Studies show that the psychological strain from unmet ambitions significantly correlates with depression and suicidal behaviour. Photo: File.
Paul Lyons believes the cult of the superhero and encouragement to ‘’dream big’’ are producing a generation of young people whose disdain for being ‘’ordinary’’ will inevitably prime most for disappointment.
A cultural obsession with extraordinary achievement at work or in life has birthed a toxic paradox: Young people are simultaneously told they can ‘’be anything’’ yet are increasingly ill-equipped to find meaning in being ordinary.
From viral TED Talks to school curricula steeped in ‘’limitless potential’’ rhetoric, society’s well-intentioned cheerleading has spiralled into aspiration inflation — a psychological arms race where mundane but important lives are framed as failures.
The fallout is a generation potentially drowning in unmet expectations, unprepared for the quiet dignity of competent adulthood.
The mental health toll of unrealistic aspirations is stark. Studies of rural Chinese youth suicides reveal that psychological strain from unmet ambitions — particularly when reinforced by societal pressures — significantly correlates with depression and suicidal behaviour.
This aligns with Western research showing adolescents who cling to unattainable goals experience chronic stress and diminished self-worth.
Social media exacerbates this crisis: Platforms showcasing curated success stories create distorted benchmarks, leaving a significant portion of the millennial generation believing they’re falling behind their peers.
The result is a dangerous feedback loop where ambition becomes self-punishment, and ordinary milestones — steady jobs, community roles and personal growth — are dismissed as consolation prizes.
The contemporary culture’s hero narrative denigrates average lives. Educational systems prioritise grooming ‘’future leaders’’ over nurturing skilled contributors, with United Kingdom data showing most school students now aspire to university despite many lacking the necessary academic aptitudes.
This institutionalised disdain for vocational paths and localised careers creates what sociologists term aspirational precarity — young people ill-prepared for the 80 per cent of jobs that don’t require degrees.
Meanwhile, the gig economy rebrands underemployment as entrepreneurship, masking systemic failures to provide stable livelihoods.
The consequence is a looming crisis of purpose, where generations risk measuring self-worth through Instagram metrics rather than tangible community impact.
Solving aspiration inflation requires dismantling the false comparison between extraordinary and ordinary.
Psychological interventions promoting adaptive disengagement — strategically releasing unattainable goals — show promise in rebuilding self-esteem.
Culturally, we must revive Aristotle’s concept of eudaimonia: flourishing through competent service rather than fame.
Finland’s education reforms, which replaced genius rhetoric with collective skill-building, reduced adolescent anxiety while maintaining innovation.
Similarly, redefining mentorship to highlight tradespeople, nurses and teachers as success models could restore balance.
For policymakers, investing in vocational training and local infrastructure would validate non-linear paths because societies thrive not through lone visionaries, but through millions capably tending their gardens.
The ‘’dream big’’ industrial complex sells inspiration but harvests anxiety. While ambition drives progress, unchecked aspiration inflation threatens social cohesion — when everyone expects to change the world, who builds its infrastructure?
Addressing this requires systemic honesty: acknowledging that most lives gain meaning through small acts of care, craft and consistency.
Educational institutions must stop equating potential with prestige. The media needs to humanise ordinary success stories; individuals require permission to pursue adequacy over excellence.
The alternative is a future where generations raised on superhero narratives collapse under the weight of their own expectations — a tragedy of unmanaged hopes in a world that needs more reliable plumbers than failed visionaries.
Paul Lyons is an experienced business leader, adviser and coach enjoying a diverse career across Australia and Asia. He can be contacted at [email protected]. This article first appeared on the Mental Toughness blogsite.
