I am an elder millennial. Born in 1983, I am among the oldest in my age bracket.
Whenever we discuss millennials, many of us use the term interchangeably with “younger people.” But I am less and less convincing as a younger person. I am 31. I am married. I am a father. One might go as far as simply calling me an adult. Especially as popular attention shifts downward from millennials to whatever we call the generation that comes after, the “millennial” moniker becomes less and less relevant. Now, I am just “some guy who writes for a paper and owns a production company.”
As an elder millennial, I am asked more often than I ever thought I would be to speak to groups of younger people about a variety of different things. I have discussed entrepreneurship, writing, exploring various career path, online communications and everything in between.
Theoretically, I have learned some things, and some of those things are helpful to share with eager young audiences (or those assigned to show up by a teacher or professor). I can offer tips on how to prepare for a job interview and how (and how not) to conduct yourself professionally via social media. I have discussed how to (sometimes barely) make a living as a writer, and the best things young students can do to get professional experience before they enter the workforce. I have had some successes and some failures, and I enjoy sharing those “teachable moments” with those who care enough to listen.
The common theme that seems to come up, no matter the topic of the talk, is a simple piece of advice that applies universally — to any profession and to any generation. Be a good person. Make good decisions. Adopt a moral compass and and follow it. Be somebody you would like to meet. Check in with yourself on a regular basis to make sure that you’re coming from a good place. Listen to people. Have a good heart.
A few clarifications come straight to mind. Being a good person doesn’t mean being weak or being a pushover. It is still important to stand for your convictions and to be strong. It is important to be yourself. As a people, we’re often bad at letting folks be who they are, and so we often have to claim that space on our own. Being “good” doesn’t mean getting comfortable, and in fact, it often means the opposite. It is imperative to hear other people, hear opinions that aren’t necessarily your own, and understand perspectives that aren’t familiar or intuitive.
I offer this suggestion because all of the best people I have known, worked with or worked for are good people. They have made it a practice to make good, thoughtful choices. There are so many people who are “business as usual,” so to speak, or who let the pursuit of something external dictate who and how they are. We all know those people, and they bum us out, but it doesn’t stop some of us from stumbling in similar ways.
The allure is understandable. That said, the most fun I have had is with folks who make “realness” a central priority in their lives. It’s from them I have found the most enrichment, the most opportunity.
And adopting this perspective does not mean that you are better than anyone, or that your proverbial poop doesn’t stink. You will stumble and screw up. You’ll say you’re sorry and learn from those circumstances, and you’ll be generous with others who find themselves in the same boat. It has become a tired cliche by now, but failure is how we learn and how we get better. It is how we grow. It is typically followed by dialogue. Growing pains offer sweet returns, and they are most often begotten by failure.
Unfortunately there is no roadmap for this approach, no listicle or step-by-step guide. It exists in no business book and it is an abstract concept, but it is the one I return to when folks seek advice about how to proceed, how to find success and how to find happiness.
Try to make decisions you can be proud of. Have conviction. Be a person you would like to know. Be a good person. It is not a comprehensive guide, but I have found it to be a pretty great place to start.
Alex Steed has written about and engaged in politics since he was a teenager. He’s an owner-partner of a Portland-based content production company and lives with his family, dogs and garden in Cornish.