Motivated vs Elevated: Makes You Think

The Noise of Motivation

There’s no shortage of quotes out there about motivation, about grit, drive, the hustle. You see them everywhere, from coffee mugs to conference stages to every Nike shirt ever made. And for good reason: motivation matters. It helps us set goals, push through challenges, and keep going when we’d rather quit. It’s the spark that gets things moving.

A few weeks back, I was listening to a podcast and heard a line that made me stop and think:

“Motivated people chase their dreams. Elevated people catch them.”

It stuck with me. In fairness, prior to this, if someone asked me “Do you want to be motivated or elevated, and you can only pick one?” I would double down on motivated. In saying that, I never really stopped to reflect on the “why,” at least until now. This statement stuck with me not because it’s flashy or inspirational, but because there’s a quiet truth in it, especially when you think about how we raise kids, or even how we grow as adults.

The Limits of Motivation

Motivation is important, but it doesn’t always last. Anyone who’s ever started a New Year’s resolution with full energy in January and dropped it by February knows that. Motivation can come and go. It’s emotional, often tied to big goals or external rewards. Sometimes, it pushes us to chase things that look impressive but don’t actually bring much fulfillment.

What Elevation Feels Like

Elevation, on the other hand, feels different. It’s less about the sprint, more about, using my home building analogies, the foundation. Elevated people tend to move with more purpose. They’re not chasing everything, they’re choosing carefully. They know what matters to them, and they’ve developed the tools to stay grounded along the way: clarity, self-awareness, resilience, emotional intelligence. They’re not just doing more, they’re becoming more intentional.

Raising More Than Achievers

That distinction hit home for me, not just as an individual, but as a parent. Lydia and I want to push our kids to be motivated. Of course we do. We want them to dream big, work hard, and believe in themselves. But lately, I’ve been wondering if motivation is enough. Are we also showing them what it looks like to be elevated?

Because chasing dreams is great, but catching the right ones? That takes something deeper.

What Are We Really Modelling?

Obviously, I don’t think there’s a one-size-fits-all formula for this. But I do think it starts with how, and ultimately what, my kids see Lydia and I put value in, and how we model this in our own lives. Do they see us constantly rushing, grinding, filling every spare moment with activity? Or do they see us making space to think and choose with intention? Do we only praise them when they perform, or do we also point out the quiet moments when they act with integrity, show kindness, or bounce back from something tough?

Shifting the Conversation

The more I think about it, the more I think it’s just about shifting how we talk about success. Instead of only asking “How did you do?” maybe we also ask, “What made you proud about how you handled that?” These small shifts may connect their effort and choices to something internal, not just to outcomes or applause. Because as they say, if you’re in it for the applause, you should have joined the circus.

Stillness, Space, and the Start of Elevation

With three boys, ten years old and younger, I’m thinking a lot about how teaching elevation starts with helping my kids slow down. Stillness is underrated these days. Very underrated. There’s so much pressure to be busy and productive all the time, and that pressure trickles down fast. But space — mental space, emotional space — is where kids start to figure out what matters to them. That’s where elevation starts. Not in the noise, but in the pause.

The Balance of Both

Of course, this doesn’t mean motivation is bad. It’s just not the whole story. Motivation is the launch pad. Elevation is what keeps the rocket on course. The best version of growth probably includes both: the energy to pursue something, and the wisdom to know whether it’s worth the effort.

Closing Thoughts

Even as I write this, I am really contemplating what this means to me, my approach, and my general intention. It resonated. Not in a loud, motivational-speech kind of way, but in a subtle, reflective one. Because I think a lot of us are trying to figure out how to raise good humans. Not perfect ones. Not overachievers. Just grounded, thoughtful, self-aware people who can move through the world with purpose.

That’s the goal. Not to push them harder, but to help them grow deeper.

Thank you for reading,

Robin Nasserdeen