High Performance Mindset | Learn from World-Class Leaders, Consultants, Athletes & Coaches about Mindset - 718: The Confidence Crisis in Gen Z

Episode Date: December 5, 2025

Our 2025 Confidence Study reveals a striking truth: Gen Z is struggling most with confidence. Nearly half feel "not enough," and many battle constant comparison and a harsh inner critic.   In this episode, Cindra and Lisa unpack why this is happening, how it shows up at work and in life, and the simple things leaders, parents, and coaches can do to build Gen Z's confidence every day.   Power Phrase: "I choose confidence, not because it's easy — but because it's who I'm becoming." To download the Confidence Report, visit: www.confidencestudy.com To Request a Free Breakthrough Call with a Mentally Strong Coach, visit: http://www.freementalbreakthroughcall.com/ To learn more about the Mentally Strong Institute, visit: https://mentallystronginstitute.com/ To learn about Dr. Cindra Kamphoff's speaking and coaching, visit: https://cindrakamphoff.com/ To follow Dr. Cindra on Instagram, visit: Cindra Kamphoff, PhD (@cindrakamphoff) • Instagram photos and videos

Hi, Dr. Cinder Campoff here. Myself and my team just conducted this national research study on confidence that you have to check out. The report which you can download at Confidencestudy.com shows research-backed ways you can grow your confidence, what leaders do to both kill and grow confidence, and how confidence is not just a personal issue, but an organizational issue. I'm telling you, you've got to check this out. It's a game changer. You can find our full report at Confidencestudy.com.

Time to check in with Cinder Campoff, get a little positivity for our day and a little education on the confidence crisis that's going on with Gen Z folks. Cinderra, start us off with a quote. I love this quote by Albert Bendera. He's considered the father of self-efficacy. And he says people's beliefs about their abilities have a profound effect on their abilities. So today we are talking about something that your brand new national confidence study uncovered. And honestly, it's one of the things that kind of stopped me in my tracks about Gen Z. Z? What did you find out? Yeah, Lisa, one of the biggest insight from our 2025 National Research

Study on Confidence is this idea that Gen Z is at the epic center of America's crisis today, confidence crisis specifically. And so how we identify Gen Z in our study is ages of 18 to 29. And the data is really striking. We found that nearly half of Gen Z workers, so 48% say they frequently are constantly, feel like they're not enough. And 47% so they regularly battle with comparison and a harsh inner critic. And so they're not just struggling occasionally. This is happening often and it's affecting how they work, how they need, you know, how they see themselves. Sandra, that is a huge percentage of the workforce right now.

Why is this happening? I think there's a few reasons this is happening. You know, Gen Z came of age like during really incredibly destructive times, the pandemic, you know, global uncertainty, even major cultural shifts. But the one factor rises above all the rest, and that's social media. So in our study, 73% of working Americans said that social media is a major driver of confident struggles for young people today. And, you know, it's this constant comparison, the highlight reel, the pressure to be perfect, right? And just this nonstop noise in their pocket every minute of the day.

And so they're growing up in a comparison economy, and that's really taking a toll. So when you talk about Gen Z feeling like they're not enough, what does that actually look like when it comes to being in the workplace or being on a team? Well, that's a great question. You know, when someone feels like they're not enough, it often shows up as like hesitation or overthinking or not speaking up even when they have great ideas. And it can look like, you know, asking for reassurance constantly, apologizing for things that don't require an apology, maybe taking feedback as a personal flaw instead of really an opportunity, or staying quiet in meetings because they feel judgment,

you know. And I think the thing is it's not a lack of talent. it's really this lack of internal belief. And so when leaders understand that, they can coach differently and they can lead with clarity and create, you know, psychological safety and help, you know, Gen Z build confidence from the inside out, not by lowering their standards, but by building them up with, like, really intentional support. Okay, that makes sense. But what does it mean for people that are leaders or for parents or coaches, really anybody that interacts with Gen Z? It means, you know, we have an opportunity and really a responsibility, no confidence,

doesn't just magically appear. It can be built. It can be modeled and reinforced. And confidence isn't just a personal issue. It's really an organizational issue. So we know that, you know, Gen Z years are hungry for mentors to really believe in them, who see them and want to, you know, help them navigate the noise. So you think, you know, simple things really matter, like giving clear feedback, celebrating progress, not perfection, helping them separate their identity from their performance or teaching them to quiet that inner critic because it's really easy to see it instead. Right.

And that's one thing that you do really well with all of your teachings. And what's a practical thing that leaders can do this week to help boost the confidence of maybe a Gen Zer that they're working with? One of the most simple and most effective things you can do is really catch them doing something great and right and tell them, you know, why that matters. So we know specific immediate recognition rewires the brain. So instead of saying like nice job, you know, say something like, I noticed how prepared you were for the meeting. you know, it made, you know, the entire conversation smoother. Or you asked a great question today. And that kind of curiosity really strengthens the whole team.

And so when you connect the behavior to the impact, that's what you do to build self-belief. And so for Gen Z years, you know, those who are constantly comparing themselves online, that kind of grounded, you know, real-world affirmation is really incredibly powerful. Yeah, that's so good. What is one thing that you want us listeners to reflect on today? The one thing I'd like you to reflect on is, you know, what? here's an action question straight from our study. And the question is, how intentionally are you building the confidence of the Gen Ziers in your life, you know, as a mentor, as a parent, as a leader or as a peer? And confidence throws through daily interactions. So every conversation is a chance to build someone up or intentionally tear them down. So choose to be the person that builds up today. All right. And I think that's important to note. It's probably for every generation of people. We all have a little bit of that negative self-talk, but specifically with your Gen Ziers. Do you have a power phrase that we can head through the week with?

I do. I choose confidence, not because it's easy, but because it's who I'm becoming. And, Sandra, where do we go if we want to get more information about this or any of the other work that you do? You can find our full report on our Confidence Study at Confidencestudy.com, and it's really incredible. We share more about what leaders can do to build confidence and decrease confidence and the impact that confidence has on revenue in the bottom line. So you want to check it out. Way to go for finishing another episode of the high performance mindset. I'm giving you a virtual fist pump.

Holy cow, did that go by way too fast for anyone else? If you want more, remember to subscribe. And you can head over to Dr. Sindra for show notes and enjoy my exclusive community for high performers, where you get access to videos about mindset each week. So again, you can add over to Dr. Sindra. That's d R-C-I-N-D-R-A.com. See you next week.