I remember the ONE time I told my mom that I should be able to do something because I DESERVED it, ya, it didn’t go over too well.
I got a quick lesson in the realities of life. See, you can work and work and work and STILL not get a break. Not fair? Group those two stupid words along with ‘I deserve.’ Harsh? Maybe if you grew up as a spoiled silly person believing the world owes you anything for just inhabiting it.
We see this all the time in work, life, sport…a feeling of entitlement because you’ve done something that although you yes, have worked hard at, is no different than hundreds or thousands of other folks around your field. You DESERVE PR’s in the gym cuz you’ve trained for a while? Ha! Good luck with that. The Iron doesn’t give one flying fok about how hard you’ve worked, it’s there to beat you.
DESERVE a promotion or a sports invite because you’ve been at it for a little bit? Uhhhh, good luck with that. Cuz the boss or the promoter may pick someone else for reasons that have nothing to do with you. But if you ARE one of the lucky folks who catch a break? You caught a break, that’s all. Not because you DESERVE it over someone else. To say that is Dick. Don’t be a dick. If you choose to be a dick, don’t be surprised when people treat you like a dick cuz guess what? You DESERVE to be treated like a dick.
I’m am so often amazed when adults utter those words. What kind of bullshit did your mommy feed you that you grew up with a sense of entitlement that you deserve anything other than a chance to wake up the next morning with a chance to fight the world? You DESERVE to be treated as ‘X’ by your partner? Really? And we wonder why the divorce rate is up to about, what, 80% by now? If you GET an opportunity to have success in life; sport; relationships; whatever, then your JOB is to appreciate it and build on it. You get the opportunity to work harder and it is tragic that more people don’t understand that.
We haven’t “arrived” when our hard work catches a break and is successful, we’ve just happened along another step of life. Keep going up. To stay on that stair and say that’s all you want is a waste of opportunity and that is unacceptable.
Entitlement is the opposite of enchantment.
Guy Kawaski
tosabarbell 