap motivation is based on the idea that "when the goal is clear and the gap with the current situation is obvious, you naturally want to close that gap". This approach makes it easier to create a concrete action plan for achieving your goals.

How to Effectively Use Gap Motivation

Next, let's summarize how to effectively use gap motivation:

1. 🏁 Break Down the Gap into Small Steps

To effectively use gap motivation, it is important to break down large goals into smaller steps. When a goal is too big, it can be overwhelming, making it difficult to maintain motivation. However, by breaking the goal down into specific, small tasks, it becomes easier to progress step by step.

Example:

In the case of programming (web dev), you might start by reviewing HTML and CSS, then move on to learning basic JavaScript syntax, and finally create a simple web application. Completing each step provides a sense of accomplishment, which in turn motivates you to tackle the next step.

2. 📈 Track Your Progress and Make It Visible

Tracking your progress is extremely effective in maintaining gap motivation. When you can see your growth in a tangible way, it helps you realize how much of the gap you’ve already closed, providing further motivation to continue your efforts.

Example:

Keeping a record of what you learn and the progress you make each day allows you to reflect on your growth. Additionally, managing your code on platforms like GitHub and visually confirming your project’s progress increases your sense of achievement and motivates you to take on the next challenge.

3. 📃 The Role of Positive Feedback

Positive feedback plays an important role in sustaining gap motivation. Recognizing small successes in yourself and receiving encouragement from others helps you maintain motivation and enjoy the process of closing the gap.

Example:

In the case of programming, completing a small project using what you’ve learned and sharing it on social media or your blog can provide valuable feedback. For instance, uploading your code to GitHub is not only a great way to keep track of your progress, but it also allows you to easily share your work with others. Receiving positive reactions from the community can boost your enthusiasm for the next step. It’s also important to acknowledge your own efforts by telling yourself, “Well done”.

Conclusion

I've always been naturally inclined to break down the tasks necessary to achieve a goal into smaller steps and work backward to figure out what needs to be done. Recently, I realized that this approach is closely aligned with the concept of gap motivation. Through this process, I also gained a deeper understanding of why this method is so effective, which was enlightening.

I hope that sharing this insight will be helpful to you as well.