These days, it feels like everyone is in a race. A race to success, to recognition, to wealth, to being at the top. From the outside, it can look admirable—ambition, drive, achievement. But when I look closer, especially as a mom raising two daughters, I can’t help but wonder: Are we losing sight of why we’re even climbing in the first place?
We live in a world that celebrates speed and constant achievement. The message is clear: the sooner you get to the top, the better. But as a modern mom, I don’t want my daughters to buy into that noise. Because the truth is, getting to the top means nothing if you’ve lost yourself—or missed the lessons that matter most—along the way.
The Illusion of the Top
Since childhood, many of us were taught to aim high: be the best in school, land the best job, have the biggest house, and raise the most accomplished kids. These goals sound noble, but in reality, they can create a never-ending race of comparison and pressure.
The top can be an illusion. It promises satisfaction—I’ll finally be happy when I get there—but often delivers emptiness. Because there will always be another ladder to climb, another person ahead, another “next thing” to chase.
I want my daughters to know that chasing the top for the sake of the title or the applause will never fill them up. True fulfillment doesn’t come from being above others, but from being aligned with who they are.
The Danger of Forgetting the “Why”
I’ve had seasons in my own life where I’ve worked hard for something, only to realize when I got there that it wasn’t actually what I wanted. And that’s the danger—forgetting why we started the climb in the first place.
I don’t want my girls to look back one day and realize they poured their energy into goals that didn’t even belong to them. That’s why I keep reminding them (and myself) that intention matters.
Living With Intention
Living with intention is about asking the deeper questions:
- Why am I doing this?
- What values matter most to me right now?
- Who am I becoming through this process?
I want my daughters to grow up understanding that ambition itself isn’t wrong. But ambition without intention can leave you feeling lost. Their “top” should be theirs—not what society, friends, or even I tell them it should be.
Maybe one day their top will be building a career they love. Or maybe it will be raising a family, creating art, traveling the world, or serving others. Whatever it looks like, I want them to know it’s valid as long as it’s rooted in what truly matters to them.
The Road Matters More Than the Top
When I think about what I want my girls to carry with them, it’s this: the road matters more than the top.
Getting to the end of the road means nothing if you don’t learn anything along the way. The climb—the mistakes, the resilience, the growth, the laughter, the love—that’s where life happens.
If they ever find themselves so focused on reaching the top that they stop noticing the beauty around them, I hope they’ll pause. Because the moments that matter most are often right there on the journey, not just at the finish line.
Redefining the Top
For my daughters, I hope the word top won’t mean “the best” in comparison to others. I hope it will mean:
- Living true to their values.
- Building meaningful relationships.
- Learning and growing, no matter where they are.
- Finding joy in the little, ordinary moments.
That’s the kind of “top” I want them to strive for. Because that version is lasting. It isn’t determined by others’ opinions—it’s rooted in who they are becoming.
A Gentle Reminder—for Moms Too
Of course, this reminder isn’t just for them. It’s for me, too. Motherhood often feels like its own race, doesn’t it? The pressure to be the perfect mom, keep the perfect home, raise perfect kids. But I’m learning—slowly—that the pressure fades when I realign with my why.
And maybe that’s the greatest lesson I can model for my daughters: that it’s okay not to be on top by the world’s standards, as long as you’re true to yourself along the way.
The world will keep telling my daughters to climb higher, run faster, and chase harder. But I want to give them another story: one where the climb matters more than the peak, where intention is greater than comparison, and where the top isn’t about applause but about authenticity.
Because in the end, it’s not about being at the top. It’s about being present, learning, growing, and becoming who you were meant to be along the way. That’s the lesson I want them to carry, no matter what road they take.
This post was created for the Blogaberry Creative (Monthly) Challenge with theme word TOP
I love how you remind your daughters (and yourself) that success isn’t only about “being the best,” but about being true, growing through the journey, and staying aligned with what matters. It’s okay not to always be “on top” by society’s standards, if I’m true along the way.
That’s a very heartfelt message to your daughters- being authentic is what matters the most. The rat race we have got ourselves into is overwhelming.