As a millennial I’ve come to learn something about the sense of entitlement I see in my peers. These are the people who grew up in the nice neighborhoods, went to the nice schools, had college paid for, and all around have been given life on a platter. And this is not to speak negatively against this demographic as I am a proud member of this group. However, there comes a point in one’s life when you have to move beyond what’s stated above. At some point, you need to take responsibility for your life and make your own decisions. At some point, you have to start working hard.

Every day I see wasted potential in the business world where people don’t seize the opportunity at hand. Working hard means doing what others won’t do. It means putting in the hours other’s won’t. If you aren’t willing to put in the time, that’s great – go the entrepreneurial route and make your own hours, start your own business, and work 6 hours a day. The thing is, you can’t have the latter unless you take that leap into “doing it on your own”, so don’t complain when you have have to work your butt off as an employee in the meantime.

To all you millennials – embrace the need to work hard. Embrace the need to innovate if you want sanity in your life. This isn’t our parents generation where America was booming and there was money to be made everywhere. Adding to that, we’ll probably never see our social security benefits materialize either so you better get working on how you’re going to retire, if ever.

What I’m trying to say is that you need to own it. Don’t let anyone take responsibility for your money besides yourself. Take pride in setting yourself apart from the crowd with the quality of your work and ability to get work done. Get over the mindset that our future and that of our children’s has been sacrificed at the altar of politically charged benefits for past generations.

Most of your reading this article won the genetic lottery. You were probably born in the United States or somewhere else in the developed world. Just think – you could have been born in Zimbabwe. You could have been born in North Korea. Instead you were born into a world of opportunity and now is the time for you, quite simply, to get rich.

Millenials – this is your time. There are no excuses. Own it, work hard, and we will bring the world into a prosperous future.