Germans' plans for the future - who is thinking about tomorrow?

Result

Almost half of all German citizens think about their own future at least once a month, with one in four (25%) even doing so on a weekly basis. However, just as many people (25%) hardly ever make plans for the future. Within the population, differences are particularly evident in terms of income and age: the higher the monthly pay cheque, the more likely it is that discussions about the coming months and years will take place. In terms of age, interest declines slowly but steadily over the years.

Reasons

In the newspaper, on television or the internet, in conversations with neighbours, colleagues, friends or within the family, people talk about life in the here and now everywhere. It is not uncommon for people to look ahead to future developments in their private lives, in their own country or on a global level. Accordingly, many German citizens want to prepare for the coming period, make provisions or plans. This can relate to their own life situation as well as plans for their next holiday, their next career move or their sister's next birthday - what all these thoughts have in common is that they will only be realised in the future.

Forecast

Global challenges ranging from climate change to wars, as well as concerns about poverty in old age and loneliness - many people are currently pessimistic about the future. This fear of the future must be counteracted by politicians, educational institutions and the media, and images of the future must be presented in the field of tension between dangers and possible solutions. However, it is also up to each individual citizen: Individual planning for the future should always involve a realistic assessment of resources and skills on the one hand, but also wishes and visions for one's own future on the other. After all, the responsibility for this will continue to lie with each individual in the future.