In this segment of Coach Raphael Djine’s "30 Reasons People Fail" series, the speaker focuses on reason #12: the uncontrollable desire to have something for nothing. He argues that a pervasive sense of entitlement—expecting gifts, aid, or free resources without contributing value—undermines personal growth and societal progress. Djine traces this mindset to historical patterns of colonialism, cites contemporary examples such as Ghana’s refusal of French aid, and uses everyday analogies like dogs’ loyalty, church tithing, and free educational courses to illustrate the principle of sowing and reaping. He stresses that true success requires adding value to others, practicing reciprocity, and avoiding the mentality of taking without giving. The talk concludes with a call to shift focus from demanding freebies to actively contributing and creating value in every interaction.
Chapters
Point number twelve: the the the uncontrollable desire to have something for nothing. I said it: the uncontrollable desire desire to have something for nothing. A lot of us we I mean we need help. We need somebody to come and support us. We want somebody to love us. We want somebody to hug us. We want somebody to send us gifts. Mainly most of us from Africa. We want America to come and help us. What are we going to do for America? We want Europeans to come and help us. We want our friends to be there for us. We always want it. We want somebody to support us. We want somebody to remember our birthday. Send off birthday gift. Some people even with during this holiday season, they want gift. They are so mad. They're not going to even talk to other people because they didn't give them anything. The desire to have something for nothing. Are you that type of person that always wants something from nothing? You make demand on people. You even make demand on ground where you have. Not sow anything. Maybe you go to church, you always thank your pastor, but you never pay tithe offering. You just get in between the crowd. You want to take and take it and take it and take. Maybe you are watching this video, you never share, even share with somebody, because you can watch the video and be like, you know what, maybe I can't pay you, Coach Raph. But let me share this with somebody. Let me help somebody with this also. The uncontrollable desire to have something for nothing. Matter of fact, I was reading a history book, how Africa was colonized and all that. The first key, the first weapon they used was to bring things to people. And that was the only way they can overpower people and subdue people. That was the only, that was the first weapon. I would say, whoa. And even today, I think the president of Ghana, last time he refused the help from France, people was shocked. I guess that's why Ghana is one of the Very advanced nation today. In order to have a dog, you have to feed him for nothing. Matter of fact, even I think dog even deal with us the better in a different way because the dog give us unconditional love to balance out. So even the dog learn how to pay back when you hit your dog, he's there. I mean, some crazy dog will bite you if you hit them, but it's not so common. I'm saying, I have— my dog is this big, but sometimes I'm beating all of them. I'm like, man, if this guy turn on me, maybe I need to walk out here with my pistol. They will destroy me in a minute. But they always submit themselves. You can hit them, break their leg, they always submit themselves. Don't— Don't want something for nothing. Always give back. Don't be those that go on the ground and say, give me. You you ask the the ground, give me corn, give me granola, give me orange. No, sow the seed. Have a desire, the inner desire to bring a value into people. I share with my student. I say. Everybody you know, maybe on the phone or you meet, always ask yourself, what can I do to add more value to this person? That's why one of our slogans is add value to others. Add value to ourselves, add value to others. Don't have a slogan, what can I take from this person? What can I get from this person? It's a wrong way of thinking. And the truth is that even the Lord Jesus said, one of the powerful laws is the law of sowing and reaping. So, a person who wants to reap must sow first. You should never try to harvest without sowing. If you walk to the ATM machine, put out your card and put a PIN and demand $100 without depositing $100, you shall never you would never have $100. How, how could you contribute in the life of those that are around you? I'm not saying that you, not to ever take something for free. I mean, I give, we, we give to so many organizations, people, and all that. I mean, some of you probably here in the school, you didn't pay for the school. Because either myself or one or other leader actually grant you pay for your school. But what could you do in return? What value could you bring at the point that you can sit there and be like, you know what, I'm so grateful for the free courses, and I'm so proud that I put 20 people in the courses in the school that actually pay And it's helping the school. I have people, even when you give it to them, they are telling even other people that no, no, no, don't pay, just take it free. Those guys, they are good, they are good people, they are good. Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, don't pay for it. They even discourage other people. The uncontrollable desire for something for nothing.
