Celebrating Effort Over Popularity—How to Shift the Group Dynamic for Good

In nearly every LDS youth activity, there’s an unspoken current:
Who’s cool. Who’s not. Who gets laughs. Who gets left out.

These dynamics don’t always show up in obvious ways, but they shape how youth show up—whether they lead, contribute, or check out entirely.

As leaders, we have an incredible opportunity (and responsibility) to rewrite that narrative. To gently shift the spotlight away from popularity and toward something far more Christlike: effort.

When we celebrate effort—especially from those who don’t usually get the stage—we teach our youth something that echoes straight from the scriptures:

“The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”
—1 Samuel 16:7

Why This Shift Matters

The most visible youth aren’t always the ones growing the most.

The quiet young woman who bore her testimony for the first time.
The shy deacon who finally showed up on time.
The teen who volunteered even though they were nervous.

If your Mutual night only rewards charisma, athleticism, or humor, you create a culture where only a few feel seen.

But when you honor sincere effort, you create a space where every youth matters—not for what they bring to the spotlight, but for who they are becoming.

Keywords: lds youth leadership ideas, gospel-centered youth activities, youth mutual night ideas

3 Ways to Celebrate Effort (Without Making It Weird)

1. Recognize the Unseen

Start each activity by mentioning a recent unseen effort:

“Shoutout to Caleb for helping set up last week.”
“I noticed Emma went out of her way to include someone new.”

Simple. Quick. Powerful.

2. Use Rotating Highlights

Instead of “youth of the month,” which tends to repeat the same few names, rotate who gets a 2-minute spotlight. Let them share a skill, favorite scripture, or story. This levels the playing field and draws attention to less-recognized strengths.

3. Shift the Narrative in Youth Council

Train your LDS youth leadership team to ask different questions when planning:

“Who needs to be invited to lead this?”
“Who hasn’t had a turn to share?”
“What does this activity teach about Christ?”

Build a culture from the top down.

Quick Activity Idea (4–8 Min): Effort Tokens

Bring a small bag of tokens (or even sticky notes). Throughout the activity, hand one to youth anytime you notice a genuine effort:

Participating for the first time
Helping another
Volunteering without being asked

At the end, ask:
“Which mattered more tonight—being funny, or showing effort?”

Let them sit with that.

A New Kind of Cool

The world will always reward style, charm, and performance.
But you can help create a generation that values discipleship over popularity.

When your group starts to admire effort, compassion, and courage—especially from the quiet ones—you’ll see something shift. Not just in your activities. But in your youth.

👉 Want ready-made youth council guides, leadership training tools, and gospel-centered activity plans?
Check out the Forged in Faith Youth Leadership Pack—designed to help you build a thriving, Christ-focused culture.

Forged In Faith