The new generation suffers from a constant state of wanting different things at the same time, but ends up pursuing none of them fully. This situation creates a type of anxiety about the future in which you don’t know if you really know what you want to do with your life or if your tastes and desires are being shaped by the experiences others are living through.
The art of reinventing yourself
The environment that you are in has a big influence on who you are and how you behave. However, that situation is not a life sentence, but rather an open door to change and try new things. Oscar Wilde once said that if you have a passion and you know what you want to be, you’ll become it. However, not knowing exactly who you want to be can open even more possibilities. After all, “being” is a verb, and the ability to change is more of an opportunity than a life sentence.
Even though this idea is being reinforced around people, the pressure to be something and follow society’s expectations changes the way young people see life. As if there were constant pressure to do “what’s right,” many teenagers and young adults shape their future not by what they want, but by others’ experiences. They don’t follow their intuition or their passions, but instead follow the same lifestyle as anyone else.
This situation became normal because the fear of stepping into the unknown is bigger than the discomfort of staying the same. They pursue the same hobbies, follow the same routines, and expect the same results. The new generation finds itself in a cycle of repeating what everyone else is doing instead of following what genuinely feels right.
It’s a scenario driven by the belief that there is only one right path in life. As this idea spreads, people have gradually stopped pursuing what they truly want for their future and started following the paths others have already taken.
Not only that, but the pressure of feeling like everyone else already knows what they want creates space for anxiety and low self-esteem. Society makes young adults feel as though they are not good enough. Not knowing exactly what you want has become something to fear rather than an open door to endless possibilities.
The pressure to be something
Nowadays, you constantly have to be something. It doesn’t matter if you’re just a student or simply have a job, but doing neither is not an option. More than that, the idea of just living your life without a clear goal for the future creates a sense of failure.
This pressure leads to a constant doubt about what the future holds and whether trying new things is actually worth it. Many people who are trying to figure out what they really want are often judged. However, this is one of the most important parts of building a career, because knowing what you want and understanding your strengths is what will ultimately lead you toward your dreams.
The truth is that most people don’t know enough about themselves to choose their dreams, but trying to figure it out is not falling behind — it is the path to success.
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The article above was edited by Isabella Simões.
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