People Raised In The 60s, 70s & 80s Usually Have 9 Life Goals Younger Generations Don't Want Anymore
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock Ideas about a successful life have changed across generations.
People raised in the 60s, 70s, and 80s grew up with social expectations that often encouraged homeownership and long-term sacrifice for the sake of stability. Younger generations have encountered a very different financial and cultural reality, so many are questioning whether those traditional life goals still make sense for them. These broader trends reveal how older and younger people define happiness and success differently.
People raised in the 60s, 70s, and 80s were taught to want 9 things younger generations don't care about:
1. Owning a home
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More than half of Gen Zers have completely given up on saving for a home. It's not just a social shift in life goals and spending values, but also a financial barrier that many young people today can't overcome.
They're more interested in micro-experiences and investing in their lives right now than saving for homes or settling down in the same way their parents and grandparents did. Even family heirlooms are staying with older generations, as Gen Zers lose the space in their homes and the interest in holding onto material things forever.
It's not always survival, but a choice to invest in variety, flexibility, and access that people who make the decision to invest in homes don't always have.
2. Settling down and having children
Relationship expectations are shifting. Traditional life milestones and timelines are changing. Gen Zers are challenging the kinds of social norms that were once expected without question and carving their own path into the future. Of course, plenty of young people are still getting married and having kids, but even more are changing their tune.
Whether it's leaning into casual relationships, choosing to be single, or pushing off having children until later in life, their existence is a reminder that you can make your own decisions. For some, settling down is a goal. For others, it's just an expectation they're tired of feeling pressured into.
3. Climbing the corporate ladder
Most Gen Zers today aren't interested in climbing the corporate ladder, especially if it means spending years seeking promotions, status, and advancement within the same company. Compared to older generations who often wore company loyalty as a badge of honor, they're less likely to view an impressive title or higher position as the clearest sign of career success.
They don't necessarily want their jobs to become their entire identity. Instead of constantly striving for the next promotion, many prioritize purpose, personal fulfillment, and having enough time for a life outside of work.
4. Having a big, expensive wedding
In addition to delaying marriage until later in life, many young people are less interested in overspending on a wedding for the sake of tradition. They'd prefer to spend on experiences and investments, especially in the current landscape where financial barriers are growing steeper.
Even lab-grown diamonds and nontraditional wedding rings are becoming more popular among young people who'd prefer to save and choose where they spend their money, rather than simply overspending to fall in line with traditional expectations.
5. Keeping a steady 9-to-5 job
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For many older generations, having a steady 9-to-5 job offered the predictability and security they wanted. A reliable schedule, consistent paycheck, and long-term position could feel more important than having control over when, where, or how they worked.
Many Gen Zers still value job security, but they're less willing to sacrifice flexibility to get it. They often prefer hybrid schedules, remote opportunities, and the freedom to change roles or careers when a traditional job no longer fits their needs. Predictability may be appealing, but not when it comes at the expense of their personal time or happiness.
6. Sacrificing experiences to save for retirement
Only around 20% of Gen Zers are currently saving for retirement, with many already living paycheck to paycheck and not putting extra money into savings accounts. For so many, it's not a choice, but a method of survival. However, it's also true that many Gen Zers' investment in micro-experiences reflects their valuing of the present moment.
Rather than sacrificing their well-being, happiness, and comfort right now to save and put away money, many would prefer to live in the present moment. Of course, there are all kinds of debates about how responsible and financially literate these choices are, but they play into how Gen Z spends their time and money.
7. Overworking now in hopes of having more freedom later
Many people in older generations were taught to view long hours and personal sacrifice as proof of a strong work ethic. They wear burnout as a badge of honor at their own expense. They were taught that working long hours and postponing personal freedom would eventually earn them a more comfortable life. Younger workers are less willing to endure years of burnout in exchange for the promise that their sacrifices may pay off later.
They want to work for flexibility later in life and prove their work ethic, and younger generations couldn't be more different. It's not that they don't work hard. It's that they're not willing to overwork themselves to exhaustion time and time again for companies that don't support them.
8. Building their lives around where they work
Many people raised in earlier generations were encouraged to build their lives around stable, location-based jobs. Whether that's living close to work to reduce commute time or shifting around their personal routines to overwork themselves professionally, their priorities couldn't be more different from Gen Z's.
Not only are Gen Zers more willing to travel, but they're also more likely to commute for the right jobs and opportunities. They work to live, and if that means renting somewhere fun and commuting longer distances, they're willing to make those concessions.
9. Staying in the same relationship no matter what
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The hustle mentality of the 60s and 70s doesn't just apply to work. There are also plenty of people who believe that you have to tolerate misbehavior and suffer now to reap the benefits of that resilience later. However, sticking in the wrong relationship and wasting time with the wrong people isn't something to be proud of.
That’s part of why some Gen Zers may be less willing to preserve a relationship solely because it has lasted a long time. Tolerating something that comes at the expense of their well-being isn't something they do with pride, whether that’s at work or in their personal lives.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
