Motivation That Lasts: Helping kids and young professionals thrive under pressure

We’ve all heard the complaints: “Kids these days don’t want to work hard.” “They give up too easily.” “They’re not as motivated as we were.” It’s a familiar refrain from older generations about younger ones. But after listening to psychologist David Yeager on  People I (Mostly) Admire?, I’m rethinking that mindset.

What if the problem isn’t a lack of motivation, but the way we’re approaching how to inspire it?

Yeager suggests that young people thrive when we combine the best of two roles:

• The Enforcer → setting high expectations, pushing for effort and accountability

• The Protector → offering support, encouragement, and a belief in their potential

Rather than choosing one role or the other, the magic happens when we blend them.

This fall, I intend to practice this balance with my kids. With Jack’s basketball season, I’ll encourage him to see missed shots not as failures, but as steps toward improvement holding him to high standards while standing beside him with support. With Hannah’s swimming, I’ll remind her that every lap, even the difficult ones where she doesn’t finish in first, is progress that builds strength and resilience.

At work, I’ve shared this episode with several early-career leaders. We talked about how feedback and stress can feel like judgment or, if reframed, they can become tools for growth. When expectations are paired with encouragement, setbacks turn into stepping stones.

The takeaway: Instead of labeling young people as unmotivated or soft, we can choose to see their challenges as opportunities to build resilience, purpose, and growth. When we balance high expectations with real support, both mentoring and parenting feel less like correcting shortcomings and more like unlocking potential.

Learn In The Flow Of Life

Jason