The Mental Challenges Facing Modern Youth | Aizhan Seraly | TEDxQuantum STEM Youth

Our generation often hears that we are lazy, procrastinate, have mixed-up priorities, and lack action. While there might be some generational aspects, the situation is far more complex. Our generation faces unique fears unprecedented in previous eras. When I graduated university, despite being a top student, I felt lost about my life's direction. "What are your passions?" and "Follow your dreams" felt overwhelming; my dreams seemed too big, and I doubted my capabilities. I spent my twenties experimenting, feeling lost, a sentiment shared by many peers. They worried about investing time, money, and effort into something that might not serve them, making it hard to guess the right path. Action is how we discover ourselves, but it involves mistakes, failure, and embarrassment. Older generations understand this through experience. However, our generation, growing up with smartphones and social media since childhood, faces a different reality. Born in 1995, I witnessed the shift from an offline childhood to constant online exposure. Our developing brains were exposed to unrealistic expectations, constant comparison with random people, and the notion that mistakes are permanent. This impacts our fears and ability to act confidently. While many in our generation are successful, a Harvard study of 700 young adults (18-25) found that half felt anxious and unsure about their lives. This widespread hesitancy stems from our upbringing. We feel constantly watched due to social media, an illusion our young brains perceive as reality, making us feel exposed and public. Unlike previous generations who compared themselves to a few local peers, we compare ourselves to the entire world 24/7 through filtered highlight reels and numerical metrics (likes, comments) that dictate success or failure. Jonathan Height in "The Anxious Generation" notes that a child can process thousands of data points and hundreds of social media posts in an hour, each with numerical feedback, making social media the ultimate conformity engine. When perfection is the standard, trying new things and being bad at them becomes terrifying. Moreover, mistakes, once forgotten, are now permanent online, stored on clouds, capable of going viral, and leading to public shaming. We've seen athletes receive death threats and public figures lose careers over past statements. This teaches us extreme caution. Teenagers learn to curate an online brand strategically, killing experimentation essential for identity formation. Layered with increasing competition and pressure to achieve early, coupled with seeing "overnight success stories" online, we often give up before even trying, thinking, "Why try if I won't be great?" Mental health statistics show a significant rise in depression and anxiety among teens and young adults after 2010, coinciding with the generation born after 1995 reaching puberty and widespread social media use. The traditional "just do it" approach no longer resonates. Instead, we need new ways to motivate younger individuals. A talented young client of mine feared not failure itself, but how she would *look* if she failed. Similarly, I once feared immediate failure and what it would say about me. The solution isn't more pressure; it's to lower the stakes and allow ourselves to "play" again. If nobody was watching and results didn't matter, what would you try? Childhood play, a low-stakes way to form identity, has been replaced by young adulthood treated like a performance. Shifting from "this mistake will define me" to "let me see how this goes" can change everything. Secondly, failure needs a rebrand. If you knew you were 10 failures away from your dream success, you'd chase failure. Failure is data, knowledge, and evidence of confidence and resilience. It's a step closer to success. Thirdly, belief and identity work are crucial. Beliefs are a choice. Realizing this allows us to change our reality by choosing what to believe. Catch negative thoughts like "I'm not good enough," and replace them with affirmations. Identity work involves shifting self-perception, e.g., instead of "I have to go to the gym," say, "I'm the kind of person that goes to the gym." This intrinsic motivation persists even if you miss a day. Finally, focus on progress over outcomes. Break big goals into small, manageable steps. Our brains, wired for survival, fear big uncertainties. Stacking small wins builds confidence. Instead of aiming to build an online brand, post once. Instead of figuring out your entire life, explore one interest. Confidence doesn't precede action; it comes *through* action. Through action, we discover ourselves and our path.