On social media, a no-nonsense message is resonating with young women and men determined to rise above their circumstances: “Do I want that life? If not, you have to move differently.”
That question, delivered with urgency and conviction by motivational speaker and entrepreneur Cristina Mackey in a recent Instagram video, is aimed squarely at those who see more for themselves than the lives unfolding around them.
Speaking directly to her younger audience, Mackey encouraged viewers to take a hard look at the habits and mindsets of the people in their closest circles, including parents, siblings, and friends, and ask whether those actions reflect ambition or simply the bare minimum needed to get by.
“You can love them deeply, but you have to ask yourself, do I want that future for myself? If you want more, you have to move differently,” she said.
For Mackey, “moving differently” means avoiding choices that can stall progress before it begins: relying on jobs with no growth potential, using drugs or alcohol as an escape, or starting a family before you’ve built stability.
She argues that success starts with making purposeful decisions early, not waiting for adulthood to arrive:
“You don’t have to wait until you’re 21, 24, 25, 27. The change starts now. In your youth, you have to look around and say, ‘They did good, but I want more. I want to do better. I want to go harder. I want to live in my purpose.’”
The post has sparked conversations online about generational cycles, personal accountability, and the courage it takes to chart a different course when it means outgrowing people you love.
Mackey’s call to action is simple but unflinching: learn from others, but refuse to repeat the same patterns if you want a bigger life.
