People’s good intentions to help others out can, unfortunately, betray the individual when the expectation of being praised becomes a greater priority. Many of us may choose not to discuss this circumstance because it makes us uncomfortable to consider that the motif behind our actions is the reward that follows.

We are often referred as the trophy generation. From a young age parents, teachers and coaches influence the mind of a child by making kids believe that for every good thing that they do they deserve an award.

It did not matter that I only scored one basket the entire basketball season, because just like the rest of the team I was guaranteed a trophy. Although parents may see this as a way to motivate the youth, it is also important to teach children that there is a lot more in life to look forward to then being rewarded.

The thought that people will do good deeds with the expectation of being praised may seem absurd or even juvenile; however, this is an issue that affects society amidst its denial. Is success measured by the people who we are able to help out or is success achieved by helping people out?

“Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.” – David Frost

When we seek to find success it can lead us to become self-involved in our own mindset to attain success which makes us forget about the true purpose of our cause. Staying humble can pave a greater pathway toward success if we just believe and love what we do without necessarily expecting something in return.

Those offering service to the community can easily become mesmerized by the attention received by their good intentions. There is nothing wrong with feeling proud with one’s accomplishments, but it is fatal when we lose the humility that has influenced the individual that we have become simply because pride takes a greater toll of us.

Undeniably, we live in a world in which we are always competing to be the best athlete, student, parent or whatever activity that we are involved in. It is not wrong to strive to be the best that you can be, but never forget to do what you do because you genuinely enjoy it or else you will risk losing the passion that can be called true success.

In order to succeed we must first learn to appreciate what we have and work from there to attain our goals. You will feel true pride when you know that you have achieved success through hard work despite facing adversity. The easy way may seem the most convenient, but in the long run humility and hard work will take you further in life than ambitious pride.