It’s not enough to have a high-paying salary. Growing up with the Internet, millennials find it hard to seek happiness following the track their parents told them to follow. There are so many differences in the way the two generations view things, and the state of the economy also resulted in varying spending habits.
This doesn’t mean that millennials cannot find contentment, however. Perhaps we need to reevaluate where that contentment should come from.
A One-track Mind
Our parents gave the impression that we had to be good at one thing and stick with it. It doesn’t matter if we hated our job; it’s just a job, after all. However, today’s generation wants to be happy while earning money. It seems obvious that the answer is to feed their passion, even as they hold a full-time job. And even better, what if you can feed your passion by working a job or starting a business in that industry? No passion is too informal for success either.
There are fashion franchise opportunities for those who follow trends keenly. Those who have a deep love for coffee can franchise their shop. Even those who are interested in writing can self-publish to get their career started without waiting around for a publisher to pick up their labor of love. The one-track mind does not work anymore, and it’s for the better.
Purpose vs. Salary
Instead of being labeled selfish and lazy, millennials can be viewed as more purpose-driven. They know what they want, they seek things that make them happy, and they would like to forge their own paths. The cookie-cutter roles of the 50s and 60s cannot box them in; these, however, can be used as a guide for millennials to figure out their purpose. There’s a lot of confusion associated with their track, mainly because they are not good at one thing but rather, they are adept in a unique combination of skills. There are no two persons who have the same qualifications if all their passions are to be considered.
This makes salary an inefficient way of measuring success, as one person might earn less in their full-time job but have a successful blog that’s adding to their bank account significantly. What’s more critical for hardworking millennials is that they get to make something of their passion. That they can earn money in doing so is just a bonus.
Still, Acceptance Takes Time
Though the majority of the workforce are millennials, and they greatly influence how marketing strategies are developed, it’s still hard for their parents to accept that they might not hold a permanent job at a young age. Starting a family is further down their list of priorities, as well. It’s important for both generations to keep an open mind when it comes to their achievements and not compare using metrics that do not apply to the other generation. Millennials deserve support from their family instead of them always having to prove that they have a plan for their life.
You don’t have to choose between job and passion anymore. Work on something that matters to you, and you’ll be happier with the success you reap.
