You are entitled to nothing—and everything. Let me explain…

I’ve been on record in the past as saying that you aren’t entitled to anything and that you must earn everything you get in life. Yet I’ve also said that you deserve to be rich. How can both these thoughts be true? It seems like a contradiction, but you are both entitled to everything and you’re entitled to nothing. Allow me to explain.

Lazy is an entitlement concept, it’s the adopted “right” people think they have supposedly earned because a person worked five days and therefore must take the weekend off. If you suggest to an average employee that they work the weekend you will witness the sense of entitlement with reactions like, “I deserve my time off.” This thinking is not limited to worker’s rights and unions, it’s the agreement amongst most of the world.

“I deserve the biggest office because I am the executive,” or, “I deserve my 2 weeks every year regardless of how the company is doing”.

These are examples born from the concepts of laziness as an operating basis. As though a person must take the weekend off or leave at 5 pm regardless of his/her financial condition. Imagine if those who needed more stayed late and worked beyond what was “expected” of them?

Make as little as possible, save as little as possible, invest as little as possible, learn as little as possible, and work as little as possible is the mantra of the entitled.

This is the reason why the entitled are entitled to nothing—and why they will never have anything of significance until they change their mindset.

Earlier this year my friend Gloria Mayfield Banks spoke at 10XGrowthCon 2017 on the idea of entitlement, and what she said made a lot of sense:

“I want to stop the conversation that entitlement is bad because I believe everybody is inherently deserving. I believe you are inherently deserving. The difference is you must learn how to go get it. You’ve got to be excited to get what you want. You are entitled, it’s just the way you look at it. You’ve got to work for it. To get to the top, you have to know you’re deserving.

I had a horrible marriage years ago that involved domestic violence, and that could have become the story for my life. But because I know I’m inherently deserving, because I know I’m deserving of love, I’m deserving of joy, I’m deserving of passion, I’m deserving of money, I’m deserving of the big house, I’m deserving to see the world, I’m deserving to have good friends—so I didn’t let that define me.

You have something that you could do right now that you are uncomfortable with doing. And if you know upfront you’re deserving, then you’re going to reach up for it. In order to get to the next place, ask yourself, what have you not be willing to do?

You can’t change what you’re not willing to acknowledge. And the minute you’re willing to acknowledge it, it will make such a difference for you. You are entitled. You’re entitled to have a top position, you’re entitled to have great health and wealth, but nobody is going to invite you into the big girls club or the big boys club—nobody invites you in. Once you get there, you are totally welcome. But the invitation doesn’t come in the mail.

I promise you won’t get anything in the mail that says “We invite you to work harder, we invite you to do more.” No. You go and get it, and then you will always belong.

When you travel around the world, and you see people who are so disadvantaged, do you not get juiced about what you can do to help? This is because you’re entitled, I’m telling you, because you’re entitled to more.”

I loved Gloria’s mindset. You are entitled, but you’re going to have to work for it.

The truth is that everyone is entitled, some just go and get theirs while others expect it to be given—and the difference between the two mindsets makes all the difference in the world.

Are you ready to flip your switch, ignite your fire and move towards your dreams?

Get your ticket to 10XGrowthCon 2018 right now. You are entitled to one.

Be great,

GC

Grant Cardone is a New York Times bestselling author, the #1 sales trainer in the world, and an internationally renowned speaker on leadership, real estate investing, entrepreneurship, social media, and finance. His 5 privately held companies have annual revenues exceeding $100 million. Forbes named Mr. Cardone #1 of the “25 Marketing Influencers to Watch in 2017”. Grant’s straight-shooting viewpoints on the economy, the middle class, and business have made him a valuable resource for media seeking commentary and insights on real topics that matter. He regularly appears on Fox News, Fox Business, CNBC, and MSNBC, and writes for Forbes, Success Magazine, Business Insider, Entrepreneur.com, and the Huffington Post. He urges his followers and clients to make success their duty, responsibility, and obligation. He currently resides in South Florida with his wife and two daughters.