The Trophy Generation | Is it destroying the motivation and the drive kids need to achieve success without getting a prize, trophy or other form of instant gratification?
For several years I was on a selection committee for Eagle Scouts. We were the last hurdle these candidates had to face before receiving their Eagle Scout award. As you can image, these boys were top notch. All of them had leadership experience and they had spent years going through the scout program. The four of us on this committee spent about 30 minutes asking each individual questions, reviewing their experiences trying to determine if they met our expectations as good Scouts.
One boy in particular attracted my attention. He was the class president and valedictorian for his senior class. He had received straight “A’s”, and a full ride scholarship to a prestigious university. The last question I asked him was this. “Help me understand what motivates and what is different about your generation?”
He said, “I know our generation has a negative reputation, but we have been brought up to get rewarded when we are asked to do something.” Our generation is about instant gratification.
What is your opinion?
