Why Gen Z Can’t Handle the Real World (and How We Can Help Them) | Jennifer Cohen

Dave Asprey

Apr 3, 2025

Episode description

You think you’re helping your kid. You clear the path. You smooth the bumps. You make sure they never feel too sad, too bored, too uncomfortable. 



It feels like love. 



But what if it’s making them weak? 



In this episode, Dave Asprey sits down with bestselling author, TED speaker, and resilience expert Jennifer Cohen to reveal how today’s parenting norms are quietly producing the most anxious, dependent, and emotionally fragile generation in history—Gen Z

Whether you’re raising kids, managing young employees, or trying to understand the next generation—you’ll walk away from this episode with a new lens on resilience, responsibility, and real-world readiness. 



What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

• Why Gen Z struggles with anxiety, confidence, and failure 

• How smartphones, safe spaces, and overparenting weaken resilience 

• The science behind boredom, chores, and grit-building discomfort 

• Why participation trophies are doing real psychological harm 

• The bold parenting shifts that build strong, adaptable adults 

• How to model strength—even when it’s unpopular 

• The simple framework to raise kids who can thrive, not just survive 



If you want to raise strong kids—or work with a generation that’s struggling—this episode is a must-listen. It’s not just about parenting. It’s about the future. And it starts with getting uncomfortable. 



SPONSORS 

-Quantum Upgrade | Go to https://quantumupgrade.io/Dave for a free trial.  

-Qualia | Go to https://www.qualialife.com/dave15 to get an additional 15% off subscriptions. 

 

Resources:  

A Day of Biohacking and Consciousness Even (4/12): https://daveasprey.com/biohacking-and-consciousness/ 

Dave Asprey’s New Book - Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated/ 

Jennifer’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealjencohen/ 

Jennifer’s Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBuPgI8lXTmy5T0D_EDMnVg 

Jennifer’s Website: https://www.jennifercoh

Episode description

You think you’re helping your kid. You clear the path. You smooth the bumps. You make sure they never feel too sad, too bored, too uncomfortable. 



It feels like love. 



But what if it’s making them weak? 



In this episode, Dave Asprey sits down with bestselling author, TED speaker, and resilience expert Jennifer Cohen to reveal how today’s parenting norms are quietly producing the most anxious, dependent, and emotionally fragile generation in history—Gen Z

Whether you’re raising kids, managing young employees, or trying to understand the next generation—you’ll walk away from this episode with a new lens on resilience, responsibility, and real-world readiness. 



What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

• Why Gen Z struggles with anxiety, confidence, and failure 

• How smartphones, safe spaces, and overparenting weaken resilience 

• The science behind boredom, chores, and grit-building discomfort 

• Why participation trophies are doing real psychological harm 

• The bold parenting shifts that build strong, adaptable adults 

• How to model strength—even when it’s unpopular 

• The simple framework to raise kids who can thrive, not just survive 



If you want to raise strong kids—or work with a generation that’s struggling—this episode is a must-listen. It’s not just about parenting. It’s about the future. And it starts with getting uncomfortable. 



SPONSORS 

-Quantum Upgrade | Go to https://quantumupgrade.io/Dave for a free trial.  

-Qualia | Go to https://www.qualialife.com/dave15 to get an additional 15% off subscriptions. 

 

Resources:  

A Day of Biohacking and Consciousness Even (4/12): https://daveasprey.com/biohacking-and-consciousness/ 

Dave Asprey’s New Book - Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated/ 

Jennifer’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealjencohen/ 

Jennifer’s Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBuPgI8lXTmy5T0D_EDMnVg 

Jennifer’s Website: https://www.jennifercoh

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Celebrate daily 'fails' to foster resilience in children

To build resilience, ask your child about one 'fail' they had each day and praise them for attempting something so hard they didn't know how to do it.

Practice rejection therapy to build boldness

To overcome the fear of rejection, practice 'rejection therapy' by intentionally asking for unreasonable things daily until you get a 'no,' which desensitizes you to failure.

Praise effort to encourage risk-taking in children

Studies show that praising children for being smart makes them stop taking risks, whereas praising them for working hard encourages them to tackle challenges.

Foster competence in children to build confidence

Confidence is bred from competence, which is gained by allowing children to do things on their own and feel a sense of accomplishment.

Embrace challenge culture to foster resilience

We are living in a 'caudal culture' and should switch to a 'challenge culture' that embraces difficulty rather than creating safe spaces.

Slay zombie cells with Qualia Senolytic supplement

The supplement Qualia Senolytic, taken just two days a month, combines nine ingredients to help your body naturally eliminate senescent cells, also known as 'zombie cells'.

Reassess team sports to restore lessons of resilience

Team sports may no longer build resilience due to participation trophies and a focus on group improvement over individual winning, which removes the lesson of failure.

Balance protection: safeguard children offline and online

Modern parents are overprotecting children in the real world from physical risks while underprotecting them from the significant dangers online.

Encourage chores to foster lifelong success

A 75-year Harvard study showed that children who did chores were abundantly more successful in every walk of life.

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