Current Research, 314
January 19, 2026
Work as a meaningful life task is losing its significance. More and more people are striving for a balance between self-realization and quality of life. Young people, in particular, are placing greater emphasis on enjoyment and freedom. This is the conclusion of a recent study by the non-profit FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ISSUES, for which over 2,000 German citizens aged 18 and over were surveyed in a representative sample.
„"The question of meaning remains – but it shifts. The future lies not in renouncing responsibility, but in new ways of shaping it.", according to the Scientific Director, Professor Dr. Ulrich Reinhardt.
A successful life: How the understanding has changed in 20 years
meaning of life
Two people are talking about the meaning of life.
Out of every 100 respondents, the following statement is agreed with:
Data as table
| Total | 2026 | 2016 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|
| I want to do something meaningful and enjoyable at work. I need a purpose in my life and want to create and shape something myself. | 33 | 39 | 52 |
| I want to enjoy my life and not exert myself more than necessary. You only live once, and the most important thing is to get something out of it. | 22 | 20 | 14 |
Ideas about what constitutes a successful life have changed noticeably over the last twenty years. While in 2006 more than half (521,300) believed that work should primarily be meaningful and offer opportunities for self-expression, this is now only the case for one in three (331,300) – a decline of almost 20 percentage points. At the same time, the proportion of those who want to live their lives as enjoyable as possible and without additional burdens is increasing: from 14 percent (2006) to 20 percent (2016) and currently to 22 percent. However, the largest group at present, at 41 percent, consists of those who consider both – meaning and enjoyment – equally important. Reinhardt:
„"This development documents a clear trend: Monolithic lifestyles are increasingly giving way to a need for flexibility and diversity – people want to combine meaning AND enjoyment, career AND leisure, responsibility AND self-realization."“.
The declining importance of work as the sole source of meaning reflects the social reality of many citizens. In a world of growing uncertainty, economic pressure, and accelerated change, the desire for stability, self-protection, and quality of life is intensifying. People are reflecting more consciously on how they manage their time and energy and questioning whether work alone should still be the central purpose of life. Younger generations, in particular, are demonstrating a new understanding of themselves: for them, a good life does not mean professional self-sacrifice, but rather the compatibility of meaning, freedom, and well-being. Accordingly, the focus on paid employment has almost halved in the last two decades (2006: 58%, 2016: 31), while the desire for self-realization has almost tripled (2006: 11% – 2026: 32%). This development reflects a pluralization of lifestyles. Future generations will no longer choose between duty and pleasure, but will consciously seek to combine both.
meaning of life
Two people are talking about the meaning of life.
Out of every 100 respondents, the following statement is agreed with:
Data as table
| I want to do and achieve something at work that is meaningful and enjoyable. | I want to enjoy my life and not exert myself more than necessary. | Both are equally important | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-24 years Young Adults | 31 | 32 | 37 |
| 25-49 year olds, singles | 26 | 28 | 40 |
| Couples aged 25-49 | 30 | 26 | 41 |
| 25-49 year olds, families | 32 | 28 | 36 |
| 50-64 year olds, young seniors | 35 | 16 | 45 |
| 65-74 year old retirees | 40 | 14 | 41 |
For the scientific director, this transformation is not a passing fad, but a structural shift in expectations and values. Politics, business, and educational institutions should not respond with traditional appeals to performance (longer working hours, later retirement, intensified employment, etc.). Instead, they must re-understand the needs of these generations: flexibility, a sense of purpose, and freedom to shape one's own life are not the opposite of responsibility, but rather its prerequisites. This requires incentives that combine attractive career prospects with room for personal development, continuing education that is geared towards current realities, and a culture of recognition that acknowledges well-being not as a luxury, but as a factor in productivity. All of this is not a rejection of achievement, but a reinterpretation of it.
