
I grew up with opportunity. Believing that I could make a difference in the world. Like many millennials I was told that “anything was possible”, that “I could be whatever I wanted to be, so long as it made me happy” (good parents, I’m aware).
Money was never part of this discussion.
I prided myself on being an individual that would choose emotional, personal fulfilment in my career as opposed to a mega pay packet. If faced with the choice of a dream job at a minimum wage compared to a soulless, meaningless role for a six-figure salary, I would choose the dream job. Every. Time.
One problem. I can’t pay my electricity bill.
I’m not alone. Experts say millennials are driven by personal values, not money. That we want to balance our lifestyle with work, and that we need to feel as if our contribution is valuable to both the company and the world at large.
Clearly, I’m not the only one dreading the electricity bill.
As well as this, the workplace we entered – the one of the future – is not rigid. It’s not the world of yearly reviews in the same company and regular pay rises. It’s the world of new technology. Salary freezes while companies adjust. Moving roles. Changing office environments.
In order to stay ahead (to stay employed even) we need to keep moving, learning, hoping to find a pocket of fulfilment in the process.
Because of this (the unrelenting demands of the electricity companies and our inability to meet them), we're asked:
"Why won't you move out of home?" "Why won't you buy a house." "Why won't you stay in a solid job?"