11 Things Gen Z Thinks Will Make Them Happy But Actually Won't
Happiness is fickle, and these things might seem to bring it, but they don't.
Ground Picture | Shutterstock All generations have unique attributes that set them apart from the rest. For example, the same things that make Gen X happy probably won't make Gen Z happy. But will the things that Gen Zers believe will make them happy actually do so? The answer remains to be seen.
Gen Z often receives a bad reputation for their technology-focused brains, but Stanford researcher Roberta Katz believes that this was not earned. Though she describes this young generation as diverse, collaborative, and social, there are very specific things Gen Z thinks will make them happy but actually won't.
Here are 11 things Gen Z thinks will make them happy but actually won't
1. Money
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Whether or not money can make you happy has been a hotly debated topic since, well... probably the beginning of modern society. It's complicated, and there are multiple different factors to consider.
For example, the pursuit of money can lead you to a constant cycle of always striving for more, whether it's possible or not. In other ways, money can at least seem to make people happy.
As licensed professional counselor Sarah Whitmire said, "Money can bring about happiness or a sense of satisfaction that can feel like happiness because it allows security and reduces constant financial anxiety and fear." Because money provides a sense of security, it can make you think you're happy — because it replaces and removes any fear you may have felt.
The problem with money is that it doesn't last, and if you make it your mission, you'll be stuck in a relentless pursuit. But it's a pursuit many young people seem ready to take on, despite being one of the things Gen Z thinks will make them happy but actually won't.
A study from Empower revealed that the average Gen Zer felt it took a $587,797 salary to be successful. Although it's possible that Gen Z will find happiness in the hundreds of thousands of dollars they hope to make, it's also quite possible that they'll find all the time they spent working instead of doing other worthwhile things just wasn't worth it.
2. More devices
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When it comes to technology, it seems that Gen Z never has enough. From smartphones to tablets to computers to televisions to smartwatches, there's always a new device to be purchased. And, of course, there's also always room for improvement to invent even more smart devices making once-simple tasks like telling time vastly more multifaceted.
Data from Statista revealed that in 2025, there were 20.1 billion devices connected to the Internet of Things — basically, smart technological devices. By 2033, there are projected to be 39.6 billion. As time goes by, this number will only continue to grow.
Smart devices do make a lot of people happier, and they've made life easier in many ways. However, accumulating more and more and more is not necessarily the secret to happiness.
In recent years, we've seen more traditional, analog devices make a comeback as people seek to distance themselves from the latest gadgets. Perhaps people are finding that having the best of everything at their fingertips isn't as satisfying as they assumed it would be.
3. Professional success
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If you work hard and consistently see success in your professional life, you'll be happy, right? Well, that's what most people, including Gen Z, seem to think. After all, anyone with a target salary of over half-a-million dollars has got to be going after professional success. But always aiming for that next big promotion or accolade won't necessarily be the thing that brings you happiness.
Digital health expert Dr. Bruce Y. Lee had an interesting perspective on this topic.
"Unless you are the acknowledged Master of the Universe or have somehow found the Infinity Gauntlet in a yard sale, you will always be able to find someone with a fancier-sounding title and more power than you have," he said. "Even the richest person in the world won't have the same political influence as the strongest dictator in the world..."
While most of us see success as an elusive but achievable dream we should always keep chasing, that's exactly where the problem lies — we'll always keep chasing it. You can never really reach something that has a constantly moving bar. This is likely why some people are doing what content coordinator Rachel Pelta termed "stepping down the corporate ladder." They simply got tired of going up.
4. Living in a metropolitan area
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It seems like every generation that grows up wants to start their lives out in a big city. Journalist Orianna Rosa Royle confirmed this is still true of Gen Z. There's something so exciting about living in a city, especially when you're just starting out as an adult and you've spent your entire life up to that point in a more rural area.
Times are changing, though. "Young aspirational workers have traditionally moved to the city to increase their chances of securing a ritzy career," Royle wrote. "But big cities like New York are no longer concrete jungles where dreams are made."
Research shows that Gen Zers are still flocking to cities, but don't have the money to do so. Instead, they depend on their parents to help them pay rent or make cuts elsewhere. This is surely not the dream Gen Z had in mind when they pictured their futures.
5. Everyone knowing who they are
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In previous generations, a certain degree of privacy might have been prized. But for young people, one of the things Gen Z thinks will make them happy but actually won't is making sure everyone knows who they are.
They are used to watching the people who have the most power — celebrities, influencers and the like — being constantly available online. And with that constant availability come some pretty nice perks, like a big paycheck and endless fame. This is what Gen Z has convinced themselves they want.
A 2023 survey from Morning Consult found that 57% of Gen Zers wanted to be influencers. However, the new career path isn't as dreamy as it seems. TikToker Hannah Williams, who runs the Salary Transparent Street account with her husband, revealed, "It's just constant, Monday through Sunday. From the time you wake up to the time you go to bed, the internet's on, so you're on as well."
