For Generation Z —born between 1997 and 2012— success isn’t measured in millions of dollars or prestigious titles. It’s measured in emotional balance, life purpose, genuine relationships, and time for themselves. Unlike previous generations who prioritized economic advancement as the core of their aspirations, Gen Z follows a different compass: they want to live well, not just have more.
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A 2024 survey confirms it: 85% of Gen Z youth in the United States say their main goal is to build a life that makes them happy. Only 12% want to be rich, and just 17% aspire to become a boss or hold a high corporate position.
What does “living well” mean to Gen Z?
Based on data collected from more than 4,000 young people ages 12 to 27, these are the dreams that define their vision of the future:
- 79% want to earn enough to live comfortably, not necessarily become millionaires.
- 77% want to have close relationships with friends and family.
- 69% want free time for their hobbies and personal interests.
- 52% value receiving a good education.
- 49% hope to get married or find a life partner.
- 43% dream of having their dream job, and 43% of buying a home.
- 35% aspire to have a meaningful spiritual life, without the need for organized religion.
- 28% want to have children, a significantly lower number compared to previous generations.
- Only 19% want to do community volunteering, and 17% aspire to hold a position of power or status.
This pyramid of aspirations reveals that personal fulfillment, emotional stability, and human relationships rank far above the accumulation of power or wealth.
A generation shaped by introspection
Gen Z is the generation raised during an era of crises: the 2008 recession, the pandemic, climate change, political polarization, and digital anxiety. It’s no coincidence that they prioritize well-being. It’s not about complacency—it’s an emotional survival strategy in an unpredictable world.
And that also makes them more introspective and self-aware: they know what they don’t want to repeat from previous generations. For example, they don’t want to:
- Spend life in a job that drains them.
- Chase social status at the cost of their mental health.
- Start a family due to cultural pressure.
- Become bosses without purpose or business owners lacking values.
What can we learn from their priorities?
Gen Z is not unmotivated. They are redirecting the concept of success toward a more sustainable, human, and realistic model. What they seek is:
- Emotional autonomy: freedom to decide how to live and work without depending on others’ expectations.
- Basic financial security, but not extreme luxury.
- Deep and honest relationships that bring them support and happiness.
- Real free time: they don’t want to sacrifice their personal lives for meaningless productivity.
- A clear purpose, both professionally and socially.
This doesn’t mean they don’t work hard or want to grow. It means they want to do it on their own terms, prioritizing holistic well-being and a sense of community.
Living well is the new success, according to Gen Z
Generation Z is redefining 21st-century life goals. Their rejection of wealth as an ultimate goal is not a sign of apathy, but a critique of the emptiness of traditional success. By focusing their aspirations on emotional health, everyday happiness, human connection, and free time, they are charting a kinder —and perhaps wiser— path for the generations to come.
Listening to them is an opportunity to rethink what it means to live a good life in a world that changes faster than we can predict. And Gen Z, with all their sensitivity, sees it clearly: living well is worth more than having it all.
