Young professionals, particularly those belonging to Generations Alpha and Z, aren't embracing the 9-5 life like those who came before them. K12's study, which surveyed 380 young entrepreneurs who graduated from public, private and online schools, found that most of them (68%) have one motivation in common when it comes to earning their first $10,000: gaining independence. Cost of living (45%), peer influence (8%) and family pressure (6%) rounded out the top four motivators for the young professionals, according to the data. Regardless of where their careers take them, young professionals should remain curious — and keep soft skills sharp, chief people officer at edtech company D2L Amy Clark told Entrepreneur earlier this year. This article is part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of being a young business owner.