Entitlement vs. Privilege: Part I
We get to choose…with everything…every moment of every single day. It’s a profound thought process that influences the level of real joy we experience throughout each day. One works all the time and the other never works. So why in the world are so many people intentionally choosing the one that never works, leaving a path of unhappiness for themselves and others in their wake? Maybe it’s what’s occurred along their life path, a path that has them utilizing the same process over and over, expecting a different result. They may not realize there are other paths available. This is my attempt to show that another path exists. A path that leads to consistent joy. A path that offers accessible hope.
I began to dwell on the subject of entitlement vs. privilege when I was reading a recent article discussing the changes occurring in employment due to the impact of COVID-19. While reading, I realized that privilege received a huge boost in our society when the lockdown removed several of the things we enjoyed in life that we had formerly taken for granted. Overnight, essential workers became heroes as they kept the most important parts of our society operating. Hospital, nursing home and memory care workers. Firefighters, police and sheriffs, ambulance, utility, postal and food supply workers. If any of us needed any of their services during lockdown, it had become a privilege for us. After all, they were putting their personal safety and health (and their families') at risk every day while our risk was minimized hunkering down at home. Heroes…each and every one of them, and we told them so because telling them so helped them hang in there putting our lives ahead of their own. They felt the appreciation and respect that came from our hearts and used it as fuel to get up the next day and serve us all again. What an incredible privilege.
When things began to open back up, we extended our gratitude, and feeling of each experience being a privilege, to the people that showed up each day. Cashiers, people that stocked shelves, people that cleaned restrooms, cooks and servers, repair personnel and more, were lifted to a whole new level. Having them show up for work allowed us to purchase gas, food, everyday supplies, have our furnace repaired, receive dental care and so much more. We clearly saw it as a privilege that had been taken away from us during lockdown. We openly thanked them. We told them we appreciated them. We actually cared about them. And you know what happened next? Their self-esteem soared. And so did ours. That’s one of the positive consequences that naturally occurs when we share and spread kindness. Doesn’t it seem like arguing, bickering and hate all took a brief break when we were locked down? It felt like we were all being attacked, without regard to any differences, by a common foe (COVID) and we were all equipped and ready to support anyone attempting to help move us in a positive direction. Looking back, I realize there were some beautiful moments that occurred when things seemingly looked hopeless.
As more time passed and we began experiencing some semblance of “pre-COVID life,” our emotions went on a journey with more highs and lows than a battery powered out-of-control pogo stick with broken controls. While feeling sorry for ourselves for what we had been forced to endure, we crept from privilege back into the entitlement zone. People who had been lifted high for selflessly serving us during the lockdown weren’t feeling the love anymore. The feeling of entitlement was creating an “every person for themselves” mentality. COVID had brought pain to all of us and we didn’t want to care as much about others in our community lest we open ourselves up for more pain. It’s amazing how quickly we could move from privilege to entitlement. Is the predicament we find ourselves in hopeless? No! There’s always hope. And with help from each of you, I can provide it.
So, in next week's column, Entitlement vs. Privilege: Part II, I’ll be offering a solution that can work...every time...in less than a second…that can be utilized the rest of your life. Please note that when you master this solution for your own life, I’ll be asking you to share it with others. Lots of others. And you’ll want to share it. Why? Because after experiencing its positive impact on every area of your life, you’ll very naturally want to share what’s happened with everyone who will listen. Especially the people that mean the most to you and your life.
In the meantime, I have some homework for you. It might end up being the best assignment you’ve ever received and it will take up less than 10 minutes of your life. Go to the YouTube website (www.youtube.com). In the search box type: Kirk Cousins Kickoff Luncheon Speech. Select the one that’s listed as about 7:55 minutes long. Sit back, hit play and experience one of the most powerful learning opportunities you’ll ever be made aware of. It’s a big part of the foundation of my solution that you’ll be able to plug in to your life immediately. Watch that video right now and GiddyUp!