The Power of Choice: Why Goals and Rewards Both Matter

By Jason Smith, Founder & Executive Director, Soleful Kicks

Why Choice Is More Than a Detail

In youth development, so many components matter: structure, accountability, support and consistency to name a few.

But there is another ingredient that is often underestimated:

Choice.

At Soleful Kicks, young people are given two critical opportunities to choose:

They choose their goal(s).
They choose their reward.

Those decisions are not by mistake. They are intentional and carry so much value.

Choosing the Goal: Ownership at the Starting Line

Many programs assign objectives.

Improve this grade.
Attend this many sessions.
Complete this checklist.

While well-intentioned, assigned goals can unintentionally create compliance rather than commitment.

When a young person chooses their own goal — whether it’s improving grades, increasing school attendance, practicing a more healthy lifestyle or strengthening a specific skill — something shifts.

The goal becomes personal – something they own.

Ownership increases investment and investment increases effort.

Instead of:

“I have to do this.”

The mindset becomes:

“I chose this – it matters to me.”

That shift is powerful.

Choice at the beginning of the process strengthens the mentor/youth relationship and builds trust.  For youth who may feel that many aspects of life are outside their control, that experience of choice is deeply significant.  They are working together and acting as a team.

Choosing the Reward: Ownership at the Finish Line

Choice does not end at the starting line (goal-setting)

At Soleful Kicks, youth also choose their own sneakers (reward).

This matters more than it might appear on the surface.

When a young person selects the reward they are working toward — the color, the style, the brand — anticipation builds. The outcome becomes vivid and concrete.  Many youth begin their sneaker selection process on day 1.  Knowing what they are working towards and what value represents to them is a powerful motivator.  

The reward is no longer generic. It carries personal meaning.  They know exactly what they are working towards – no surprises. 

Psychologically, this strengthens the motivation loop. Effort is connected not just to a promised outcome, but to a chosen one.

That distinction changes behavior.

The Reinforcement Loop: Decision → Effort → Earned Outcome

When youth choose their goal and choose their reward, the structure becomes clear:

Decision → Effort → Progress → Earned Outcome

The sneakers become visible proof that a decision, followed by sustained effort, leads to something tangible.  Something of personal value. 

But sneakers are not the only outcome – more importantly, they are the catalyst to personal growth.

It is the internal narrative that forms:

“I made a choice.”
“I worked toward it.”
“I followed through.”
“I earned this.”

That narrative builds confidence. It builds resilience. It builds identity.

Structure + Choice = Sustainable Motivation

Choice alone is not enough. Structure alone is not enough.

At Soleful Kicks, youth set goals within a defined 10-week framework. Progress is monitored. Mentors provide accountability and encouragement.

Structure provides safety and choice provides ownership.  And together, they create a healthy reinforcement cycle that young people can replicate in other areas of life.

The experience of choosing, working, and earning becomes a transferable life skill.

Why This Matters Long-Term

When young people experience both ends of the process — choosing the destination and choosing the reward — they begin to see themselves differently.

Not as passive recipients.
Not as participants completing requirements.

But as decision-makers capable of follow-through.

The sneakers are visible but the identity shift is not and that, I would argue, is far more important.

By intentionally building choice into both the starting line and the finish line, Soleful Kicks helps young people experience something foundational:

Their decisions matter.
Their effort matters.
And their future is not predetermined — it is shaped by the choices they make and the work they commit to along the way.