Gen X, Y, Z, Baby Boomers: Are the Labels Worth It? – ElPropósito4 min de lectura

Should we put ourselves in boxes, and what for?

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

I wanted to open my last post with "I’m a millennial", then remembered I’m no fan of labels and decided to write about them. By "labels" I mean the terms we’ve invented to sort people into groups: Gen X, Y and Z, Baby Boomers, Millennials and many more. Even the labels we give children come to mind, like "toddler", and lines such as "well, he’s a toddler", not to mention "well, she’s a Baby Boomer".

Before any label, I think we’re human beings. About 300,000 years have passed since we last evolved into Homo sapiens, with no significant changes since, especially in our bone structure and skeleton. Thankfully, that evolution gave us unique cognitive, emotional and social abilities that set us far apart from the rest of nature, so we’re born with a full toolkit for whatever life brings.

As a coach, I hold firm to the belief that every human being has infinite potential to achieve what they long for, whatever their age. And why box ourselves in when the average lifespan is around 70 to 80 years, a blink next to our last big evolutionary leap? What I firmly believe in is our ability to adapt to the environments we’ll live in, especially the one we’re living in as I write this.

Am I too young? Am I too old? Do I have enough experience? Was I born in the right place? Labels get in the way of unlocking our own potential and of seeing it in others. They’re also part of the beliefs we’ve imposed on ourselves. At two, a toddler is in one of the most wonderful stages of discovery and curiosity of their life, one we should hold on to forever. An 80-year-old Baby Boomer has every bit of potential to give humanity the experience of the thousands of mountains they’ve climbed, their strategies for success, their lessons learned and much more. The rest of humanity sits somewhere between the two, and we can easily learn everything from both.

The challenges we’ve faced throughout history have mattered just as much as today’s, and solving them is still in our hands. Individuals, groups, organizations and companies are all exposed to the sheer speed of change, and our response has to match it or outpace it. The obvious question is: how? Part of the answer starts with respect and self-awareness, recognizing the endless contribution we can keep making to humanity and the change we can make as individuals at any moment, especially when it’s needed.

The next part lies in respecting the intelligence we can draw from everyone we deal with. Today, more than ever, we need a shared sense of belonging that lets us feel at ease and confident making our contribution. Values have to be lived and respected, and visions and purposes have to inspire and challenge. Above all, we have to stay aware that each member’s individual contribution (in an organization, for example) adds up to a unique capability to meet any challenge. That new capability will show in how fast we adapt and change.

Last but not least, knowing the passions that drive us erases any label on the spot. Someone driven by their passions, at any age, will give humanity everything in their power. They’ll make whatever changes it takes to follow what they love, keep a collaborative spirit that lets them keep adapting and always champion respect for others’ contributions, as part of a unique capability you can only build by listening to and respecting the people around you.

Do you want to keep boxing yourself into a generation? What’s the biggest contribution you can keep making to humanity? What’s in your hands to adapt to change? What passion drives you, and how will you keep pursuing it throughout your life?

Warm regards and all the best,

Rodrigo Baccaro

P.S. A bit of what happened in my life this week:

• What I’ve been Reading: Reinventing the Organization. A wonderful book, especially for grasping the scale of the change companies are living through and what they can do to adapt and keep moving forward.
• What I’ve been Viewing: Look for the best in others. A simple yet powerful explanation of the physical and chemical processes in our bodies and how they shape the possibilities we see in life. An interview with the great Mario Alonso Puig.
• Someone I’m following on Twitter: Brené Brown. One of my favorite authors, especially on vulnerability and how to dare, dare greatly and give it everything.

Author: Rodrigo Baccaro

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