Under-30s under pressure to achieve success

YOUNG PEOPLE who fail to achieve their life goals by the age of 30 are seen as "failures" by their peers and are under so much pressure to succeed that they sacrifice their health and leisure for success, a report has found.

Opinion Research Corporation International, an independent market-research group, polled 1,000 people aged 18 to 24, and found that young people are not prepared to wait for what they want. Tight deadlines are set for finding a life partner and having money, a senior career position and a home. Over half had set time goals such as being a home owner by the age of 26, getting married at 27 and being rich at 29.

The study, commissioned by the Bread for Life campaign, showed that 41 per cent had given up a healthy diet and lifestyle in their attempts to attain all their goals and targets, and one in two had cut out holidays, hobbies and seeing family and friends.

Twenty years ago, the age of 40 was seen as a "turning point" in people's lives but this is now felt to be far too late to achieve life's major goals, says Jane Smith, a personal-development consultant and author of How To Be a Better Time Manager. New youth icons such as Zoe Ball and Victoria and David Beckham, and the new breed of cyber tycoons who have made millions by the time they are 30, have driven the change in attitude.

"What we are seeing is a generation obsessed with achieving and maintaining high performance levels and adapting quickly to advancing technology and new ways of living," said Ms Smith.

"Young people think that success comes to those who can stand the pace, and those who think undreamed-of rewards are within their grasp if they can manage to deliver the results.

"What they don't realise is that it's impossible for most young people to attain all their goals at such a young age."