When is too much, not enough?

I find it amusing that on a relaxing weekend away to the Blue Mountains with some of my closest friends, our discussion inevitably leads from catching up on our recent successes to what we have identified as our generation‘s greatest curse - Opportunity Overload. In a place ideal for reflection and introspection, the frustration of living in a generation that has the world at its finger tips is ironically raised in the one location we have all taken refuge to get away from said world.

And it’s not the first time our concerns have been raised. The ‘light bulb’ moment first came several years ago and was met with certain scorn towards our parent’s generation (commonly known as the Baby Boomers) for raising our expectations of what we can achieve with our lives. Whilst not ungrateful for the amazing opportunities we have been given, it’s the confusion that comes with it and that internal struggle for some sort of direction that has us worried.

So why are we so concerned? We’re all educated, have decent jobs and live in nice houses. In years gone by these would have been the ingredients of a fulfilling life – not so now. Is our generation looking for an alternative definition of fulfillment or are we just plain greedy in wanting it all and wanting it now?

I recently read a book called “Generation Y: Thriving and Surviving with Generation Y in the Workplace’ written by Peter Sheahan. It was my first stage of research into this younger generation (agreed amongst scholars to be those born between 1978 and 1994) and boy did it bring home some enlightening truths.

If you know (or perhaps have challenges – big or small) with anyone in this age group, whether in the workplace or at home, I strongly recommend investing some of your time in reading this book. If you’re not familiar with the fad term – “Generation Y” – we’re talking about a generation that, according to Sheahan, is street smart, lifestyle centred, tech savvy and independently dependent. On the flip side though, they are also informal, skeptical and rather impatient young individuals. Unfortunately though, there are so many misunderstandings and much confusion clouding this generation that it is no wonder they’re branded as the generation who “don’t know what they want or who they are”.

And it is this confusion that concerns us (those living in it) greatly. What career should I do? Do I go for a job for the money or the skills? Should I go through university, TAFE or a private training organisation? Should I travel first? Do I rent or stay at home and save? Now these questions are not exclusive to our generation and it would be inconsiderate to acknowledge that our parents didn’t go through the same issues – it’s all part of life. However it’s the surrounding environment that has changed so dramatically that it is now harder to answer these questions. Its no wonder young people are confused – there’s just too much choice. We now live in a world where communication is instant, gratification is essential and expectations are high.

So this is where coaching can step in. We’re passionate in our focus on young adults and teenagers and in equipping our clients with the skills and techniques to identify what they really want and in understanding who they really are. Imagine…

• being taught how to set goals and determine the actions required to attain these goals from an early age to achieve great success
• identifying the beliefs that are standing in the way of this success and how to overcome them
• learning about different personalities and how to react in certain situations to avoid confusion and misunderstandings

So if you’re in Generation Y (or know someone who is - perhaps a friend or child) and are facing some of these challenges, then sign up now for your first free coaching session. Its time to get you on the right track!