It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times

The economy is breaking, the education system is broken, and young people are being told to just “work harder”. We need to talk about it.

Let’s cut the crap.

We’re living in what might be the biggest economic lie of our generation: that if you study hard, get a degree, work your way up the ladder and stay loyal, you’ll be rewarded.

Spoiler alert: You won’t.

If you’re under 30 and trying to build a life right now, the reality is brutal. Housing affordability is a joke. Wages have stagnated. Job security is rare. And yet we’re still pushing kids through a production-line education model designed for a world that doesn’t exist anymore.

I recently listened to a powerful episode of The Diary of a CEO podcast—an economic debate between Gary Stevenson and Daniel Priestley. Two men with wildly different perspectives, but one shared truth: our economy is wobbling, and the people about to get crushed are the ones who can least afford it.

Gary, a former trader turned inequality truth-teller, believes we’re heading for a financial apocalypse. Daniel, an entrepreneur, argues that we’re entering the age of entrepreneurial opportunity. And honestly? They’re both right.

Because while the top 1% are stacking cash and the middle class is being squeezed out, there are opportunities—but they don’t come from a textbook or a 9–5.

They come from agency.

Here’s the thing: the education system hasn’t changed in 100 years. It’s still designed to pump out obedient workers, not creative thinkers. We’re preparing kids for a world of cubicles when the real money is in content, coding, consulting—or just being clever enough to spot the next trend.

The future of work? It’s freelance, fluid, remote, AI-powered, and global. And the old rules do not apply.

I’ve got clients right now struggling to hire young people with the right skills—not because there’s no talent, but because we’re not teaching real skills. How to solve problems. How to manage yourself. How to communicate with humans (not just write essays). How to think.

And let’s be real—no one’s coming to save us.

If you’re young and reading this, here’s the truth: you need to save yourself.

Get obsessed with learning, not school.
Learn to sell—your ideas, your work, your value.
Master digital skills—automation, AI tools, data, marketing, whatever.
Start something. Anything.
Build your personal brand like your life depends on it—because it kinda does.

This isn’t just about surviving the economy—it’s about thriving despite it.

The old playbook is dead. No one’s retiring at 65 with a gold watch anymore. Superannuation won’t cut it. The cost of living is insane. And you don’t beat that by quietly hoping your boss notices your “potential”.

You beat it by making yourself undeniable.

Now, I know that’s a hard pill to swallow. It’s easier to blame the system (and it is broken) than to face the fact that no one is coming to hand you a roadmap. But here’s what I tell every young person I speak to:

You can’t control the cards you’re dealt. But you can learn to play the hell out of your hand.

Yes, it’s unfair. Yes, boomers bought houses for the price of a car. Yes, your HECS debt feels like a mortgage. But victimhood won’t pay your bills—or fund your dreams.

You need to become dangerous. In the best possible way.

Dangerous in your thinking.
Dangerous in your creativity.
Dangerous in your skills.
Dangerous to the old system that wants you complacent and tired.

Because the future of work belongs to those who aren’t waiting for permission.

So here’s my message, loud and clear:

Don’t wait for your school, your boss, or your government to prepare you for what’s next. They can’t.
Educate yourself. Skill up. Speak up. Back yourself.
The world is changing—and if you’re smart, you can change with it.

We’re at a tipping point. Some will sink. Some will rise.

Which will you be?