Millennials just might be the generation most obsessed with personal development. According to a 2015 survey conducted by Field Agent, 94% of adults born between 1981 and 1996 were making commitments to personal development for the New Year. This compares to 84% of baby boomers and 81% of Generation X.
Devotion to the task of growth isn’t the only noteworthy thing about millennials and personal development. They’re doing things their own way, with a whole new set of ideas about the best way to become a self-actualized person. These are the trademarks of how millennials achieve their #bestlifenow.
#Goals and Social Media
If a millennial works out and doesn’t post about it on social media, did it really happen? It could be said that the only thing twenty-somethings love more than making progress on their personal development goals is the chance to post about it online.
More than older generations, Generation Y is using their social media platform for personal accountability and motivation. There’s nothing quite like the feedback of a “like” or “Good job!” in the comments when sharing about a major personal milestone. Plus, researchers say positive feedback on social media feeds into an evolutionary need to build a positive reputation in a social group.
Self-Improvement Begins With Self-Care
Even though it isn’t exactly a new idea, self-care is a millennial obsession, says NPR. Anyone who spends even a couple of hours online each week, surrounded with content focused on mental health, personal wellness and fitness, would confirm that to be true.
Could this fixation with self-care change the generation’s approach to personal development? For millennials, much of personal development begins on the inside, whether that happens on a yoga mat, during a meditation session or in a therapist’s office.
Spend Money to Make Progress
When it comes to growing as an individual, millennials aren’t afraid to put their money where their mouth is. This is much different from previous generations, with Generation Y spending twice as much on self-care and self-improvement products like therapy, life coaching and workout routines, according to Field Agents.
This becomes a problem for millennials at times though as they can be prone to spending more than their budget allows or blowing money time and time again without seeing any lasting change. Most change doesn’t require a guru — it requires a commitment to a new habit day after day.
Paging Dr. Google
While their mothers may have called their own moms to get input on self-care and healthcare practices, millennials are likely to turn to the Internet to find information on how to care for themselves, according to College Student Journal. Forget reading How to Win Friends and Influence People. The real influencers are found online, and they’re telling their entire generation how to be better people. This isn’t always a negative thing, as long as online personalities are able to provide advice that is actually helpful and truthful. However, many influencers aren’t actually experts in the field they’ve chosen to represent, so it’s important to check their credentials!
No matter the approach to self-improvement, it is crucial that adults of all ages avoid getting caught up in the comparison game of living in a digital world. For those who truly want to become their best selves, the standard lies within, not on social media.
