One thing that I continue to hear are complaints about the fact that this country has developed a bunch of entitled brats. People who think everything in life should be easy. People who think that they are owed a specific job or that they are owed a promotion. People who think that they can show up to work and push their jobs onto other people. People who complain when things don't go their way. People who want to get rich quick. People who waste all of their money, but hope the lottery will bring them riches. You actually have a better chance of getting struck by lightning, than you do of winning the lottery. This entitlement culture that we live in was summed up very well in the 2016 Kia Sorento Commercial found below.

As much as I hate buying new cars, I still ended up embedding a car commercial on this blog. Just don't take this commercial as a glowing endorsement to go out and buy a new car. Instead, listen to the message in the commercial. I have always loved how this father removes the word "Participant" and writes "Champs" on the trophy. He is completely right that we should be rewarded for our successes. Winning every game is a success and I don't believe that everybody (including the team that went 0-12) should get a trophy.

We can get too worried about hurting a child's feelings, that we don't think of the harm that we are doing to these kids in the future. What will push this child to improve and get better, if they get a trophy no matter what happens? The same can be said about all of the entitlements that the government continues to hand out. If we continue to give people free money, what will push them or anyone to go out and strive for success?

America was made great by the men and women who sacrificed their lives and their families to pursue greatness in this country. They walked across the country, settled homesteads and began to live off the land. These people earned their living. They earned their food, and it wasn't easy for them. It was a lot of hard work building a nation from the roots and building a society of free people that worked hard for the things that they needed. This is our history. This is the beautiful roots of our ancestors. Both of my grandfathers and their fathers before them farmed the land and fed the growing population of this great country. My parents instilled the need for hard work from their parents and the commercial below reminded me a lot of the lessons learned from my grandfathers.

Once again, I used a truck commercial and you all know that I would never endorse anyone going out and buying a brand new car or truck. Instead, listen to the message. I remember watching this commercial during the Super Bowl and the way it flew across social media after it was seen by middle America. This message resonates with so many people, because they either knew a farmer or understand our farming roots in America. This message talked about "Not Cutting Corners" and working "72+ hours a week."

That doesn't sound easy, and we all know the back breaking work of being a farmer. Lots of times, we take this life that we live for granted and we aren't thankful for the things that we are given. We all have different jobs and different experiences, so it's not good to compare. But there is one important lesson that we can all learn from the farmer. The lesson that everything is not easy. The lesson that it takes time to see the rewards of your harvest. Farmers never expect the quick buck, instead they plant the corn or beans in the spring and harvest in the fall. Each fall they get a reward for their work, but it didn't come to them accidentally.

The same can be said for most millionaires. Most millionaires are self-made (80% to be exact). They didn't just stumble into money. They built their wealth over the course of their life. They worked extra jobs to pay off debt. They saved more money than their neighbor. They took risks. They were willing to play the long game and build wealth over the course of their life.

That is not easy, but it's easy to go out and drop $100 at the bar. It's easy to rack up $5,000 buying new furniture for your house. It's easy to go to college on student loans. It's easy to get a credit card. It's easy to go on vacation without a budget. It's easy to have someone else make dinner for you. It's easy to go to Starbucks everyday.

Sure you can live a life of easiness. Heck our culture feeds the easiness. Businesses are always trying to make things easier for all of us. I even use some of the things that have made our lives easier. I automate my bills. It's just easier not needing to remember to pay all of the bills. I use a smartphone, which makes my life easier in so many ways.

Don't let that easiness, make you complacent. Don't let it push you into believing that you are owed something. Our easy lives have led us to start expecting things. The expectation of wanting an easier life can lead you down a path that you don't want to go. You don't want to give up cable, because it would be traumatizing to miss your favorite show. You can't give up Starbucks, because you need that morning coffee. You can't give up that new car you bought, because it's nice and shiny.

I will tell you. You don't need a shiny car or Starbucks every day. You don't need cable and you don't need new furniture. A lot of times, society pushes a set of expectations and we as members of the society believe that we are owed these things. Something like free handouts from the government or a brand new kitchen remodel. That's the funny thing. A handout from the government does not help anyone, instead it puts people in a cycle of expecting and relying on the government for stuff. And of course, that brand new kitchen that you absolutely had to have put you $10,000 in debt. Does it seem so important now?

Instead of expecting a job, a new house or even a new remodel, you must remember that nothing is owed to you. You must go out and take it. You must go out and work your tail off. You must put in the overtime. You must work harder than everyone else. Then that job may have been earned instead of given. All farmers around the country, work tirelessly for their reward. Will you do the same? Will you push yourself to start working for your rewards instead expecting stuff?

Always remember, stuff will not make you happier. You family, friends and experiences are all you need to have a happy and healthy life.