Generation Z Is Not Lost

Over the past while, I've had the chance to work with a number of young people from Generation Z, in coaching sessions, psychological counseling, and various events.

Generation Z, often described as the "generation of the sensitive ones" and fragile, tends to be cautious about risk, preferring to stay in their comfort zone and to socialize mostly online. This makes them prone to social and professional anxiety, low self-confidence, and relationship difficulties. On top of all this came the pandemic, which affected every generation socially and relationally.

What I Discovered Through My Direct Experience With Them

Courage
I've been struck by their courage in starting projects and getting involved in volunteer activities purely to learn. The courage to be open and talk about their dreams, about what troubles them, to ask for help, and the courage to start small or large businesses, as well as the courage to keep going and learn from failure.

Curiosity and the desire to grow and push past their own limits
I believe this is their greatest asset, one that will help them get where they want to go.
What I appreciate most about them is that they've become aware of how important education and development are — both personal growth and acquiring the skills needed to reach their goals. And it's not just awareness: they study in their free time, ask themselves questions, and are open to rethinking strategies that aren't working. What's more, they put what they learn into practice, and when it doesn't work out, they learn from their mistakes and keep going.

Ethics and moral principles
Kindness and a desire to contribute to society through what they do — they want to help others through their work.
The ones I've worked with have a well-developed emotional maturity, are aware of the impact they have on others, and want to get involved to make a difference in society. And that fills me with real joy.

What They Need

Listening and encouragement
I've noticed that they often don't truly express themselves, out of fear of being judged and rejected. I do see low confidence in themselves and in their potential — which may explain why they hold back from speaking freely.
That's exactly why they need encouragement and listening. Encouragement to experiment and to express themselves. This is the time in life when they can try out different roles and jobs to discover who they are and what suits them. And when they're encouraged, they're more motivated — for the simple reason that someone believes in them.

Curiosity
Before judging them or putting labels on them, it might help to be curious about their inner world, about how they perceive the outside world, about their aspirations and motivations. Every generation brings a new spirit. With this generation, for instance, I see astonishing creativity, which needs to be challenged and put to constructive use. We can also draw inspiration from them and from the fresh energy they bring.

Guidance
Guidance, not direction. There's already family and social pressure with certain standards and expectations. Add to that the temptations, the role models being promoted, and the sheer volume of information that's no longer filtered or verified.
I've noticed they have fairly high self-awareness, ask themselves questions, analyze things, and are quite organized and disciplined when they have clarity and motivation. That's exactly why they need guidance that helps them see the bigger picture and make their own decisions. They need to know that someone out there understands them, challenges them, and believes in them and their potential.

Patience
As for patience, this is also about other people's patience with them, because their process of discovery and growth is different from that of past generations. So we need to create the environment and space they need to experiment and to help them find their place in society.
They also need to be patient with themselves and to learn to delay gratification. They often want results to appear faster, being used to the instant gratification offered by social media and technology, which makes everything seem easy and accessible. But when it comes to building something, patience is needed to make sure the foundation is solid.

My Message to Them and to Those Around Them

Looking back at myself between the ages of 19 and 25, at how lost and disoriented I was, I realize how much I missed having a guide, a mentor, someone to help me see other perspectives. All I know is that back then my confidence was also on the floor — I blamed every failure on the idea that I wasn't okay, that I wasn't capable, and that I should just settle for what I had, because I didn't deserve more, even though I wanted it.

Along the way, I built up a lot of frustration and stress, looked for answers in many of the wrong places until I found where I belonged, went through failure after failure for years on end, and lost hope more than once.

So, dear ones, I encourage you to believe in yourselves more, to be realistic, to seek out your own answers, to choose the mentor or guide you resonate with, and to keep showing up for the actions and projects you believe in. And if you feel you don't belong where you are, it means that place isn't right for you, and it's time to either build one or keep searching until you find the right one.
Don't let yourselves be discouraged by other people's opinions or by results that are slow to arrive. Learn and work for yourselves and for your own goals. You have resources within you, opportunities at every turn — you just have to act and learn the lesson each experience holds.

I believe in you and in what you want to build for the future. I'm grateful every single time our paths cross, and whenever you need support, you can count on me 🙂

And for those around them, I have this message: support them however you can, and don't impose your own view of life on them. Take them seriously, because they have something to offer. And if you can't help them, don't try to hold them back — let them find their own way.

In closing, I want to say clearly that Generation Z is not lost. In fact, they have every chance of doing things differently!

I'm curious how this message finds you and what experiences you've had with this generation. Or, if you belong to this generation, how does this message land for you, and how are you living through this stage?

With a hug,
Raluca