ArcaMax

For millennials and Gen Z, life is mediocre. Whatever we label the drive for overachievement -- the hustle, the grind, or paying your dues -- we've found that it doesn't necessarily lead to success. Especially if we've redefined what that looks like for us.

It's not just about money. Working 40, 50, or even 60 hours a week with one or two jobs might pay rent, but good luck buying a home without a six-figure salary or family wealth. The American dream isn't just out of reach -- it's a punchline to the joke of the world that has been left for us.

There's no budgeting advice boomers can give us because none of the advice that worked for them can work for us. You can't buy a "starter house" when that house costs $500K and you're making $50K or less a year. You can't save when you're hit with a $1,000 medical bill or a $2,000 car repair bill.

We've also seen what chasing promotions and putting in overtime does. We watched our parents sacrifice their mental and physical health for jobs that wouldn't think twice before laying them off. For us, burnout isn't a rite of passage. It's a warning sign.

Growing up, millennials like me heard it constantly: "Just work hard, and you'll build a good life." It was the backbone of the American dream. But somewhere along the line, the math stopped adding up. Now, with Gen Z stepping into adulthood, both our generations are questioning that tired equation. The truth is, it's not that we're unwilling to work hard -- it's that we're unwilling to work hard for a mediocre life.

Older generations grew up in a time when a steady job could secure a comfortable home, pay off a modest student loan, and provide a solid retirement. But that's not our reality. Stagnant wages, skyrocketing housing costs, student debt, health care expenses, and job precarity are all part of the current landscape.

But it's not just the financial reality that's changed; our values have shifted too. We crave meaning and balance. The thing is, other generations did too. They just weren't able to reach it working at the pace that they did to ensure that maybe, one day, we could. (Perhaps someday we'll find some more gratitude for that.)

That's not to say we don't dream big. We still aspire to own homes, raise families, and find fulfillment in our careers. But it's not necessarily about the corner office or a 30-year mortgage. It's about creating a life that aligns with peace, community, friends, and family. It's a life that we can love without being too drained to enjoy it.

Older generations may struggle to understand this shift. Empathy goes a long way here. We're not rejecting hard work. We're rejecting the idea that our value is tied to our productivity. And if refusing to burn ourselves out for scraps makes us seem lazy, then so be it.

We're not lazy -- we're just tired of playing a rigged game. Maybe it's time to stop blaming younger generations for refusing to settle and start asking why the game is so broken in the first place.

Cassie McClure is a writer, millennial, and unapologetic fan of the Oxford comma. She can be contacted at cassie@mcclurepublications.com. To learn more about Cassie McClure and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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