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I don’t know squat about today’s Generation X & Y work tendencies.

Our oldest daughter Jordan is part of Generation Y and I say again, I don’t know squat about Generation X & Y work tendencies.

Jordan is smart, beautiful, and driven (just like her mother and my wife of 25 years). She is a 4.0 GPA Honors College student attending college as only 1 of 2 students to receive a prestigious academic and leadership scholarship.

Jordan also works around 25 hours a week at a fitness club. She knows how to clean-up urine and vomit stains and say “Yes Sir and Yes Mam” to the wealthy men and women with southern accents that reserve the indoor tennis courts on an 81 degree day.

We love her and want her to be happy in her work as she leaves college and joins our global work force.

Jordan Newell Scott

Sometimes myself and other 45 year-old men who wear our designer jeans waistline above our soft belly buttons are asked to present our observations of Generation X/Y in the work place.

2008 Presentation

I’ve also conducted interviews and participated in seminars with other internet personalities where, with some of them, we discussed Generation X & Y in the work place.

Interviews + Seminars

If you are of the Generation X or Y persuasion and you’re making the life + work design choices today that will impact you for years to come, I have something to say:

• Be happy, but be accountable. Create the work you love. Do this work until you can’t anymore. And then don’t, knowingly, hurt anyone in the process. Remember you have the right to be happy, but you will never be happy if you don’t honor the decisions you make that will impact others depending on you.
  
• Gain a long-term perspective by having a sense of urgency. Don’t sweat-it if you don’t have a 100% warm fuzzy on what you should do for your ideal work. It’s not that you don’t have direction, you just don’t have a ton of life experience yet. Truth is, you only get to discover by making incremental adjustments to work experiences over time. Get busy on doing the work that matters today. Experience will be your guide.
  
• Become independent as soon as possible. I don’t care what people my age say: almost everyone wants to work for themselves and control their own destiny. Fear, not talent, is the limiting reason why most of you will not create your own business that is a reflection of your purpose on this earth. We are never really taught to overcome fear at any age, so I recommend you read and apply Stephen Pressfield, The War of Art and you will have read the definitive guide on overcoming resistance and fear in your work life.
  
• Confirm your purpose and your life’s work will find you. Your purpose in life is to uncover your purpose in life. Your statue of limitations to uncover this truth is death. Be quick about it.
  

If you are a Boomer, will you please offer your Generation X & Y work guidance by providing your comments below?

If you are a Generation X & Y rock star, will you have an open-mind and listen to our guidance about helping you to a happy work + life design?

Since I’m not sending you the occasional rent money to make ends meet or tearing up every time I meet you at The Portland Airport when you put your arm in my arm as we walk to baggage claim together…you may want to check my guidance with your own loving father.

We want and need you to be happy, most of all.