Failure

I've been studying up on my generation lately. Millennials, we're called. And I'm smack-dab in the middle of the range. No one can argue the true blue Millennial blood flowing through these veins. And reading about all the cool things that define the Millennials has actually made the prospect of being 23 not as terrible as I originally thought it was.

Here are some things I know so far:

We're fast. Super multi-taskers who live and breathe multimedia.

We're smart, talented, and optimistic. We believe we can change the world, and we see the government as a partner.

We're diverse and liberal. Even at a time when 55% of the country was against gay marriage, more than 50% of our generation supported it.

We like our parents. Mainly because they did a damn good job raising us in a very child-centric environment. We're products of incessant love and coddling, leading us to believe we're special and unique.

We're confident. A product from the previous point, we're serious in our belief of our own potential.

We have high expectations. We expect companies to treat us well, pay us well, and do good things for society. We expect our bosses and leaders to be strong role models. And we expect that we can find the solution.

Don't we sound great? The Millennials. High-power, optimistic people who have great hopes for ourselves and the world. But here's the catch - with all this hopefulness and specialness and optimism, do we know how to handle failure?

The particular article that brought my attention to the Millennial Generation seemed to think we can't. It was a columnist for the Star Tribune, who proclaimed that Millennials are poorly equipped to handle the demands of a difficult workplace. Basically, our failure will bring us back down to size.

First, I'm not even going to spend time pointing out the obvious wet-blanketing that's going on here. Just because a cynical generation (Gen X) is unsettled by our (sometimes blind) optimism, doesn't mean we are inevitably doomed to fail.

But he does bring up an interesting point. When we encounter small failures, are we equipped to handle them? Will the small blows upset our fragile ego to the point of ineffectiveness? Are we destined to try, fail, quit, and move on until we give up and settle?

I began taking a look around my house last night with a critical eye. What I saw disturbed me - remnants of failed attempts to define my excellence. A wasteland of old portfolios, writings, photos, trophies, and plaques. So many things I tried and was "good" at. So many activities at which I could succeed, but never excel.

So instead of sticking it out, what have I done? I've quit. I've tried something new. I've succeeded. I've failed to excel. And I've moved on.

Again I find myself on the verge of repeating this cycle. After 6 weeks of comedy, I can see I have skill. I can write material quickly, and when it's good, I can tell it well. I can make people laugh.

But what do I see? I see myself surrounded by people who can do the exact same thing. Who can write new material, and who write and tell it better than I do. Who succeed, but who are more successful than I.

Naturally, I find myself wanting to flee. I do not want to be mediocre at one more activity. Why can't I just take the stage and immediately shine?

I am impatient. Another trait of the Millennials. But is this situation unique to me or characteristic of my generation?

For my part, I'm inclined to think it's a bit of both. I can acknowledge that my ego and insecurities may exceed that of many of my peers, that as a first grandchild I was coddled more than the rest, that I was always the smart kid, and that I have always expected success beyond my wildest dreams. I am a Millennial, for sure. But I am Millennial at its worst.

Because I have been able to recognize this, I refuse to give up. I vow to work harder and to commit to the work it will take to excel. And in the face of failures like last night, I will stand up, brush myself off, and try again.

After all, it's got to be better tomorrow, right? (There's that optimism again...)