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You may have been amused when your father had a midlife crisis – when he bought a leather jacket, started riding a motorbike and dating much younger women. However, if you are between the age of 25 and 30 and you are experiencing that lost feeling of “Is this all?”, you may have more in common with your father than you think.
As a Generation Y (born 1980-2000) coach and consultant, I have met numerous 20- and 30-somethings who share their father’s midlife crisis. Popular psychology calls this the quarterlife crisis, sceptics call it the latest hype for the generation who thinks they deserve a trophy. But it’s more than just hype. 49% of these individuals – mainly young professionals – acknowledge that they suffer from a quarterlife crisis, and I estimate that another 20% don’t even recognise it. More men openly admit having a midlife crisis, and more women admit to a quarterlife crisis. 72% of Gen Y have difficulty making key life decisions. You may still think it’s just hype, but there is a good chance that someone you work with is in the middle of a quarterlife crisis.
Around the age of 30, most young professionals (myself included), start facing the majority of life’s big choices, crammed into just a few years: where to live, whether to buy or rent a house, whether to marry and start a family, or switch to a more fulfilling career. In addition, Generation Y adults are daunted by an enormous range of choices. My sister, who is closer to 40 than 30 (sorry sis!), could only choose between 10 mainstream studies, whereas I, a true Gen Y-er, could choose from over 100 bachelor’s degrees with even more minor options. It’s not easy having such a vast selection, because to choose means to miss out on the other 99 interesting choices.
What’s more, we have already seen so much of the world and have obtained positions within organisations that took our fathers 20 years to earn. Anyone who is familiar with “Maslow’s hierarchy” will instantly recognise that this generation reaches the self-actualisation level of the pyramid at a much earlier stage of life compared to our parents. Our parents told us, “You can achieve anything you want,” and “Find a job that makes you happy.” For once, we listened, and it has made working life a completely different experience for us than it is for the older generations.
We want a job that not only pays the rent, but which is also enjoyable, challenging, which enables us to give back to society and allows us a good work-life balance (which 30-somethings may interpret differently to those in their 40s). We’d prefer all these aspects in one job, but its rarity leads us to volunteer, to set up our own company, or to create a “portfolio” career.
So, are you aged 25-30 and still pining after your dream job? Do you dread evenings spent at home? Does the success of your peers inspire you or make you feel depressed about your own life? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, you might be facing some form of a quarterlife crisis.
Fortunately, organisations only have to implement minor changes to become a more attractive place for the Generation Y. With or without professional assistance, Gen Y-ers can do many things to fast-track their quarterlife crisis and minimise these feelings of uncertainty. Here’s where I come in – watch this space for specific tips and ideas.
At the end of the day, you have an advantage. You are still young enough to change your life.
About N/A N/A
Marjon was born into an entrepreneurial family in a Dutch city next to Rotterdam. She is intrigued by how organisations develop themselves and their people and how an organisational culture is formed. She studied International Business (MsC in Organisation & Management and Human Resource Management) in Tilburg, the Netherlands and Montreal, Canada, and Organisational Psychology in London. After her studies Marjon worked a number of years for Deloitte in the Netherlands. She now runs Excelerate Talent, a HR services organisation that offers coaching, training and consulting services. She also works with individuals to help them develop careers that make them happier and give them fulfilment, meaning and purpose.
