The Entitlement Cure by Dr. John Townsend

It seems like entitlement is an attitude that is on the rise. It's the attitude that one is exempt from responsibility and is owed special treatment. Townsend makes it clear he is not writing about those who are truly in need, are incapable, or who are lacking skills. He is writing about the person capable of taking care of him or himself yet expects others to do that.

Townsend says he has written this book primarily to help those who struggle with entitlement disease. He suggests we all struggle with it a bit, what he calls pocket entitlement. There is a solution, he writes, called the Hard Way. It's “the habit of doing what is best, rather than what is comfortable, to achieve a worthwhile outcome.” He has good insights into the outcomes of following this path, how change starts at a tipping point, and includes really practical suggestions on how to get and keep going on this Hard Way path.

This book is also good for someone in relationship with one having entitlement disease. He advises compassion, helping us understand what causes entitlement. He also has great suggestions on how to communicate, such as the appropriate way to give praise. He also suggests ideas that gives the best chance of making a difference in another's life. He helps us see if we are actually enabling the entitlement behavior.

I was a little skeptical when starting this book, wondering if it would not only identify the disease and its symptoms, but offer a cure. I was happy to find out that Townsend has included practical strategies for the person suffering from entitlement disease and for those who deal with them. Many of his chapters have “skills” at the end which are questions, suggestions, and challenges centered on the chapter information.

I highly recommend this book to those who feel entitled and to those who need to relate to them. You'll come to understand what causes the entitlement disease and receive very practical ideas to deal with it. If you or a loved one feels trapped in an attitude of entitlement, this book will help get you on the path to a successful and fulfilled life.

Food for thought: “It's as simple as this: If you want to get somewhere meaningful in life, you need a relationship with pain. You must understand how to use and experience your own pain in ways that get you where you want to go.”

You can find out more about the book, watch a video, and read the first chapter here.

My rating: 5/5 stars

Dr. John Townsend is the author or co-author of twenty-seven books, including the Boundaries series. He is the founder of the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling and conducts the Townsend Leadership program. He is a leadership consultant and psychologist who travels extensively for corporate consulting and speaking. He and his wife have two sons and live in Newport Beach, California.

Zondervan, 288 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.