There’s been an issue that I have been wanting to
talk about for a long time now. It is becoming rampant
and I’m convinced that it’s contagious. I’m going to call
it the “Give Me Complex.”

Let me give you an example. Just the other day I
was talking to someone who was interested in becoming
a published poet. I read some of his poetry and was very
impressed so I told him the best way I personally know,
to get his writing out there in the world. Of course, it
involved him putting forth time and physical effort in
order to get that done. He didn’t like the idea and said,
“what’s the easy way?”

Are you kidding me? There has to be an easy
way for you to get something done? Good thing it
does not take a concentrated effort to breathe oxygen
because otherwise this guy would probably be in a lot
of trouble.

I have another example for you. This one
happened a couple of months ago. Someone asked me
how I stay in real good physical shape. So I told him,
exercising on a daily basis and eating healthy food is the
key. This guy seemed about as interested in that idea as
a great white shark would be in becoming a vegetarian.

His next question was, “can’t I just take some
amino pills and get buff that way?” I wanted to tell
him, “yeah, as long as you take amino pills and drink a
protein shake then you will get buff, even if you sit on
your behind all day,” but I was afraid he would take it
literally.

Two examples of what I call the “Give Me
Complex.” Some people are so used to having things
given to them that they forget how to earn them.

Has there ever been a point in your adult life
when you felt the same way? I know there was for me.
I used to have a huge sense of entitlement. I felt so
sorry for myself and thought that I should just be given
everything I wanted in life. But then I grew up.

To be honest, I think that’s a big part of growing up.
You come to realize that the world does not owe
you anything, and that if you want something in life,
then you have to earn it. Because, when you make a
habit of earning what you want in life that false sense of
entitlement transforms into a sense of accomplishment.

You want to know why this Give Me Complex
makes me want to yell out? It’s because of people like
Stephen Hawking. Even he is almost partially paralyzed
from Lou Gehrig’s disease, he does not just expect
things to be given to him. He has authored books. He
has appeared at many charity events. He travels and
teaches around the world. He has been the focus of
documentaries and movies. He is probably five times
smarter than I am. He has accomplished all this, even
though he is severely disabled.

This man did not make excuses in life. There
are many others among us who are at some sort of
disadvantage in life like him and yet they don’t make
excuses. They make examples of what the rest of us
should be doing. I can’t help but be inspired when I see
determination like that.

So don’t be a part of the population that feels
weak and discouraged when times get rough. Because
you are what you feel. So now is the time to feel strong
and able.

So stand with me today to yell and scream,
“Make Examples, Not Excuses!” And while we’re at it,
since we are yelling already, let us give a shout out to the
one’s in life that give us reasons to be inspired and the
strength to persevere.

Anthony Billings