Member-only story
This Is the Most Powerful Form of Motivation
You won’t get a trophy, but you might just become the person you want to be
Growing up, whenever I brought home a medal, ribbon, or award, my mother always had the same bland response: “Did you have fun?” And then she’d take the prize and stuff it into a box where no one would ever see it.
Her reaction felt cold to me. Why didn’t she place the accolade on the mantle the way all my friends’ parents did? Didn’t she want to brag to the world that her son was a tae kwon do yellow belt with one green tip?
It bothered me, but I never said anything — until one day, much later, when I visited my mom’s home after graduating from college. I looked around for my diploma, which I had framed and delivered to her as a gift. She’d certainly display this achievement, I thought. But I didn’t see it anywhere. After poking around, I finally found it tucked on a shelf next to the box that contained my old tae kwon do certificate from the fifth grade.
Feeling years of hurt rising to the surface, I asked my mother what I’d always wondered about: “Why haven’t you ever put my accomplishments on display?”
She then said something I’ll always remember: “Because that’s not why I love you.”
