“I don’t know what I want’, ‘I don’t know what I am passionate about’; ‘I don’t like anything’; ‘I don’t know what I want anymore, nothing motivates me”.
I often hear these types of statements from people of all generations, not only from young ones.
Of course, we have so many options nowadays such as the material ones (the food we eat, the jeans we buy, the type of beer, the type of wine, where should we eat, what social platforms we use, sites, blogs, universities private or state owned), the company we work for (we stick for a while, then we leave, we try another company, we get bored, and then we leave again). It seems like we are in this continuous pursuit of something; we do not know what that is; we do not know where to go – however, in this search process nothing satisfies us.
I am thinking of another approach: one where we give our best in what we do, regardless of what that is and whether that is our vocation or not.
I doubt that at the start of Steve Job’s career he had foreseen what he was about to create; I doubt that Mark Zuckerberg knew that he was passionate about Facebook and then created it. However, they tried a lot and did their best.
This brings memories of my father: he was born during WWII and he was abandoned by his parents. He was raised by a family who urged him to work hard, and to make money fast. He could not study a lot – but in the factory where he worked, he was the best. Before the 1989 revolution people would receive “categories” for their performance at work. He had the highest category, named “special”; he never missed a day of work. He had the dedication for the process itself, he always said he wants what comes out his own hands to be the best. I do not know if he found his passion, I do not think so – or maybe I just did not get the chance to ask him; or maybe his passion was to be the best in what he was doing, whatever job that might have been.
I clearly remember the advice of trying hard to be the best at what I do; he told me, a long time ago, that whether I become a teacher, an engineer or wipe the floor, I need to make sure that I do my job properly. It was his way of telling me that the process is important, and it is important that, when you do something, you should do it as if it were your passion – and then you will become great. Passion might come too; or we might find what our passion is.
If we do not put everything into the process of searching, of self-development, we might end up jaded, filled with negativity, wounded by the endless comparison with others (who we think have made it), victimizing ourselves, seeing that the “Inferno is always found in others”, and never taking responsibility for who we are.
I do not think that is something specific about the Millennial generation. I have seen this type of manifestation in all generations. It is up to the individual to self-discipline and to take responsibility for their work up until the end and to give their best.
The capacity of a country to progress is linked to the capacity of every individual to give his/her best in whatever they do (whether that is an internship, a job, a collaboration, or helping some). It is like in sports – to be able to win the Olympic medal, you have to train daily and never give up as this is a long and arduous process – and possibly at some point you will reap the rewards. After, you start all over.
One of my colleges, a tennis enthusiast, tells me all the time that he plays for the pleasure of it. He has been playing tennis for a long time now, every Tuesday for a few hours. The people that he plays with and even himself get upset, sometimes they get angry and throw their rackets. Maybe if we concentrated not on the “winning” part of the game, but on the game itself, we would have more chances of being pleased and happy.