No Limits | The Freedom Blog™
Victitlement
Written
by Steven Griggs | stevengriggs.com
“Depend
upon it that if a man talks of his misfortunes there is something in them that
is not disagreeable to him.”
Samuel
Johnson
“I can’t
complain, but sometimes I still do”
Joe Walsh
Have
you ever found yourself blaming? Blaming something or someone that is the
reason for your loss, your frustration, or your lack of progress?
You
know, about anything that you feel you should have, would have had or could
have had if it weren’t for _______________? Something you felt you were entitled to?
There
are plenty of targets: the government, the schools, your parents, your
childhood. Pick anything, the list is endless.
Mirriam-Webster defines entitlement as:
1. a right
to benefits specified especially by law or contract
2. a
government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; also : funds
supporting or distributed by such a program
3. belief
that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges
As you
can see entitlement mainly refers to benefits specified by law or a government
program or the belief that one is deserving of or entitled to privileges.
So unless
you are on some government program or own a country you aren’t really entitled
to anything.
But you
might say “I am entitled to my freedom”. And you would be wrong.
We aren’t
entitled to anything. The freedom we take for granted is a gift from others
(unless you are in the service), from earlier generations who have sacrificed. (Actually
the feeling that we are entitled to our freedom has created a certain passivity
in our culture and is one of the reasons we are quietly losing our freedom…. but
more on that later.)
We aren’t
“owed” anything.
What you
have now or want in the future has depended and will depend upon your own actions,
upon your efforts.
If you
have traded your time for money to earn a living, that was your bargain. That
was the deal you made.
If you
are an entrepreneur, you accepted the stress and pleasure of being in business for
yourself and that was your bargain. That was your deal.
But in
all cases, you are the driver. It is a choice you made and you reaped the
results, whatever they were.
The
second you look outside for a reason or for the cause of your current
circumstances, you step into "victitlement".
Because believing
that you are owed anything is being a victim, it is giving up your power by
believing that things come from outside of you, from somewhere else. That life
happens to you.
That is not
true. You happen to life.
You are
your creator. You visualize and through your actions (or inactions) you create
your own reality.
You have
created your current circumstances. Whatever
you have now or are doing now, whatever circumstances you find yourself in, you
created.
And that
is sometimes hard to accept…..
I am
assuming you choose to be the master of your destiny and not answer to anyone. But
for some that is uncomfortable and maybe not be achievable at this time. If so,
for now you compromise and do what you have to do. You wait and plan until the
time is right.
Your
level of independence and freedom is a choice.
But wherever
you are, you don’t get to complain. No one does.
By
being a victim and feeling entitled you allow yourself to become a floating
blob of helplessness, pushed by the currents of others, never consciously in
control, always the victim.
“Waiting
for someone or something to show you the way” as Pink Floyd says.
That would be living in a state of “victitlement”.
Accept
responsibility and accept that you are in control, avoid victitlement and
create the reality you choose.
It’s
never too late.
