Paolo, you’ve mentioned before that the real issue isn’t with Gen Y or Z, but with the ego of Gen X. Can you explain what you mean by that?

Now we’re getting to the heart of the matter. When I say the real problem is the ego of Gen X, I’m not pointing fingers at a generation just to stir things up. I’m calling out a mindset that’s holding back progress. You see, Gen X is the generation that grew up with this "survivor" mentality—we were taught that if you worked hard, played by the rules, kept your head down, you’d make it. We were the latchkey kids, the ones who had to figure things out on our own, and that built a certain kind of resilience. But it also built a strong attachment to the systems that shaped us, even when those systems started failing.

That’s where the ego comes in.

Gen X had to fight to carve out its place in a world that was rapidly changing, and a lot of us are still stuck in this defensive posture, clinging to the old structures because that’s what worked for us. We think, "Hey, we made it through, so why can’t they?" That’s ego talking—the idea that because we’ve survived certain challenges, everyone else should go through the same grind. We tell ourselves that our experience of struggle and hustle gives us some kind of superiority, but in reality, it’s holding us back from adapting to the world as it is now.

Here’s the crux of it: the world that shaped Gen X doesn’t exist anymore, but many of us refuse to let go of it. We still believe that loyalty, hierarchy, and sacrifice to the system are the pillars of success. And when we see Gen Y and Z refusing to buy into those values—when they demand flexibility, meaning, and autonomy—we react defensively. The ego tells us, “They’re not doing it right,” or “They don’t understand what it means to work hard.” But the truth is, they understand something deeper: the system is broken for them, and they’re not interested in playing by rules that don’t lead to fulfillment.

The problem is, Gen X’s ego is still trying to protect a system that no longer serves the future. We’re clinging to our version of what "made us strong" instead of realizing that strength today looks different. We’re holding on to control, thinking that if we loosen our grip, everything will fall apart. But here’s the thing—Gen Y and Z don’t need the same structures we did. They don’t need to prove their worth through endless grind or loyalty to systems that exploit their time and energy.

When I talk about the ego of Gen X being the real problem, it’s because we’re afraid to let go. We’re afraid to admit that the rules we lived by might be outdated. That the world is evolving faster than we’re comfortable with. And instead of embracing that change, we dig in, trying to enforce old ideas about work, success, and loyalty on generations that don’t see the value in them.

But let’s be real: Gen Y and Z aren’t the problem. The problem is our resistance to change. It’s our refusal to step aside and allow the new generations to redefine what success looks like, what work looks like, and what leadership looks like. We think we’re protecting them by holding onto control, but we’re actually stifling their ability to innovate, to disrupt, to create something better than what we had.

And this is where ego becomes dangerous—it blinds us to the opportunity. Gen Y and Z are demanding a different kind of world, and instead of seeing that as an evolution, our ego interprets it as a threat to our legacy. But here’s the truth we need to swallow: our legacy isn’t in keeping the old ways alive. It’s in empowering the next generation to create the new.

The more we hold on, the more we risk becoming irrelevant. The more we try to force Gen Y and Z to fit into the boxes we were forced into, the more we’re just repeating the mistakes of the past. If Gen X could set aside the ego, we’d see that this isn’t about losing control—it’s about passing the torch in a way that honors what we’ve learned, while also making space for something radically new.

It’s time for Gen X to realize that our role now isn’t to enforce the rules—it’s to guide, to mentor, to coach, and most importantly, to listen. The future doesn’t belong to those who cling to the past. It belongs to those who are bold enough to let go and make way for the visionaries who are ready to shape what comes next.