‘Is That a Milestone or a Mirage?’
The Modern Conundrum for Young People

We recently tapped into our youth panel to explore a topic that’s often debated but rarely quantified: Are young people really “falling behind” in life, or have the goalposts simply shifted? Our aim was to unpack the pressure points and lived realities behind milestones - not because their meaning has changed, but because the circumstances that shape their achievability have.

Because let’s be honest: no matter your age, you’ve probably encountered someone who just doesn’t get your reality. You’ve heard the same tired refrains at family gatherings or from older relatives - “You should really settle down,”, “Why don’t you just get a job?” “You should be saving more by now”… Now imagine an entire generation facing this not once or twice, but constantly - questioned, judged, and misunderstood for falling short of milestones that were shaped in a completely different world.

Today’s youth are not lacking in ambition. Their visions and goals are clear, their efforts are concerted, and their drive is undeniable. But what happens when effort doesn’t always equate to progress? When hard work doesn’t guarantee stability? When systems move slower than dreams, and the cost of living outpaces every attempt to “get ahead”?

It’s no surprise that we’re seeing a generation marked by quiet exhaustion. A little jaded. Highly stressed. Deeply risk-averse. They’re not chasing the wrong things - they’re just doing so in a world that doesn’t play by the same rules it once did.

But the pressure young people feel isn’t only external. Many carry an invisible burden of expectation they’ve internalised - a relentless self-criticism driven by social media, comparisons, and the echoes from family and society’s own expectations. Nearly a quarter say they feel internal pressure even without overt criticism, and it manifests in stress, anxiety, and a profound sense of falling behind. For some, it sparks frustration and anger at the systemic barriers blocking their progress; for others, it fuels a tireless drive to prove themselves - sometimes at the expense of their mental health. This emotional landscape shapes their experience as much as any financial or economic reality.

Despite this relentless push, fewer than 3% of young people feel they are on track - or ahead - in life. The rest are caught in the space between effort and outcome: pushing forward, but rarely arriving.

The Mirage of Milestones

Young people still want the same things their parents and grandparents once did: a place of their own, steady income, a car, a future they can plan for. But when you look closer, it becomes clear just how far out of reach those basics have become for many.

Take housing, for instance - independence is often the first big milestone that signals adulthood. Nearly three-quarters of young people (74.5%) say they want to live in their own place, fully funded, within the next three years. But the reality looks very different - Only 12% currently live alone, while 40% still live with family, and others juggle student or shared accommodation. This isn’t a question of laziness or lack of drive. It’s the economic landscape - where rent prices outpace salaries and affordable options are scarce. Just 26% fully cover their rent, while 34% are still entirely supported by family - a dependency that can feel both like a safety net and a cage. For many, independence is a slow crawl, not a leap.

Mobility, too, reflects this tension. More than 70% of young people plan to buy a car within the next three years, not for show, but for freedom, safety, and to unlock more opportunities. A vehicle isn’t about status - it’s about reliability. The ability to get to work on time. To get home safely. To move through the world on your own terms. But the majority don’t own a car, and many rely on parents, shared rides, or unreliable public transport. Fuel prices, insurance premiums, maintenance, and rising vehicle costs make this milestone feel increasingly out of reach. 

 Income is equally complex. Roughly 31% of youth are in full-time employment, and another 20% work part-time, but that hardly tells the whole story. Behind those stats lies a juggling act of side gigs, informal work, and family support that forms a financial patchwork. Nearly 18% rely on side hustles to survive. Very indicative that this is not from a lack of ambition - in fact, financial independence is the #1 goal for over half (51.5%) of young people over the next three years, but the job market isn’t playing fair. Entry-level roles are scarce. Pay is low. And even those working multiple jobs often find themselves barely breaking even. It’s not just about earning - it’s about earning enough to enable moving forward.

Savings, meanwhile, are often less about long-term growth and more about short-term survival. More than 58% have some form of savings or investment, but these are usually in basic savings accounts. Only a fraction have access to longer-term financial products like retirement plans or fixed deposits. For the majority, saving just 5-10% of their monthly income is a stretch - especially when nearly 19% report having no income at all, and with over 83% are already responsible for their own essential expenses - groceries, rent, utilities – this leaves very little to put away. 

 Insurance tells a similar story. A third of young people have no coverage whatsoever, and among those who do, it’s often minimal funeral plans or entry-level medical aid. It’s not about choosing to live without security - it’s about not being able to afford it. Without access to comprehensive coverage, many are left navigating life without a safety net - living the very high-risk lives they’re trying so hard to avoid. It’s not just about lacking financial products. It’s about lacking protection, certainty, and the peace of mind that previous generations may have taken for granted.

 Across these milestone markers - housing, income, savings, and mobility - the pattern is clear: young people are striving toward the same milestones as generations before, but doing so in a world that demands more, gives less, and rarely waits.

 Now, Layer on the Noise

Now imagine living in that reality, and being constantly surrounded by the very things you can’t afford to access. Imagine brands telling you to upgrade, consume, subscribe, achieve, and “treat yourself” - while you’re figuring out how to split your pay check between data, rent, and dinner.

Brands are certainly not the enemy here - but when marketing is disconnected from lived reality, it can become part of the pressure. Many companies speak to youth as if they’re all empowered, upwardly mobile, and ready to spend - while only a small minority feel they’re even “on track” in life.

It’s not that young people don’t want what is being offered. But constant exposure to what you can’t have - with no roadmap to get there - doesn’t motivate. It quietly erodes confidence. It reinforces scarcity. It becomes a loop of longing.

So where does that leave brands and organisations?

It’s time to reimagine the role you play in young people’s lives - not just as aspirational figures, but as facilitators of progress. Not just selling a lifestyle, but helping them access it. The youth don’t need another end goal to chase - they need partners who meet them where they are, and walk alongside them toward what’s next.

That might mean offering products in more accessible formats, building services around real constraints, or creating pathways that reward effort and stretch budgets further. It could mean designing rewards that don’t just signal success, but support the climb. Or building communities and platforms that reflect real life stages, not idealised ones.

This is a generation working relentlessly toward conventional milestones - but doing so in an environment where the ladder has more rungs, fewer handrails, and increasingly slippery steps. Yet they're not without hope - far from it. But hope alone won’t get you a lease, or a payslip, or a steering wheel.

And so, the question becomes less about what young people want - we already know that - and more about who’s willing to help them get there.

In short: Be part of the journey, not just the finish line. Because the milestones haven’t moved. But everything else around them has.

Written by,
Jessica Lyne
YDx Research Analyst