Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X & Boomers Have Completely Different Ideas Of What Struggle Looks Like
Media_Photos / Shutterstock What's considered a real struggle to one generation might seem like just another part of life to another, while challenges the older generations never had to think about can be overwhelming for some young people.
The truth is, every generation is shaped by the circumstances its members grew up in. Technology and the economy influence what people see as hard and what they think should just be dealt with. That doesn't necessarily make one generation tougher than another, however. It does illustrate how they truly live in different worlds even just decades apart.
Each generation views struggle differently:
Boomers believe success in anything requires struggle, and the greater the misery, the bigger the reward.
Boomers were known to put in the hours and expect very little to come easily to them. They worked hard, and it sort of became their defining trait.
They didn't enjoy staying in jobs or situations they hated, but they did it anyway. There was a strong belief that if they kept showing up and stayed patient, everything would eventually fall into place, even if that wasn't always the case.
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That mindset is why many boomers find it hard to relate to the complaints of younger generations, especially about convenience or instant gratification. If you mention having to wait a few days for something, you're likely to get a laugh or an eye roll. Compared to what they remember, these situations are hardly considered problems.
To Gen X, struggle looks like instability and dealing with things without help.
This generation is most concerned about whether they can continue going when they know no one is coming to rescue them. The mental and physical burden of carrying heavy responsibilities on their own is so much harder than dealing with life's daily stressors. Raising kids while also caring for aging parents, and silently shouldering financial pressure all fit their idea of a true struggle.
As a result, Gen X doesn't have an easy time relating to challenges that are more mental or emotional in nature. They're much less likely to see a temporary inconvenience as a major hardship because, in their minds, it's always been about weathering long-term uncertainty and finding some way to make it work.
Millennials see struggle as trying to build a life in a world that keeps changing the rules.
This generation grew up being told that going to college and getting a good job would set them up for life. Unfortunately, once they became adults, they were facing a very different reality.
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Student loan debt, a ridiculous housing market, an unpredictable job market, and the feeling of milestones getting pushed further and further away are real struggles for millennials. Even when they're working just as hard as previous generations, it doesn't always get them as far.
Struggle, according to Gen Z, is feeling like you can never keep up.
Gen Z has watched major world events and rapid changes unfolding all around them, which heavily shaped the way they think about the future. They can no longer assume that things will naturally work out, so many have learned to question whether the old definition of success still applies.
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Their idea of struggle often includes things like rising living costs and the feeling of being constantly connected but never fully caught up. They are also more likely to consider mental health and emotional well-being as elements of hardship. When Gen Z is struggling, they don't just push through. They acknowledge when something isn't working and try to change it.
Kayla Asbach is a writer with a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Florida. She covers relationships, psychology, self-help, pop culture, and human interest topics.
