Mikolaj's Monday Maunder - The lost generation

Inspiration and lessons for your leadership journey!

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“Managers accustomed to using certain practices to engage boomers are going to have to change their ways - and practices - if they hope to engage and retain the newest heavily scrutinized employee cohort, the millennials."
~ Jay Gilbert ~

Today's featured video/poem, The Lost Generation (1:45), by Jonathan Reed from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, won second prize in the AARP's U@50 video contest.

The contest, launched in August 2007 on YouTube, gave people between the ages of 18 and 30 the chance to submit short videos on the subject of what they expect their lives to be like at age 50.

The goal of the U@50 Challenge was to encourage intergenerational dialogue enabling young people to speak their minds and give AARP insight into their views. More than 50 videos were submitted from across the country and from these. The five top videos were selected by a panel of judges.

Jonathan's ingenious work was inspired by a 2006 advertisement for Argentinean presidential candidate Ricardo Lopez Murphy called “The Truth,” which won a Silver Lion award at the Cannes Film Festival.

I provide the full palindrome poem (both forwards and backwards) below after the YouTube of the poem.  I hope it both informs and inspires you (both goals of this blog) as a leader of the new millennials.

Remember this week's affirmations after that.

The Lost Generation

I am part of a lost generation
and I refuse to believe that
I can change the world
I realize this may be a shock but
“Happiness comes from within.”
is a lie, and
“Money will make me happy.”
So in 30 years I will tell my children
they are not the most important thing in my life
My employer will know that
I have my priorities straight because
work
is more important than
family
I tell you this
Once upon a time
Families stayed together
but this will not be true in my era
This is a quick fix society
Experts tell me
30 years from now, I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce
I do not concede that
I will live in a country of my own making
In the future
Environmental destruction will be the norm
No longer can it be said that
My peers and I care about this earth
It will be evident that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic
It is foolish to presume that
There is hope.

And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it...

There is hope.
It is foolish to presume that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic
It will be evident that
My peers and I care about this earth
No longer can it be said that
Environmental destruction will be the norm
In the future
I will live in a country of my own making
I do not concede that
30 years from now, I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce
Experts tell me
This is a quick fix society
but this will not be true in my era
Families stayed together
Once upon a time
I tell you this
family
is more important than
work
I have my priorities straight because
My employer will know that
they are not the most important thing in my life
So in 30 years I will tell my children
“Money will make me happy.”
is a lie, and
“Happiness comes from within.”
I realize this may be a shock but
I can change the world
and I refuse to believe that
I am part of a lost generation

This Week's Affirmations
(Repeat these quietly to yourself multiple times throughout the day.)

I have hope.

I inspire hope in others.

I understand that work may not be the most important thing to some people.

My happiness comes from within.

I can change the world.

Have an amazing journey today!

Alan

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