Ange, 32, used to have a clear idea of what “having it all” meant: a stable corporate job, a decent-size wedding, a house, and the ability to buy nice material goods every so often.
But, like many young people, Ange has found that checking all of these boxes has felt less and less possible. She no longer works a nine-to-five, opting instead to use her skills as a freelance consultant in experiential marketing. (Ange is going by just her first name to speak freely about her experiences).
“It’s going to be a longer run for me, since I am not relying on a corporate salary, to get to the life I dream to have. But I’m thankful my career can’t be replaced by AI,” Ange says. “Having side quests and being fractional professionals is how me and my friends have been building a future to ‘having it all’ and subside the effects of rising cost of living.”
Truly having it all might have always been an illusion, especially since many people in society have to live in a system that works against them. But AI disruption, the cost-of-living crisis, political strife, and more have threatened the idea of reaching even some semblance of it.
Young people have long faced claims of being lazy and disillusioned, but millennials and Gen Z are contending with a mix of complicated, formidable challenges, including a pile of debt. Take a 2026 Deloitte survey, in which 55% of Gen Z and 52% of millennials said they are delaying making big life decisions, such as starting a family or business, because of finances. In both age groups, 37% of people reported struggling to pay all their expenses each month, while 47% said they live paycheck to paycheck.
So is the disillusionment just a response to the reality in front of them?
“I do not think today’s workplace disillusionment should automatically be interpreted as declining work ethic,” says Stephanie Bilderback, assistant professor of management at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. “In many cases, it is a rational reassessment of the return employees receive on their investment in work.”
For some, that reassessment has effectively squashed their dreams of owning a three-bedroom home with a white-picket fence, two kids, and a dog. As Ange puts it: “I’ve long detached from the systemic paths a capitalistic society has shoved onto us, especially women.”
AI’s impact
The past three to four years have seen an explosion of AI-powered advancements, and its effect on workers—and potentially, their hopes for the future—could not be overstated.
Everything from AI chatbots to program-based tools have become common across the workplace. The shift has led people to worry about job security and how to use AI in their work, potentially at their employer’s insistence or without appropriate training. Some employees have already faced layoffs because of the technology, with companies like Block, Snap, and Cisco attributing AI investment as the reason for mass layoffs.
Caitlin Luetger-Schlewitt, a lecturer in leadership and career readiness at North Central College in Illinois, says her students voice “concern over the way in which companies are using AI to track performance and output to justify layoffs and influence performance reviews and salary.”
Dev, a 33-year-old software engineer, believes “economic disparity will widen due to AI and the advantages certain groups of people will gain through it.” Dev, who is employed full time, believes he will have to increase the number of hours he works at some point if he wants to ever be financially independent. (Dev has also chosen to go by just his first name to speak freely about his experience without professional consequence.)
“One of the most important questions for organizations is whether AI becomes a tool that increases human capability or another source of pressure requiring employees to produce more, faster, with fewer resources,” Bilderback says. “If AI simply raises expectations without improving employees’ working lives, it may accelerate rather than solve disillusionment with corporate careers.”
The cost-of-living crisis
Having it all is hard when you can’t afford to have even some of it.
In 2024, nearly half (45.5%) of U.S. households didn’t earn enough money to cover even their basics, according to research published in May by the Brookings Institution. The figure rose to 55% when looking just at households of color. The overall number of households able to make ends meet has dropped by 10% following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decline in affordability is not from a lack of hustling. According to the Economic Policy Institute, worker productivity has increased 93.2% since 1979, but hourly pay has risen only 33.7%. Instead, factors like high inflation, growing income inequality, political strife, and healthcare expenses have all contributed to making life less affordable for many Americans. Some, like Ange, rely on side gigs and additional income streams to get by.
While individuals working in cities might receive higher incomes, the sky-high costs of living in such locations can add to the stress. Take Natalie Zisa, 31, who used to think having it all meant both a fulfilling career and time for the things she enjoys most. The New York City-based freelance event producer now sees her job as a means to an end: a nice apartment, a social life, and traveling.
“I intend to keep it that way for as long as I can, but the cost of living is, of course, a concern,” she says. “Do I want to own a home one day? Sure. But I also don’t know when I want to leave New York City. As of right now, I don’t know how to stay in New York City, live in a bigger apartment with amenities, have a successful career, and eventually have kids.”
Bilderback notes that a cost-of-living crisis can also highlight how little employees are getting for their efforts.
“When people feel financially secure, they may tolerate more uncertainty or invest years pursuing a long-term career payoff,” she says. “When people feel financially squeezed, the question becomes much more immediate: What am I getting in exchange for the time, energy, stress, and opportunity cost this career requires?”
The state of the world makes having kids feel less feasible
While it’s becoming more acceptable to simply not want to raise children, many people are forgoing something they may have previously considered a natural part of having it all due to concerns around quality of life and finances. As Zisa explains, she doesn’t know how she would be able to live the life she wants and afford having kids.
In a 2024 survey by the Pew Research Center, 43% of adults ages 18 to 39 cited “concerns about the state of the world” as a reason they would likely not have children. In comparison, just 25% of people in their forties and 13% of people older than 50 cited the same reason for why they didn’t have children.
For Dev and Ange, who are both in their early thirties, having children doesn’t feel possible.
“I’m personally looking at scaling back on what it means to have it all. For example, having a family would be a harder decision financially and, as a result, I have settled on not having one,” says Dev.
Ange isn’t as resolute, but feels like she can’t even “entertain” the idea of having children anytime soon. “I can’t fathom bringing more kids into this world when many safe havens are crumbling,” she says.
What is today’s version of having it all?
As things stand, the pared-down version of having it all depends on a person’s priorities.
To Dev, having it all means being financially secure enough to do some travel, eat out sometimes, and enjoy his hobbies. It also means spending time with loved ones and that they can also live comfortably. For Zisa, it’s about having “authority” over her time.
Ange sees it as a bit of both. As the “eldest immigrant daughter,” she wants to make enough money to let her parents retire and to be able to support her siblings. For herself, Ange wants “the freedom and time to just be human [and] enjoy the slow moments.” She wants to eventually have a garden in her home, another important part of her version.
To determine your own path, Luetger-Schlewitt suggests assessing your values to see what you really want and what you can live without. “Go into it with the understanding and expectation that your needs and preferences will likely change over the course of your life,” she says. “Understanding your baseline here can help you pursue aligned opportunities.”
Bilderback takes the consideration a step further. “I think the idea of ‘having it all’ is being replaced by a much more fundamental question for workers: Is the traditional definition of professional success actually worth what it requires me to give up?” She believes that people are now focusing much less on that traditional path of hustle now, enjoy later.
“That does not represent the death of ambition,” Bilderback says. “It represents a changing definition of what ambition is for.”
