Lifestyle Over Lunch Breaks: Cracking the Gen Y Lifestyle Code

Besides being smart + awesome, she's also a naturalista.

Not long ago I was chatting with a business friend and kindred spirit, Rosetta Thurman, who heads up Happy Black Woman and is also a thought leader in the non-profit space. She and I, both Millennial entrepreneurs were discussing our priorities and how important it is to us to have freedom.

We compared notes about our intense desires to travel that never seem to be satiated. We laughed about the quirks of being young, black, female, and entreprenurial all at once. We shared ideas about business models that serve the lifestyles we love and how important it was to maintain that over anything else.

That same day, I received a copy of EBONY in my mailbox. Tyler Perry graced the cover so I decided to spend some time reading his story. My feelings about the quality of his art aside, I respect what he’s accomplished and believe I can learn from him as I grow my empire. The article mentioned the $350 million fortune he had amassed along with six cars and two planes. An article in the same issue featured Sheila Johnson and her 27 room home on her sprawling estate.

I laughed quietly at how much Millennial motivation differs from Baby Boomer and even Generation X motivation. From my observations, Baby Boomers value security and do whatever they perceive necessary to get and keep it. Generation X values external indicators of success – titles, homes, cars, and the perfect family.

Millennials are more interested in living well on their own terms. We don’t mind the smaller paycheck if it’s attached to higher levels of personal satisfaction. We are an optimistic bunch, and we have low

Credit: BetterManager.com

tolerance for things that suck the life out of us. We believe in possibilities – the idea that we can leave a mark on the world and create legacies that will outlive us.

So, to all of the employers, parents, grandparents, executives, and other people over 50 trying to understand Millennials, here’s your cheat sheet:

We’re not lazy when we’re doing what we love. If you align what you want us to do with our goals, you’ll have a much easier time motivating us.

No, we’re not willing to pay dues just because you did. If we can find a faster/smarter/cheaper/easier way to do it, we will.

We want lifestyle over lunch breaks and pay off versus paychecks.

Our values are different. The times have changed. Get over it.

The whole economy thing has been tough on us too. Your house might be in foreclosure, but we’re wondering if or when we’ll be able to buy our first. It’s not easy to establish a financial identity and professional identity amidst a toppling economy, rapidly changing technology, and a shifting societal landscape. Ease up.

We might be restless. And maybe we could ease up on the multitasking. But we’re next and we’re ready to change the world.

About Lisa

Lisa Nicole Bell is a creative entrepreneur who uses media to create positive social change.

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http://twitter.com/brownvegan Monique Koch

Yes! Awesome post!
Chela

Hmm, so I guess I’m a Gen-Xer with Millennial sensibilities? LOL “[T]itles, homes, cars, and the perfect family” have never been my priority. I gave up a 6-figure legal career at a firm to work on my own and improve my quality of life… Great post!
Danielle

Not all Gen-Xers value title, money, status, and material things. Remember we grew up watching our parents amass wealth, title, and material goods during the Reagan administration and the deliterious effects that had on the family. If anything, we run from that harder than Gen-Y’s and Millenials! Remember Gen-X was original group of slackers to the World War II and Baby Boomers.
Anonymous

@Chela – Indeed. My question would be, “How did you get to the 6 figure job to begin with?”
My observation has been that many Gen Yers seem to have skipped the chasing of material things for a more enlightened (for lack of a better word) approach to life that centers on service, social good, etc.

@Danielle – Yes, you’re right. Not *all* of any group adheres to any set of characteristics. Good points.
Chela

The personal part: I got the 6-figure job simply because I had a great education; obtained to provide services to the poor. School loans were so onerous that the job seemed necessary at the beginning, but it wasn’t worth the life balance trade-off. I left that life so quickly, I barely made a dent in those loans! Now paying those loans isn’t quite as easy, but I’m able to fulfill my original goal of helping the poor.

Gen X was the first generation to espouse the “work to live rather than live to work” mentality, which is why the Baby Boomers considered us lazy. We didn’t aspire to the same material trappings as they did. There’s a big difference between achieving success while doing what makes you happy and striving for success in order to acquire the status symbols and material rewards.
Anonymous

That makes sense. My Gen X friends seem to crave the security of their parents and the freedom of Gen Y. Boomers + Gen X have certainly hurled “lazy” and “entitled” at Gen Y, but I think what’s missed is that we’re not necessarily entitled – we just insist on doing work that’s meaningful to us. And over and over again, I see Gen Yers who will gladly take a pay cut to do it.

Ultimately, I think it comes down to mindset. The societal landscape has changed so dramatically that there are inevitable differences beyond attitudes toward money.

Interesting feedback. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Chela! Looking forward to more.

Did you happen to read the post on Miss Representation? Would love your thoughts!
http://artcommercelife.com/open-letter-to-people-over-40/ Open Letter to People Over 40 | Art + Commerce + Life

[...] Our issue is not an unwillingness to work; it’s an unwillingness to do it your way. We value lifestyle over lunch breaks, and unlike you, we’re not willing to spend 30 years grinding away at something we hate in order [...]