My wise Mum often uses the expression “give them wings to fly”, when talking about the development of people. Mum devoted her life to teaching – a career which spanned 40 years and which attracted the admiration of many people (parents and professionals in the education sector alike).
Giving people wings to fly is about empowerment. Teaching people “how” to think/ do yet not “what” to think/ do.
I often discuss with others, that as leaders/ teachers/ parents whilst we can’t “motivate” other people per se (because motivation comes from within each of us), we can most certainly inspire and guide others…to cause whatever degree/ level of motivation to be invoked in other people as a result.
As I say to students who I teach at the Eastern Institute of Technology, my role as their tutor/ teacher is to “give them wings to fly”…and then the “doing” (i.e. them taking flight) is up to them. Some will fly at lofty heights, while others will be more comfortable soaring at lower altitudes.
At the end of the day it is up to each of us to chose the altitude that we prefer to travel through life at, and which “flight paths” we choose to take.
Go well.