Opening Insights
One of the most prevalent missing elements within our millennial culture is self-identity.
We see the lack of self-identity in the growing need for young people to “find themselves.” We see this in the millennial’s focus on events – for example, the boy who goes sky diving so he can now say “I am a sky diver.” The millennial generation has become conditioned to “find” their identity outside, instead of within. This is why they grow their egos and lack self-esteem.
Informational Insights
Many millennials have been conditioned to believe that that sky is the limit, however no one has taken the time to teach them that in order to achieve we need to put in the time and the work. Hence, many millennials live in a bubble of expectation waiting for life to happen to them, and only seeing and seeking experiences which are in their limited frame of reference.
There are been many accounts of the over validated generation: where no body is a loser and everybody receives a trophy, even for last place. Many great leaders and visionaries will tell you that they learned the most, not from their successes, but from their fails. Millennials have been conditioned to believe that they should not fail and cannot fail. This disservice has cost the millennial generation their identity.
We all have an identity, our identity is the foundation of our existence.
Humility is the awareness of who we are and who we are not.
Humility allows us to discover and uncover our true self-identity.
When you forget who you are not, your need for growth and improvement are lost.
Those voids become filled with ego. When you remember who you are and who you are not,
you fill your self-identity with wisdom and experience… a real true identity
RICHARD JORGENSEN
We cannot have self-esteem without an identity. We cannot be proud of what we accomplish if we have no value for the foundation, from which we are achieving. For example, if one is living from a place of ego, their identity will be based on illusions and magical thinking, rather than a willingness to discover and learn.
- When our identity is based on our ego, we are unable and unwilling to discover who we are and who we are not.
- When we forget who we are, we live in a state of fear and the illusion of who we are not, and we end up living a life of pretend.
- When we live life from a state of fear we have no sense of self-worth or self-esteem, because we intuitively know we have no identity and our lives are an empty illusion.
- When our identity is based on the 4 Absolutes, we are able to experience who we are and who we are not.
- When we remember who we are and who we are not, our lives are filled it with wisdom and experience and it develops.
We can’t create self-esteem without creating an identity first. Self-esteem is not a result of getting good things.
The Answer to the millennial problem is therefore to support this generation in developing a true self-identity. Simple in theory, yet only achievable with the right collaborative implementation.
In a third party HUD-funded study, The Pocket Wisdom Insights process was implemented and proven to support homeless and institutionalized men and women in developing their own self-identities. Through the PWI process the participants discovered, created and accepted their own / true self-identity – the good, the bad and the ugly.
What was key to this peer driven, collaborative team process was that it supported the participants in accepting their identity. Once the participants accepted their identity, change and improvements could be made. The key was acceptance.
Possibilities for Consideration
This study resulted significant statistical data that showed a long-term sustained increase in self-esteem with a T factor of 95 and a standard deviation greater than 1.
In the final analysis, as we discover who we are we begin to accept and respect the miracle of who we are. We need to help the millennial generation, we need to help those who want help and we need to help those who think they are “killing it.” We need to help the millennial generation for ourselves, our species and our planet.
Take a moment and examine…
- As you reviewed the material above, what stood out to you?
- What is the potential impact, economically and/or socially?
- What action is needed to stop or support this idea?
- You may want to consider whether you:
- want to be aware of,
- should become supportive of,
- would want to be active in this topic?
Add Your Insight
I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Being willing is not enough; we must do.
LEONARDO DA VINCI