Sense of Entitlement
By Harry Petsanis and Donna McCance
We all know about the five basic senses, which are touch, smell, sight, taste, and hearing. However, there are other senses beyond the basic five, and the most difficult one is the sense of entitlement.
A sense of entitlement is a personality trait in which a person believes that the world revolves around them, and they are deserving of special treatment and privileges. They believe everyone owes them favors which they have not earned, and they feel as though they don't need to give anything in return.
People who have a sense of entitlement believe that money, popularity, fame, and success are birthrights. They have a distorted and inflated opinion of themselves and a poor sense of reality.
A sense of entitlement develops for certain reasons, such as experiences growing up, personality disorders, etc. The important thing is to recognize it, not only in others, but within yourself, and learn how to change your mindset.
People who have a sense of entitlement are greedy, insecure, demanding of praise and attention, ungrateful, and bitter that they don’t have more in life that they feel they deserve. They become angry and defensive when their behavior is challenged.
People who feel a sense of entitlement are often emotional vampires who will suck every ounce of your life force until there’s nothing left, blame you for not being able to give them more, and then step on you and over you while they go looking for the next living thing to replace you to fulfill their wants.
There’s no gentle way of saying it. While they suffer emotional damage from their sense of entitlement, they also create emotional distress to the people around them who attempt the impossible task of trying to please them.
Everything starts and ends with your mindset.
It’s easy to recognize people who have a sense of entitlement because they will clearly demonstrate those traits. The question is, how long are you willing to put up with their demands and despicable behavior until you either walk away or they walk away from you after you’ve become so emotionally and physically depleted you are no longer of use to them.
You are not responsible for changing others, but you are responsible for changing yourself. Take a good look at yourself and see if you’re constantly complaining about what you don’t have that you believe the world owes you. And take a good look at yourself and see if you are burning yourself out by enabling others by giving in to their sense of entitlement.
Then remember these important thoughts:
Life isn’t fair.
There are no guarantees.
It’s up to you to take responsibility for what happens in your life.
It’s up to you to put in the hard work to make your life better.
It’s up to you to stop demanding things you think you deserve from others.
It’s up to you to stop giving in to the demands of others who have a sense of entitlement.
You aren’t owed anything. You don't owe anyone anything they haven't earned.
Work for it.
Apply these thoughts to yourself and share them with others who display their sense of entitlement to you.
And always remember, if you are struggling or you see someone else struggling, it’s not a weakness to seek help.
About the Authors
Harry Petsanis is a philosopher of human nature, mindset specialist, and lifelong fitness and wellness advisor. He is a writer and author, with three published books: “The Truth is A Lie,” “The Logical Path to Life,” and "Knowing Me from A to Z, A Child's Mindset," which he co-authored with Donna McCance, M.Ed.. Harry has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. He has an intense passion for psychology and the human condition.
Donna McCance, M.Ed. is a business administrator, writer, author, licensed teacher and principal/vice principal with over 20 years experience teaching in elementary education and educational leadership. She has a Masters in Education, Masters in Human Services Management, Bachelors in Business Administration and Associates in Business Administration.
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The Truth is A Lie" and "The Logical Path To Life"
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to order Harry Petsanis's and Donna McCance's newly published book
"Knowing Me From A to Z, A Child's Mindset"
To learn about Harry Petsanis, go to his website