While Gen Z thinks that being known by everyone would make them happy, the increased money, fame and opportunities would actually not be the dream come true they believe it to be. Instead, they would be stuck in a constant cycle of content creation that would last virtually 24/7.
6. An attractive partner
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Many Gen Zers think they'll be happy if only they can find a partner who looks just like the models and celebrities they are constantly bombarded with in the media. Who better to be a part of your Instagram photos and TikTok videos than someone who is objectively beautiful? Unfortunately, that isn't quite the case.
According to board certified psychiatrist Dr. Nicole Washington, "Many of us hear that physical appearance plays a role in relationships and jump to the conclusion that only the supermodels and famous actors of the world could have any luck in love. This couldn't be further from the truth!"
As much as some of us would like to believe otherwise, looks do play a role in relationships and attraction. However, it's not nearly as big of a factor as most people think it is. Instead, things like a sense of humor and shared interest have been found to likely be even more important.
7. More sophisticated, advanced technology
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In addition to wanting the best of the best when it comes to smart devices, Gen Z wants more advanced technology, in general. They believe that further innovation and simplification will make life better and therefore make them happier. While it could be true that life would be better, or at least easier, it's still one of the things Gen Z thinks will make them happy but actually won't.
As things like artificial intelligence and robotics advance, Gen Z may find they benefit in many ways. But, in other ways, they won't.
A Goldman Sachs report estimated that two-thirds of jobs were made vulnerable by AI. As Gen Z tries to enter the workforce and establish their careers, it's concerning that so many of those jobs they're competing for could be made obsolete by AI. This is probably the last thing that could lead to happiness.
8. Expensive designer goods
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It's no secret that Gen Zers want to have the best of everything, which obviously includes designer labels and other expensive goods. From wanting to wear recognizable high-end logos, to wanting to decorate their homes with the latest releases from luxury decor brands, Gen Z has proven to have expensive taste.
Getting these things may feel like it brings some happiness in the moment, but after that, there's really nothing. Few people can admit that their happiness truly hinged on a designer bag or fragrance. UC Berkeley's Dacher Keltner and Jason Marsh had a theory for why this was the case. They pointed out that materialism can generally be considered the opposite of gratitude, which "[sustains] the social bonds that are key not only to our happiness but also to our survival as a species."
Gratitude, unlike materialism, is essential to happiness. We would all do well to chase after that more than the next popular purchase.
9. Owning the same things as influencers and celebrities
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Much like Gen Z wants designer items, they also want to own whatever influencers and celebrities are advertising. Virtually everything serves as some kind of ad nowadays, and what seems like innocent inclusion of a product in an Instagram post or TikTok video was likely purposeful product placement.
A Bankrate survey found that 48% of social media users had impulsively purchased something they saw on the apps, which added up to a whopping $71 billion over one year. However, 57% of purchasers regretted at least one thing they bought.
If Gen Z, who is known for being chronically online and on social media, are following this purchasing pattern, they're buying a lot of things they see on social media, and later regretting them. Regretting something you bought because it seemed great in the heat of the moment or was the thing your favorite influencer told you would make your life better is not the path to happiness.
10. Nomadic lifestyles
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Gen Zers are known for embracing the "digital nomad" lifestyle. As remote work becomes more common, and more and more young people seek paths as entrepreneurs who can set their own working hours, people have discovered that they no longer have to be tethered to one place that was an acceptable distance from their office.
This sounds really nice, but it's not a cure for unhappiness and, more specifically, for depression. According to Mary V. Seeman, Professor Emerita of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, "The tendency is to attribute the cause of suffering to something outside of yourself: your job, your family, your relationship and so on. So you travel to get away from the supposed causes only to find that the depression is inside."
Psychologist Dr. Joseph Cilona even suggested that travel could actually make symptoms of depression worse. Maybe living a nomadic lifestyle with an absence of roots isn't really all it's cracked up to be, and won't bring you the seemingly guaranteed happiness that is expected from it.
11. Being conventionally attractive
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Just like they want their partners to be pretty, Gen Zers want to be attractive themselves. Some of the other things Gen Z loves undoubtedly led to this desire. A survey among British teenagers that was published by the Mental Health Foundation revealed that 31% felt "ashamed" about their body image, and another 40% said social media had caused them to become concerned about their body image.
For the most part, Gen Z is eschewing plastic surgery and choosing to remain natural, though. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons found that they only made up for 6% of cosmetic procedures. This shows that while they are wanting to look a different way, they are not necessarily actively seeking out ways of doing so.
For Gen Z, it's all about the aesthetic. Everything has worth based on the way that it looks. They think that extends to themselves too, and that meeting the world's beauty standards will make them happy. Unfortunately, it's one of the things Gen Z thinks will make them happy but actually won't, an empty dream that will bring them no real satisfaction.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor's degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.