Recent posts on EliteFTS and events at the workplace have prompted me to write this article.
I have been an EliteFTS reader and customer from day one. When I first started reading Dave’s Q&A, I was laboring in a steel factory. When the factory closed, I landed a job at a local community center in Philadelphia. It was the worst job I’ve ever had. Having no college education, I would have been stuck there if I hadn’t asked for the advice of several family members, friends, and Dave Tate.
I started my degree at 31-years-old without any prior college experience. After suffering through three years of working full-time and going to school full-time, I finally earned my undergraduate degree. For my degree program, I was required to have an internship in the field. I was accepted into a program at a local hospital, and when I completed it, I was fortunate enough to be hired. To pay the bills, I worked nights and split shifts for two years as well as another job before I attained my full-time position. I have since earned my master’s degree and am responsible for teaching student interns as part of my job. This brings me to the point of this article.
Our interns come from several different colleges and universities, and there are very telling characteristics among the students. Some chose this field because they’re passionate about helping athletes and patients improve their performance or everyday living. The “passionates,” as I call them, show up on time every day, try to learn as much as possible, and almost always exceed their responsibilities. The “entitled,” as I will refer to them, show up when they can get there, don’t want to be bothered with learning assignments, and expect a job offer with high pay and the best shift hours awaiting them when they graduate.
The “entitled” express indignation at a poor grade and expect it to be changed after their protests because “they worked hard” on their assignments. Often, these assignments appear as if my 4-year-old thought them out and Stevie Wonder wrote it for them. The “passionates” are grateful for whatever hours are offered to them. They continue to work hard, hoping for more hours, and continue to pursue more information to better themselves and their clients. Their assignments are well thought out, very well written, and neatly presented.
Unfortunately, we live in a “sickciety” that accepts bad behavior. To quote Henry Rollins, “We eat poorly, we sleep poorly, and we behave badly.” I applaud Dave, Jim, and the EliteFTS staff for rejecting such behavior toward their business. The “entitled” not only want EliteFTS tailored to their viewing pleasure, but they also expect freebies and free shipping extended to freight items. They expect EliteFTS staff to drop whatever is currently being worked on to serve them right this very second because the “entitled” are much more important.
I once phoned Dave and asked if he’d be interested in donating a rack to our hospital, which is a non-profit organization. We were beginning to do strength research with our students and didn’t have any means to perform our testing. I figured that the worst Dave could say was no, and I never expected him to say yes. After Dave thought about it, he decided against it. I wasn’t angry and knew that someone in more need than us would get it if they needed it. Subsequently, we received our rack and weights from a local university that was downsizing their weight room.
The thing that people need to learn is how to ask for something whether it be training advice, employment, or free items. Even though I was turned down, I remain a loyal customer because of how EliteFTS is run. Nobody owes you anything. You must bring something to the table to be viewed as valuable. Our project didn’t meet the mission of EliteFTS, but had I not asked, I wouldn’t have known.
In closing, I can relate to posts regarding those who are always negative. We rant to each other where I work and usually feel better afterward. We take turns caring for the “entitled” because we are not in a position to turn them away, though in a just society we’d be able to show them the door.
Rest easy. The “entitled” are going nowhere fast. If they even compete in lifting, they’re not improving much. And you can be sure that they’ll never be able or qualified to take your job or have intestinal fortitude to create a business that will compete with yours.