Y, oh Y. (thoughts on the generation)
I’ve been down on Generation Y for a few years. Shortly after I started working at Emma, my first job out of college, I read an article in Forbes about my dear generation. And they had me pegged. I was a 23-year old who thought she could teach the owner’s of the company a thing or two about…well…anything. I felt entitled to levels of respect, attention, and even seniority that I hadn’t necessarily earned.
Reading that article caused me to take a hard look at myself…and a lot changed. But the pendulum swing sent me over the top. My peers who didn’t work hard, or claimed they were “following a dream,” perplexed me. I couldn’t understand why they weren’t getting their acts together or paying their dues. I felt like our entire generation just stopped using their brains. And don’t get me started on the word “passion.” Every time I heard someone talk about their “passion,” I wanted to start grilling them on how they were actually chasing it…because more often than not…it was all just an idea…with no follow through.
But then I couldn’t deny my desire to pursue acting anymore. And in that process, I had a conversation with my dad that changed my harsh views on Generation Y entirely. We were sitting in a Starbucks in Edmond, Oklahoma over the 4th of July weekend…and he began sharing his heart for things he’d like to do with his life. My father, the career military officer, who is now a high level contractor for one of the biggest companies in the world, wants to spend time overseas. Loving people. Speaking the native languages.
What clicked in that moment, was that maybe Generation Y doesn’t have it all wrong. Maybe we’re just zeroing in on what we really want to do in life a little earlier. So rather than dedicating our 20s through 60s on making money and building our resume, we’ve decided we don’t want to wait for retirement to chase after those heart desires.
Don’t misunderstand me…I don’t think working hard and preparing for your retirement is out-of-date. In fact, I think we could all learn a lot from the work ethic and wisdom from the generations before us. But I also like this generation of men and women who are figuring out ways to chase after their dreams and desires and passions NOW.
Because this is it, guys. We only have this one life. One chance to do whatever it is we are really drawn to. So work HARD. Glean from the wisdom of those older than you. Be SMART. Love people. Don’t invest in relationships where you always walk away feeling badly about yourself. Chase joy. Chase truth. Laugh…and dance…and twirl…and be thankful that you’ve been made just as you are. You’re not anyone else…and no one else is you. Find something you love. Could be anything. Could be taking lunch breaks from your job so you can knit under a tree near your office. Could be finding a way to join the IJM mission. Could be taking pictures…or holding babies…or walking your dog. Whatever it is…work hard at it.
That’s all.
Tags: Baby Boomers, Gen Y, passion, work
The idea of this post has been the “veiled catalyst” for many conversations, and by “veiled catalyst” I mean we found ourselves falling into the same conversations with different beginnings of the conversation every time. In the end, every conversation ended up with “Everyone goes through this…this quarter-life crisis” or “You just have to chase your passion.” And now for what I planned to comment- this post was inspirational to say the least.
I agree with jeremy – Rachael you’ve inspired me! Seriously made me want to quit my job, pack my bags and live a life that doesn’t keep me restrained a desk all day…I wanna go outside and twirl now!!
So beautifully said!