Today, McKay explored the sense of entitlement on the Open Your Eyes podcast.  He starts off by introducing various examples of moments when individuals were and weren’t entitled, beginning with the story of a man who was tired of waiting for his flight.  He then contrasts that example with George Washington and his heroism fighting against the British army.  McKay notes that, like George Washington, we are entitled to nothing in life.  If we start to adopt this mindset that nothing is guaranteed to us, we would be all the more happy. 

McKay goes on to recall a story about a man who can sleep when the wind blows - a tale of preparation and diligence teaching us that things won’t fall into line unless we do.  Similarly, he argues that adversity is important because it forces us to be resilient and to take responsibility for ourselves - when we teach our children that life owes us happiness and success, they’ll hardly be prepared to face real challenges. McKay also talks about his work at a nonprofit where he helps children get involved in science at a young age to stimulate this type of growth mindset.  He draws this episode to a close by detailing the journey of Elon Musk’s Tesla company and its humble beginnings demonstrating that success isn’t just entitled to us, it’s made.

The Finer Details of This Episode:

• The difference between working hard and feeling you’re entitled to something
• Washington’s heroic efforts in the fight against the British
• Why we are entitled to nothing in life
• Preparation and the “I can sleep when the wind blows” parable
• The importance of adversity
• Why growth mindsets encourage confidence and persistence 
• The journey of Elon Musk’s Tesla

Quotes:

“Things like the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution came about because of character, determination, hard work and even some chance. It was the individual choices and actions of the people at the time that gave birth to the country where some of us live. They were far from entitled.”

“The truth is that no one owes you or me a living, and no one is going to hand you or me a great life.”

“​​I believe he had the mindset to persevere especially when things got tough. He knew they were not entitled to freedom. They had to earn it.”

“Here's the thing: I worry that my children and you and me tend to think that the freedoms we enjoy, to speak freely, to worship in the manner we choose, to have free and fair elections, and many other things, were somehow bestowed upon us because we are entitled.”

“Sometimes we think we are entitled; entitled to freedom, entitled to a happy life, to a job, to benefits, and all of the other things that we enjoy. But the truth is, we are entitled to very little.”

“We must remember to prepare the child for the road, not the road for the child.”

“Kids who develop this ability to struggle through answers have less anxiety and stress, increased attention capacity, fewer symptoms of attention deficit disorders, more confidence, ability to make independent decisions, improved physical and emotional health, and they perform and have a better attitude in school.”

“Remember, we are not just entitled to freedom of any kind, whether it be political, financial or emotional - it must be earned.”

“Now is the time to work so you can sleep when the wind blows, whatever winds may come.”

Links:

Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen