It’s no secret that generational differences can sometimes lead to tension, but there’s also a wealth of wisdom that younger generations can gain from baby boomers. With their more traditional perspective on life, baby boomers offer insights that every young person can benefit from.
Choose People Over Technology
Powell Software writes about baby boomers, “They appreciate direct, face-to-face communication and value hierarchy and structure in organizations.” They aren’t keen on digital technologies replacing human interactions. They find there are so many more benefits that come from having face-to-face conversations, such as a better understanding of what’s expected.
Learn From Failure
Boomers see failure as an opportunity to grow. They can overcome career setbacks and challenges and instead focus on bettering themselves. It shows resilience in adversity and creates an undefeatable manner. Learning from their mistakes can help with progression in both personal and professional aspects of life.
Live Within Your Means
This means being financially responsible and only spending what you have. According to MoneyWise, baby boomers are less likely to spend money on things they don’t need. They write, “Baby boomers… are the most likely to budget and far less likely to fall victim to funky fads.”
Hard Work Pays Off
Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are known for valuing hard work and the rewards it reaps. Ash and Pri relay this further by writing, “This generation (baby boomers) learned that putting in the effort to achieve their goals was the key to success.” A baby boomer will tell you to always persist and dedicate yourself to achieving goals.
Save for the Future
Baby boomers know it’s important to always put money aside for the future. Whether you’re saving for a rainy day or your future house, it’s important to have savings. You may even want to save for retirement, knowing you’ll always be financially secure. It’s easier to save if you have a budgeting plan in place.
Invest in Relationships
If you speak to a baby boomer, they’ll advise you to build strong and personal relationships. Investing time into any important relationship will give you a sense of fulfillment. It highlights the value of having a strong network of friends and family, giving you people to talk to if you need it.
Embrace Change
Boomers have had to adapt to so many different elements of modern-day life, such as technologies, politics, and social changes. Instead of turning their noses up at change, baby boomers chose to use it as a way to learn and grow. This choice has given them an openness to new ideas and experiences.
Invest in Your Education
Boomers have an ongoing need to learn. They’re always wanting to develop their personal and professional skills. This may be because boomers are used to traditional learning methods. Learnsure supports this by writing, “Baby boomers grew up in a time when the educational system was based on rote memorization. They learned best by listening to lectures and completing worksheets.”
Learn From Your Elders
Baby boomers value learning wisdom from elders, which can then help them build on their experiences. They will happily build relationships with those who are older, as it can provide valuable insight into life. It also allows them to understand and respect moments in history that they weren’t alive for.
Recognize the Importance of Community
A baby boomer has no issue getting involved with the local community. They will engage in it and contribute to it; it’s an important part of life. They should be there to support people and also have a sense of belonging. It also strengthens ties with neighbors and local groups, avoiding any disputes that may arise in the future.
Personal Responsibility
Baby boomers are able to own all of their actions, good or bad. This sense of personal responsibility allows them to create a better world. It’s important to learn self-accountability from boomers, as it’s an essential life skill to have, particularly if you want to progress professionally.
Workplace Politics
Adecco writes, “Successful boomers have mastered the fine art of navigating the workplace culture, and their insights and actions can be instructive.” It’s important to understand workplace hierarchies, as it enables you to move more easily through them. A person should be able to understand the protocol of a workplace and its etiquette.
Perseverance
Boomers have the ability to stick to something, even if they don’t enjoy it. That could be a job or a personal project that they want to see through to the end. Completing a task gives a boomer personal and professional development. It’s a great way for a person to understand the value of commitment and determination.
Develop Soft Skills
Boomers aren’t afraid to pick up and answer the phone or call someone, and this can’t always be said for the younger generation. This is backed by BusinessLeader, which writes, “They will also be more accustomed to talking (rather than texting or FaceTime) on the phone with family, clients, and peers. Ongoing communication is key.”
Life Experience
A boomer knows how important it is to appreciate the wisdom that comes from life experiences. Valuing a boomer’s experience in relationships, work, or projects will give the younger generations a way of seeing life differently. The younger generation should be open to learning about different approaches to life.
Be Intentional About Spending
There’s no such thing as spontaneous spending for boomers. Their financial decisions have always been well thought out, and they only make deliberate purchases. For even better financial health, a boomer may even track their spending and plan their expenses so they’re never left without money.
Paying Off Debts
Boomers will always prioritize their debts to ensure they’ll be paid off. Financial freedom is important for them, and they don’t want interest rates eating away at their hard-earned money. A boomer may even come up with a strategic plan to reduce their debts, figuring out how much money they can spare each month.
Planning for the Long Term
A baby boomer will already know when they plan to retire and their long-term financial goals. This may even include investments; for example, NASDAQ writes, “Fixed-income investments like bonds and bond funds are attractive to baby boomers for their stability and income generation.” These types of investments will become crucial for financial security when they retire.
Long-Term Relationships
Boomers know it’s important to commit to relationships, whether they’re personal or professional. A long-term relationship brings stability with it, giving a person a sense of success and fulfillment. Committing to a person in this way also means that they have a level of commitment to you.
The Simple Things
It’s important to enjoy the simple things in life. A boomer’s perspective is that digital technologies and the material elements of life aren’t important. Instead, people should focus on both their physical and mental well-being and take part in hobbies and activities that they love. It’s these pleasures that have the biggest impact on life.
