Motivational Speaker Asks, “Are Your Pursuing Golden Goals or Plastic Trophies?”

As a child I was fascinated by trophies. With their heavy base and elegant, golden figures, I’d looked on them with awe.  Like museum pieces, they always seemed to be prominently displayed in a secure glass case, or high up on my brother’s bookshelf. They were out of my reach. They weren’t something anyone could buy or receive as a gift. They had to be earned.

And then I got one.

My soccer team took first place (you actually had to win at soccer to get a trophy in those days) and our coach proudly distributed them at the team party. When I went to claim mine, I was confused. The trophy was light – really light.  I also noticed a seam running down the side of the golden soccer player perched on the base. As I gently dabbed at the figurine with my fingernail, I did not hear a bling. It was more of a flat, tapping sound. I came to a shocking realization. This trophy was plastic.

Clearly the value of trophy is not in the material itself, but in the meaning behind it. It’s a symbol of success, a reminder of one’s accomplishment. But without this deeper virtue, a trophy is little more than a disappointing plastic toy.

As a motivational speaker I’ve observed that most people are still pursuing plastic trophies. We set our sights on goals that seem worthy, but ultimately have little or no meaning. Examples of these plastic trophies are:

• Wealth
• Recognition
• Prestige
• Beauty
• Material Items
• Sexual Conquest

While many of these trophies come with obvious advantages, rarely do they yield long-term satisfaction (which is why so many people can’t get enough).  Are rich people happier? Studies suggest not. Are beautiful people better off? Research has shown that while attractive people are sometimes treated better, their overall self-esteem is no higher.

Celebrities seem to accumulate these trophies without demonstrating a greater sense of joy. In fact, there’s plenty of reason to believe being a celebrity can actually be quite miserable.

I remember Barbara Walters interviewing film director Steven Spielberg when his film Schindler’s List was nominated for multiple Oscars, including Best Director. She asked him what the highpoints of his life had been. Without missing a beat, he replied, “The birth of my children.” It was an admirable moment. He’s enjoyed tremendous wealth and fame, but the source of his greatest joy was one of life’s extraordinary yet widely accessible experiences.

In spite of these occasional reminders of what’s important, society continues to trend toward the desire for plastic trophies.  In 2007, 81 % of people 18-25 years of age surveyed by the Pew Research Center said wealth is their generation’s most or second most important life goal, and 51% said it was being famous.

It’s interesting that these responses came from the generation that had just graduated high school. The teen years are plagued with social jockeying, insecurity and self-doubt. It’s a time when popularity seems so important, yet for most, unattainable. Most people look back at high school as a difficult time of trying to fit in, stand out and to matter. It’s easy to understand why these survey respondents place such high value on social status, and desire to live as celebrities do. By definition, celebrities are popular.

True happiness comes from something deeper than what plastic trophies have to offer. This is why so many religions reject the material and physical desires of society.  It’s not that these pursuits are inherently harmful as much as they distract us from life’s truest sources of joy.

A lot more can be said about each of the plastic trophies mentioned above. It’s also tempting to discuss what you should be pursuing. But it’s not for me to define what is virtuous and what is not. Ultimately, everyone must choose his or her own goals. What’s important is that we do it conscientiously, making sure our goals will really provide an emotional payoff.

Figure what really makes you happy, as opposed to what you think will make you happy. You may find that it’s the most unglamorous achievements that yield the most golden rewards.

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3. Setting Controllable Goals
4. Motivational Speaker Asks: Is There Any Real Value To Optimism?
5. Helping Teens Choose a Career Path

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