We’re Not Millennials. We’re Congruence Engineers.

It feels like everyone my age (I’m 25) gets characterized by this obsession with work/life balance and an unwillingness to work hard if it detracts from life outside of work.

I think that’s bull shit.

My generation is no more focused on work/life balance than Kobe Bryant was on becoming the NBA’s all-time assist leader.

It’s never been about work/life balance for us. It’s about life/life balance. In a word: congruence.

I’m talking about the feeling of congruence you have when you wake up every morning and spend every breath of that day pursuing who you are, what inspires you and are surrounded by the people that matter to you the most. Congruence isn’t lazy, lethargic, unmotivated or balanced against life outside of “work.”

It’s everything. It’s the only thing.

Congruence is what can keep us working into the wee-hours of the night even though we’re waking up at 4am the next morning. Congruence is what keeps us staring at the same line of code, two-second clip, cursor on the page or design element because it’s US.

When we put anything out into this world whether it be music, video, code, tech, writing or social it takes with it a part of us. Not part of us in a way that leaves us empty or “un-whole.” It carries a part of us that drives its energy for eternity. That’s why it feels like obsession to someone who hasn’t found congruence yet. They can’t begin to understand what it feels like to have a piece of your energy propelling something forward into our world.

We get a bad rap for watching people like Gary Vaynerchuk share their congruence and then wanting to find the same for ourselves. That needs to stop. Just because we have the audacity, perseverance and creativity to think we can find congruence doesn’t mean we’re lazy, entitled or ungrounded.

Some of us are. But the people who exhibit those negative characteristics that have become blanket analyses of our generation would be that way in any generation.

The next time you hire, partner or invest in a “millennial,” understand that you are investing in their CONGRUENCE. If you’re their employer, they’re trusting you to put them on a platform that connects to who they are. If you’re a partner of theirs, you’re expected to recognize the value of finding YOUR CONGRUENCE.

If you’re investing in a millennial, it’s your responsibility to listen to your gut. Is this person finding congruence through this venture? Or, do they think they are? You’ll know the difference. Invest when they find congruence, or be ready to ride the waves until they do.

If you approach these relationships with that framework you’ll acquire an asset, friend, motivator, spark and energy that will set you (or your organization) apart for a generation.

We’re not millennials.

We’re Congruence Engineers.