Millennial Mindset – What Makes Us Different?

What is it that often makes life seem so hard?

While the Gen Z seems to be taking over the internet and all the social media platforms right now, we want to take a look at the generation that came before them. The Millennials. Or also known as people born between 1980 and 2000. In how far does the mindset of a Millennial differ from generations before and after? Are there real differences at all? To answer this question, it is best to take a look myself first in this case.

Since I was born in 1993, I am, by definition, a millennial. So I can relate to the way of thinking and struggles people my age face. I don’t have to fully agree with them at all times, but I see them from a similar angle. In general, the beliefs of young people do not differ too much from those that are not considered millennials. I have recognized similarities in the following areas:

Financial Goals

For many millennials, financial aspirations and economic freedom are enormously important. A lot of information is exchanged about money, material goods or methods to earn money. For many, the desire for self-fulfillment is written in capital letters. Travel, having a nice flat or maybe even starting a family in the near future, all of that depends on a certain financial stability. While it is said, that we strive to be different from our parents (often Baby Boomers), we still aim for similar things. What we have to face now, though, is a completely different economic situation. While it was common to buy a house for your family in your 20s back then, we struggle to even find an affordable rental.

Thoughts about the future

Thoughts about the future are omnipresent for our generation. Of course that is the case for most people, but with the global events over the last few years, these thoughts give us more anxiety than ever. The pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the worsening of the climate change. It would be idle to say that our parents didn’t struggle. There were different problems at their time. But we are somewhat the first generation that tries to keep up the standard of living and not to improve it. And we hardly manage to. It might seem quite dark, but that is how many of us young adults see our future.

Choosing the right education

Many millennials are deeply concerned with the topic of education. Education has become increasingly important. Companies are seeking highly skilled workers, especially in the fields of Information Systems. On the one hand they are desperately searching for people, on the over hand the hurdles to get into one of the major firms are very high. Even with a good degree and work experience, that often seems to not be enough. In comparison to the Gen Z we are more willing to work long hours and make sacrifices for a nice job. When we still fail to get into a certain position, that leaves us devastated.

Of course, these three areas can also be discussed again, and there are certainly enough people who have other things to report. Nevertheless, I would like to leave it as it is and roll it up from a different perspective.

Similar thoughts, different ways of thinking and proceeding

The thoughts are similar, the way of thinking is completely different. So what do I mean by that? I am talking about the fact that we all know for example how important it is to achieve financial security. We are also aware that we (at least most of us) would like to have a family at some point and look for a suitable partner. The difference lies in the way we do things. The way we approach things seems unusual and unfamiliar, especially for older people. Do we have a different mindset or behavior that we use to address problems or situations? Particularly in the following areas, millennials have more difficulties than people their age from other generations:

Lack of decision-making ability

Many millennials don’t want to decide on one thing. They would rather leave twenty different options open and switch back and forth. Some things may fall into oblivion, others are left open. This can be really problematic. Just picture being in a hallway with lots of doors. You look at some of them. You touch the knobs. You even take a glimpse through some of them, if the door isn’t fully closed. Behind those doors are different paths of life you could choose. All of them interesting, original and full of adventures that lie ahead. The hallway is just a hallway. Boring, gray and lifeless. Somehow, our generation still prefers to live in the hallway, because of the fear that they will make the wrong decision and the door behind them closes forever. And with that all the other lives to live. That is why we stay in jobs we hate, in relationships we don’t want, or never even get into one because all other “matches” would be lost.

Frequent plan changes or changes in objectives

We have certain wishes and ideas. But not the right plan. Therefore, many projects are changed, redefined or cancelled. There is still another way, a better one, a faster one. That is closely linked to the problem of decision-making. We can’t just choose the one New Year’s Eve party, can we? What if it isn’t the best one. And when it comes to making a plan, our concerns often stand in the way. We all think our parents are conservative and boring, don’t we. But when they tell me what they did at my age, they seemed so spontaneous and careless. Our generation is an again in somewhat of a limbo. We are too concerned about anything and everything to make a plan, while also being too immature to plan further than our next meal.

A lasting dissatisfaction

Even though I see us Millennials as ambitious and hardworking, we are still very dissatisfied. More so than the generations before and after us. That is an issue. And we have to work on it. Above, you find many different reasons for why we are the way we are. And surely you can relate to some of them, if you’re also a Millennial. Even if you are not, you probably saw yourself in some parts. We have to overcome this feeling of dissatisfaction.

But how?

We are in a fortunate place, remember that. Most of us had a nice childhood with parents that loved us and took care of us. We saw the world without technology. And we still have a deep understanding of all the digital gadgets and innovations. We were born in that sweet spot in time and should be thankful for that.

Great opportunities lie ahead for us. Don’t be afraid to take them. And be more patient with yourself.

Take your time and think about it.

**Disclosure: We only recommend products we would use ourselves and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.