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- I began working at 15, and my job has always been a significant part of my identity.
- My Gen Z children have shown me that work doesn’t need to take precedence.
- I sought therapy to explore who I am beyond my professional life.
At the age of 15, I officially entered the workforce. My first role was as part of a cleaning crew. The thrill of receiving my initial paycheck is still vivid in my memory.
As a first-generation American with roots in Kenya through my mother, I grew up hearing stories about our family’s hardships back home. She emphasized that starting work early was essential for earning money that our family would cherish deeply.
My mother instilled in us the value of securing good employment and taught us that hard work is fundamental to achieving success.
As I matured, I pursued more “adult” jobs. Between ages 15 and 18, I worked at various fast-food outlets and retail stores. With each new position came an increase in pay. Unbeknownst to me, this led me to equate job status and salary with personal success.
By age 19, I’d launched my own business assisting independent contractors with their delivery tasks.
The success of this venture became intertwined with how I viewed myself; family and friends frequently shared news about it, further solidifying this connection between identity and achievement.
This entanglement meant that any workplace challenges directly impacted my mood and sense of self-worth—my job had become synonymous with who I was as a person.
The Influence of My Gen Z Children on My Work Perspective
I am the father of five children from Generation Z. As they transitioned into adulthood by graduating high school and entering the workforce, it became clear they held different views on employment than those ingrained in me during childhood.
I often engaged them in discussions about their jobs and future aspirations only to discover their perspectives were markedly distinct from mine; they appeared less emotionally invested than previous generations typically are regarding careers.
Their outlook is refreshingly pragmatic: they view jobs primarily as means for financial stability rather than lifelong commitments or sources of personal fulfillment. They reject the notion that one should toil away for decades just for a chance at enjoying retirement later on (if fortunate enough).
This generation sees work differently—they prioritize living fully over merely existing within corporate structures designed by others’ ambitions. They utilize all available benefits without guilt or concern over being labeled “bad employees.”
Critics from older generations often misinterpret these attitudes as laziness or lackadaisicalness towards career responsibilities; however, I’ve come to understand Gen Z’s approach as one rooted deeply in self-awareness rather than apathy.
