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I was at the gym the other day, just trying to get through the workout. I was tired—physically and mentally—and I needed something to push me through that second set. I threw on a random rap playlist I found, and honestly? The artists were amazing. The vibe was there. They actually had something to say. It wasn’t just noise; it was storytelling, struggle, and triumph. It was elevation. It got me thinking, though. If this amazing music exists—music that makes you think and feel—why are we only forced to listen to a certain type of music by certain types of artists on the radio? It feels like the mainstream playlist is curated not to inspire us, but to keep us in a loop. I am convinced that a lot of what is popular right now isn’t designed to help us grow. It’s designed to keep us exactly where we are. It’s a culture of stagnation. And if we aren’t careful, we internalize that stagnation until it becomes our reality.
We live in a world that celebrates “good enough.” You see it in the media we consume. The news cycle is designed to keep us anxious, and the music is often designed to keep us distracted. I’ve noticed a pattern lately: the songs that get the most airplay are often the ones that celebrate bad habits, toxic relationships, or a lifestyle that doesn’t actually lead anywhere good. Why does this matter? Because what you consume consumes you. If you are constantly feeding your brain content that says “live for today, forget tomorrow,” it is hard to build a future. I am currently reading Scarcity Brain, and it’s opening my eyes to this. We are wired to chase quick fixes because our ancestors didn’t know where their next meal was coming from. In the modern world, that instinct kills us. It keeps us scrolling when we should be sleeping, and spending when we should be investing.
Let’s be real for a second. Choosing elevation is exhausting. I want to be transparent because a lot of “gurus” lie to you. They act like they wake up at 4:00 AM every day and conquer the world without breaking a sweat. That is not my reality. Just the other day, I woke up extremely tired and knew the gym was the “right” choice for elevation. Nevertheless, tired won that morning. I stayed in bed for an extra hour. And you know what? That’s okay. The problem isn’t that we get tired; the problem is when we let a moment of fatigue turn into a lifestyle of quitting. I feel like I am a serial restarter. I have written entries in my journal on November 7th saying “Day 1 of becoming a better writer,” and then on January 11th saying “Restarting my writing goal.” For a long time, I beat myself up about that. But I’m realizing now that the ability to restart is a superpower. Stagnant people quit once and never go back. Elevating people might fall off the wagon, but they get back on.
One of the biggest areas where stagnation traps us is our finances. It is so easy to ignore the bank account, swipe the card, and hope for the best. That is the “mainstream” way to handle money—debt is normal, savings are rare, and we live for the weekend. But elevation requires looking at the ugly truth. I sat down recently to break down my spending for the last quarter, and it was a wake-up call. In December, I spent significantly more than I brought in. It is a stressful feeling, searching for something but not knowing what it is. Stagnation says: “This is too hard. Just ignore it.” Elevation says: “This is a mess. But I am going to fix it.” I had a productive conversation with my wife about where we want to go. We are looking at automating our savings and identifying where the money is going. I realized that to save the kind of money we want, I might need to supplement my income. I don’t have all the answers yet, but I am willing to ask the questions. That is the difference.
You cannot elevate your life if your spirit is crushed. I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of words. Recently, I read that I should write down what I want in the present tense—not “I hope to be,” but “I am.” This felt strange at first because we are taught to be “realistic,” but realism without faith is just pessimism. So, I started writing them down: I am healthy. My businesses are thriving. My wife is healing. My kids are wealthy and wise. When I write these things, I am not ignoring the problems. I know we have health issues and bills. But I am choosing to speak elevation over my household. The mainstream world tells us to complain and gossip. When we speak life, we are rebelling against the culture of stagnation. We are inviting grace and mercy into our situation.
So, how do we stop drifting and start elevating? First, audit your inputs. Go look at your Spotify, your YouTube history, and the people you follow. Do they make you anxious? Do they glorify stupidity? If yes, unfollow. You need to find the “amazing artists” in your own life—the podcasts that teach you about money, the books that teach you about your mind, and the spiritual leaders who stir up your spirit. Second, embrace “boring” consistency. We want the fireworks and the viral moment, but elevation happens on “Day 2” at the gym when you are sore. It happens when you pack a lunch instead of eating out. It happens when you write for five minutes when you have nothing to say. I am learning to love the process more than the result.
Finally, give yourself grace to restart. You will mess up. You will have a month where you blow the budget. Stagnation uses shame to keep you down: “See? You failed. You might as well give up.” Elevation uses grace to get you back up: “Okay, I messed up. But today is a new day.” I’m still in the middle of this moving process—literally and figuratively. I’m moving houses, setting up a new space, and moving mindsets from scarcity to abundance. I don’t have it all figured out. I’m still tired some mornings. But I know this: My best days are ahead. Don’t let the mainstream lull you to sleep. Don’t let the “popular” playlist drown out your own voice. There is amazing music out there. You just have to be willing to change the station.
