New global study finds young adults prioritize mental and physical health over career and money
Forget chasing titles or six-figure salaries — for Gen Z and younger Millennials, success now starts with mental and physical well-being.
A new global report from EY reveals a major generational shift in values, with 51% of young adults naming health as their top measure of future success — outranking wealth (42%) and career achievement (41%). Relationships with family came in second at 45%, further underlining a values-based approach to life that prioritizes personal well-being and connection over status or material gain.
“This is a wake-up call for societies that have long equated success with financial gain, material possessions, and personal sacrifice,” the report notes.
This shift isn’t isolated to any one culture. In Brazil, 61% of respondents named health as a key measure of success. In China, it was 56%. Even in the U.S. — long a bastion of hustle culture — health came out on top, with 45% of young Americans citing it as their most important success metric.
A Generational Wellness Awakening
The findings reflect a growing trend seen across industries: young people are no longer willing to trade health for high-stress careers. Instead, they seek balance, values alignment, and flexible working lives.
According to the report:
69% of respondents want to work for companies that align with their personal values.
61% say it’s important for employers to respect personal time.
In the U.S., 88% prioritize financial independence, but only 48% care about becoming rich.
Rather than the old-school pursuit of “work-life balance” — which often implies compromise — today’s young adults want jobs that support life stability, not the other way around.
Global Resistance to Burnout Culture
In China, this shift is perhaps most visible in the growing rejection of the grueling “996” work culture (9am to 9pm, six days a week). Instead, many young Chinese have embraced the “lying flat” movement, opting out of excessive ambition in favor of slower, more intentional living.
This attitude is echoed across Western economies, too. A 2023 study from healthy eating app Lifesum found that nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials would quit their job tomorrow if they found one that better supported their wellness.
And they’re putting their money where their mindset is. Bank of America analysts recently pointed to a “generational shift” in spending, noting a rise in fitness-related purchases and a drop in bar and pub spending among younger consumers.
The Bottom Line: Wellness Is the New Wealth
As governments and employers navigate the post-pandemic economy, this research suggests a new blueprint for attracting — and keeping — young talent: support their well-being first.
What Gen Z and younger Millennials are demanding isn’t less ambition — it’s a redefinition of success. And if the global data is any indication, they’re just getting started.
