John Townsend - The Entitlement Cure

The growing entitlement mentality in this country is completely toxic, slowly eatingaway at our spirits like acid. Ive said for years that if you want to win, youvegot to take responsibility. Youve got to leave the cave, kill something, and thenyou can drag it home! Personal responsibility may be the hard way, but its the onlyway.

DAVE RAMSEY,New York Times bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio showhost

The Entitlement Cure is a powerful book that gives people a true roadmap to success.If you want a better life, starting right now, buy this book.

DANIEL G. AMEN, MD, founder, Amen Clinics, author of Change Your Brain, Change YourLife

Dr. John Townsend has written a helpful and encouraging book to help us deal withthe issue of entitlement, whether we see it in others or in ourselves. Overcomingthis mindset isnt easy. It requires discipline, honesty, and responsibility. Thatsthe hard way, but its the only way worth taking.

JIM DALY, President Focus on the Family

There are so many real-life examples based on Johns experience and expertise thatreinforce why the hard way is the best way and Gods intended way for our success.This is more than a book to read, its an engaging conversation with a friendlyexpert.

GARY DAICHENDT, former executive vice president, Cisco Systems

Buying and reading The Entitlement Cure should be one of the easiest decisions youever make. Why? Because we all need John Townsends life-giving message. Dont missout on this compelling and immensely practical book. You will love The EntitlementCure!

DRS. LES AND LESLIE PARROTT, authors of Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts

There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth getting to. The Entitlement Cure is fullof wisdom, truth, empowerment, and principles that will help you and those aroundyou actually achieve success. Ive been waiting for this book and could not put itdown. It is a new word for our generation.

CHRISTINE CAINE, founder, The A21 Campaign

There is no such thing as the easy button, but my friend John Townsend deliversreal remedies to todays entitlement mentality. The Entitlement Cure is a game changer.

DR. KEVIN LEMAN,New York Times bestselling author of The Birth Order Book and TheWayofthe Shepherd

Dr. John Townsend is one of the leading psychologists in the world today, and hisnew book, The Entitlement Cure, will help hundreds of thousands of readers. He describesthe hard way as developing the habit of doing what is best, rather than what is mostcomfortable, to accomplish worthwhile outcomes. In reality, the hard way actuallybecomes the easiest way to achieve success and love. I highly endorse this book.

PAUL MEIER, MD, founder of the national chain of Meier Clinics

The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. Cuttingcorners is a shortcut to losing there is no free lunch. John has hit on one ofthe most pressing problems facing families, businesses, and society. We have a risingculture of entitlement. The Entitlement Cure is a straightforward illustration andguide to curing this epidemic.

C. KEMMONS WILSON JR., founding family of Holiday Inns

Dr. John Townsend has addressed a devastating result of the disappearance of personalresponsibility in our culture entitlement. He provides the necessary tools to identifyit and a system to deal with it. The Entitlement Cure is a useful addition to everyonestoolbox.

BILL YINGLING, former chairman and CEO, Thrifty Corp

John has again demonstrated a clear understanding of the reality we all face of feelingentitled about something. With his explanation of the hard way in his new book,The Entitlement Cure, we learn of a path forward, always learning to be vulnerable,affirming others appropriately, taking risks, and knowing the why whenever wedo something.

GREG CAMPBELL, former executive VP/Partner Coldwell Banker Corporation

Also by Dr. John Townsend

Boundaries with Teens

Beyond Boundaries

Hiding from Love

By Dr. Henry Cloud
and Dr. John Townsend

Boundaries

Our Mothers, Ourselves

Boundaries in Marriage

Safe People

Boundaries in Dating

How People Grow

NIV Life Journey Bible

12 Christian Beliefs

That Can Drive You Crazy

Raising Great Kids

Making Small Groups Work

How to Have That Difficult Conversation

ZONDERVAN

The Entitlement Cure

Copyright 2015 by John Townsend

ePub Edition September 2015: ISBN 978-0-310-41296-0

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Townsend, John Sims, 1952

The Entitlement Cure : finding success in doing hard things the right way / Dr. John Townsend. 1 [edition].

pages cm

ISBN 978-0-310-33052-3 (hardcover)

1. Success Religious aspects Christianity. I. Title.

BV4598.3.T69 2015

170'.44 dc23

2015015677

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Published in association with Yates & Yates, www.yates2.com.

Cover design: James Hall

Interior design: Kait Lamphere

Edited by Sandra Vander Zicht and Verlyn Verbrugge

First printing July 2015

To all who live life the hard way,
because life works best that way.

CONTENTS

Elaine Morris, for the many, many accountability phone calls to help me stay on trackin the writing process;

Sealy Yates, my literary agent, for your continual excellence in cocrafting my writingcareer, and a great friendship;

Sandy Vander Zicht, executive editor at HarperCollins Christian Publishing, for encouragingme to write from passion and interest in this topic;

Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, for yourleadership and for your support of this project;

Steve Halliday, my writing coach, for your insights into making this book an integratedwhole;

My wife, Barbi, for your love, presence, and suggestions during the writing process;

My mens group, along with Greg Campbell and Scott Makin, for your steady supportin creating this book;

The Townsend Leadership Program team members, for letting me try out the conceptsand skills in the material;

The Townsend Institute of Leadership and Counseling, for using this book contentto train others in their fields of competence;

Christine Ames and Deana Vollaro, my assistants, for creating and following throughwith a writing schedule that worked.

And to several people who provided their thoughts and personal experience narratives:Dave Bradley, Dennis Del Valle, Dan Granger, Richard Halderman, John Hersker, PaulRasa, Benny Townsend, Ricky Townsend, Bob Whiton, Brian Williams, and Wayne Williams.Your insights and vulnerability made this a better book.