Are we a generation of quitters?

Millennials often believe they can will their dreams to happen, even if they wanted to walk on the moon. The Prophecy by Temari's Art Studio.
Millennials often believe they can will their dreams to happen, even if they wanted to walk on the moon. The Prophecy by Temari’s Art Studio.
Young Money - Vanessa Kunderman
Young Money – Vanessa Kunderman

Growing up, we were told we could be anything we wanted to be.
I wanted to be a cross of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, blended seamlessly with a famous rock star, professional writer and fashion designer. To this day, many of us, if not all, think if we really wanted to become a doctor, walk on the moon or be the next Stella McCartney – we could probably find a way to do it.
We just have to “really want it.”
Then we entered the workforce in and around the jarring global financial crisis of 2008 and suddenly, our lofty aspirations were even further out of reach.
What do you mean the only jobs available are in communications for agriculture? I’m educated in environmental design, damn it!
The result? A generation of quitters was born.
According to Entrepreneur.com, there has been a rise of entrepreneurs among millennials. More than half of the generation is abandoning the corporate goals our parents had, and are breaking out into varying fields where we create our own hours, rules, and ideas. And among the young people who are still employed, more than 70 per cent plan to be business owners in the near future.
Some of us may have jobs that we view as merely stepping stones to where we are trying to get to. That place being our own boss.
Keep in mind, over the next 10 years the baby boomers will be retiring. That means the largest contributors to the workforce on our planet right now will be making their exit. There is going to be a large number of positions waiting to be filled by people who just don’t want them.
The working world is going to dramatically change.
Positions in the retail and service industries in North America have taken a dip since the global financial crisis. However, jobs in the tech and digital realm have skyrocketed – an area where millennials are the thriving experts: an area where our parents just don’t work.
And while this is the business direction of the future, it can make the simple and daily activities required to maintain our standard of living a little challenging.
But creating a thriving business doesn’t mean your personal life should fall away. In fact, the opposite should happen. The two should merge into one.
And that is going to be the defining difference between the generations. Millennials need to love our jobs. We will eventually stop going to work if we don’t. According to Forbes.com, the average length of time a millennial stays employed at one place is only two years.
We become our jobs. They represent a massive part of who we are as individuals. There is no such thing as just a job. To us, our job is just a reflection of whom we are inside. If the job doesn’t fit, or we outgrow it, it is on to the next thing that gets us one step closer to wearing the perfect outfit – an outfit that we designed ourselves.
Vanessa Kunderman is a financial security advisor in Winnipeg. She writes every month on money issues facing millennials. Email her at: hello@vanessakunderman.com

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