“I don’t want to.”
“I deserve what I want.”
“They should help me out.”
“It’s their fault my life is like this.”
Accompanied by a look of hurt and self-righteousness. This is the dreaded ‘E’ word. Entitlement.
We, the children of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, are the most wanted generation in history due to birth control. We live in the most materially abundant world ever.
We were not necessarily asked to do our own laundry, to help out with the family business after school, or to do anything other than excel at academics and extracurriculars.
The result: for the first twenty years of our lives we lived in a world that focused on giving us what we wanted and aided us in excelling. We may have understandably come to the conclusion that this is the way the world works.
It does not.
It can be difficult to see an entitled attitude in yourself. If you can find it do everything you can to let it go ASAP. Entitlement is not a road that leads to a successful life
Try the following instead:
“I do the tasks asked of me (by my professor, by my boss, by my family that I am living with) whether I want to or not- on time and with a pleasant attitude.”
“Jobs, credentials, opportunities, housing, and stuff are earned.”
“Other people are not obligated to help me out.”
“I take full responsibility for the course of my adult life.”
A pattern that has been present for as long as you’ve been alive is not a thing to break overnight. So try to find one small thing that you do that comes from a place of entitlement and change it up. See if it doesn’t feel better.
When you drop entitlement you’ll move to a place of empowerment. You’ll be able to take effective action and stand on your own two feet. You’ll grow up.
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