I want it NOW, Daddy!

Ask almost any Baby Boomer (except maybe @SimonSinek) to describe a millennial in one Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory character and you will likely hear enthusiastically shouting "Verruca Salt." (I'm talking Circa 1971, although kudos @JohnnyDepp for pulling off yet another creepy role as someone a few Coo Coo's shy of a clock)

Back to Verruca. This spoiled, snobbish daddy's little rich girl eventually got what was coming to her. She was sucked down and trash shoot while having a very musical temper tantrum about a golden egg. Although I am not condemning the shady practices of Wonka, nor am I condoning the actions of Ms. Salt. I do however, recognize the paradigm shift that has occurred in the largest generation which is now situated to take over the planet.

As with any socio-political shift there are extremes as the pendulum swings the other way, and the torch is passed down.

In her book “Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled and More Miserable,” Dr. Jean Twenge addresses the issues entitlement that many Baby Boomers have identified as a millennial problem.

“Growing up they were told they were special and could be anything they wanted to be.”

Well hold up there Dr. I don't doubt the research and we are all aware that handing out trophies for last place is more of an insult than a prize, and yes this did produce an unrealistic view of the world for many, however let's not go squashing their dreams, let's arm them with the tools to correct their trajectory.

I want to make two arguments here; One, let's not lose sight of the fact that the ones who are blaming millennials for being entitled narcissists, are the exact people who raised them, giving them participation trophies and telling them they can be anything they want to be. However, Millennials, the responsibility boat is all yours, row it! You may not like the hand you were dealt, however it's yours so you better make the best of it.

Which brings me to the second point I would like to make; Boomers, I am aware that millennials are coming into your work place where you worked very hard for many years to earn that corner office, and they disrupting the way things have always been. But that doesn't mean that their "Dream big, Implement now!" approach is all wrong. Let's all remember that Boomers grew up with newspaper, snail mail and the TV Guide. It was slow and methodical, pre-programmed and spoon fed. This generation grew up with land-lines and MTV. However one of the greatest strengths of the Millennial generation is their ability to adapt. They have seen dial-up and decided they wanted more. So thanks to many Millennials, you sir Boomer, can check your email and update your Facebook, Pin It, and get your Group-on On all in the blink of an eye.

So Thank you Zuck, Ben Silbermann and Evan Sharp, and Andrew Mason for being millennials, and proving to the Boomers that you can be anything you want to be. The process is the same, dream-big, be nay-slayers, work hard, fall down, get back up, lather, rinse, repeat.

You can have whatever you want, in fact you get what you want most... Wanna know how? Read the next post in the Universal Truths series "You Get That Which You Want Most."