There is a quiet sadness beneath the ambition of the young. You see it in their eyes during job interviews, in the restless way they shift during meetings, in the silence after being praised.
They are not lazy. They are not broken. They are not entitled.
They are simply… unsure.
They were told to chase dreams, but no one showed them how to wake up.
They arrive in our companies with bright degrees, clever minds, and hearts that beat with urgency.
They say they want meaning. They want to make an impact. They want to change the world.
And yet, after a few months, they are disillusioned.
The beanbags are comfortable. The coffee is free. The values are printed on the wall.
But something still feels empty.
They were promised the summit. No one told them about the mountain.
The Four Winds That Shaped Them
There are four invisible forces that shaped this generation. To lead them, you must first understand them.
1. The Storm of Parenting
Many were raised with beautiful intentions, but dangerous illusions.
They were told they were special, always. That wanting was deserving. That failing was unfair.
Their trophies came not from triumph, but from attendance.
And so they grew up believing life would hand them greatness the moment they asked for it.
Then the real world appeared — silent, indifferent, steep — and they were unprepared for the climb.
2. The Spell of the Screen
There is a substance that flows through their veins, though you cannot see it.
It is called dopamine.
It is summoned by likes, triggered by notifications, and fed by swipes.
They have been raised in a world where silence is suspicious, and boredom is unbearable.
When they feel pain, they do not reach for people. They reach for devices.
Their screens have become their closest friends — always near, always glowing, always empty.
3. The Curse of Now
Everything comes quickly.
Groceries arrive in an hour. Series stream in full seasons. Love is gamified by thumbs and swipes.
They have forgotten — or never learned — that the most beautiful things in life require time.
Purpose is not downloaded. Trust is not delivered.
You cannot click your way to meaning.
And so they grow impatient with careers, with relationships, even with themselves.
4. The Coldness of the System
We bring them into our companies, but we do not welcome their souls.
We demand results, but forget to offer mentorship.
We measure performance, but neglect to nurture character.
They arrive hungry for guidance, for human connection, for a sense that they matter — not just for what they produce, but for who they are.
And when they do not find it, they turn inward. They doubt themselves. They wonder what is broken.
They do not know the system was never built for them.
And we — the leaders — remain silent.
How Do We Help Them Find the Summit?
Do not lecture. Do not criticize. Do not demand resilience from those who were never taught how to fall.
Instead, offer presence. Model patience. Be the quiet guide who has walked the mountain many times before.
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Remove the phone from the table, so they remember the sacredness of a conversation.
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Ask about their father, not just their forecast.
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Teach them that deep relationships are grown slowly, not found instantly.
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Praise their effort, not just their outcomes.
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Remind them that the summit is real, but the climb cannot be skipped.
They are not entitled. They are searching.
And the truth is — aren’t we all?
The world has changed. Attention is currency. Solitude is rare. Meaning is harder to find.
But still, the mountain waits.
And with it, the quiet fulfillment that only comes to those who walk — not scroll — toward something greater than themselves.
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