13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do: Take Back Your Power, Embrace Change, Face Your Fears, and Train Your Brain for Happiness and Success

Morin addresses the destructive nature of entitlement through the case study of Lucas, a recent graduate with a Master of Business Administration degree who believed that his company owed him immediate recognition and promotion despite being new to the organization. Lucas’s story illustrates how entitlement manifests in workplace settings—offering unsolicited advice, demanding promotions without earning them, and assuming superiority over experienced colleagues. Through therapy, Lucas learned to recognize how his entitled attitude damaged relationships and hindered his professional growth. The transformation occurred when he shifted focus from demanding recognition to demonstrating value through respectful collaboration and genuine learning.

The author contextualizes entitlement within contemporary cultural trends, drawing on research by psychologist Jean Twenge to explain rising narcissism among younger generations. Morin identifies three contributing factors: educational programs that overemphasize self-esteem without corresponding achievement, overindulgent parenting that shields children from consequences, and social-media platforms that encourage self-promotion. This analysis reflects broader concerns about participation-trophy culture and helicopter parenting that gained prominence in the early 21st century, making the chapter particularly relevant to understanding generational workplace dynamics.

Morin distinguishes between two forms of entitlement: superiority-based entitlement (believing that one deserves more due to exceptional qualities) and injustice-based entitlement (believing that compensation is owed for past hardships).