Nearly Half of Gen Z Says They Lack Meaning or Purpose. What Comes Next?

The News

A new Gallup study has found that many members of Generation Z are searching for something deeper than success or happiness.

According to the survey, 45% of Gen Z respondents said they lack meaning, purpose, or both in their lives. While most young people reported feeling their lives are meaningful or purposeful, more than one in three said those statements were only “a little true” or “not at all true.” The challenge is especially pronounced among Gen Z adults compared with younger teens.

The research also uncovered a hopeful pattern. Young people who believed they were making a positive difference in the lives of others were three to four times more likely to report that their own lives felt meaningful and purposeful. Nearly eight in ten Gen Z respondents also said they want careers centered on helping others or making a positive impact, though many worry about low pay and emotional burnout in those fields.

The findings suggest that purpose may not simply be something we discover. It may also be something we experience through contribution.

Navigating With Purpose

Purpose has become one of the defining conversations of this generation.

In a world filled with endless choices, constant comparison, and digital connection, many young adults still struggle to answer one of life’s oldest questions.

Why am I here?

The Gallup findings point toward an important insight. Feeling useful may matter as much as feeling successful. The strongest relationship in the research was not between purpose and income, education, or achievement. It was between purpose and believing that your life positively affects someone else.

That does not mean purpose has one source. For some, it is found in family. For others, in work, service, creativity, faith, community, or pursuing a meaningful goal.

But the research suggests that purpose often grows through participation rather than passive reflection.

Purpose in Practice

Values Revealed

Values are the why. They reflect what matters most and what motivates us.

Different readers may see different values reflected in this story, including:

• Contribution

• Service

• Meaning

• Community

• Compassion

• Responsibility

• Growth

• Hope

Principles in Practice

Principles are the how. They guide how we put our values into action.

Possible principles include:

• Look for opportunities to contribute, even in small ways.

• Build purpose through consistent action rather than waiting for perfect clarity.

• Choose work, volunteering, or relationships where you can positively impact others.

• Measure success not only by what you achieve, but by what you help others achieve.

• Revisit your sense of purpose as life changes, recognizing that it can evolve over time.

Compass Conversations

Purpose is often treated as a destination, something we either have or do not have.

But what if purpose is more like a compass than a finish line?

The Gallup research suggests that people who see themselves making a difference are also more likely to experience meaning in their own lives. That raises an important question for all generations.

Perhaps purpose is not only about finding ourselves.

Perhaps it is also about giving ourselves away in ways that matter.

Compass Check

What is one person, cause, or community you could intentionally make a difference for this week?

Sometimes purpose begins with a single act of contribution.

Sources

• Gallup, Many Gen Zers Missing Sense of Meaning or Purpose in Life (June 24, 2026)

• Harvard Graduate School of Education, Making Caring Common, Gen Z Wants to Do Good