Switching from a scarcity to an abundance mindset (Part 1)
Written by Alex Poeter
We all want to feel abundant – that we have everything we could ever need and will never run out of it - because it gives us a sense of control. Abundance is not just about money or material possessions. It’s about something much deeper and more primal: feeling safe, protected and taken care of.
Ironically though, in our pursuit of abundance we often exhibit the opposite: a scarcity mindset. That is, the very feeling that we don’t have abundance in and of itself reflects a scarcity mindset. And this mindset – which is so deeply embodied that we tend not to even notice it -- then shows up in our actions and decisions, both in our personal life and in our work. So even when we have enough resources to thrive, we still act and feel as if we don’t.
How might that show up? Well, a scarcity mindset can manifest as fear, a feeling of deficit, being too attached to certain outcomes, a need to control other people’s behavior, feeling a need to defend ourselves, and so on. On a deeper level, a scarcity mindset can also show up as “not feeling worthy enough”, “feeling overly scrutinized by others”, or as “a lack of confidence”. An example of how a scarcity mindset can show up at work would be if someone worked for a nonprofit and found out that another organization got a big grant that theirs didn’t get. As a result they might fear that this will take resources away from their own work, which would likely start showing up more and more in their thinking and behavior.
As you can see, it’s quite difficult to create professional success and organizational impact from a scarcity mindset – showing up from scarcity can stop you from creating abundance. On the other hand, the more we can show up from a place of abundance, the more of a positive impact we can have on the world. So, the first step for shifting from a scarcity to an abundance mindset is to become aware of where and how our scarcity mindset shows up, and to allow ourselves to fully accept it without self-judgment or self-blame. We can't really change what we don't fully accept first, because without acceptance a certain level of resistance remains, which will keep getting in the way of our ability to create change. As a first action step, I’d invite you to reflect on the following questions:
Where am I showing up from fear that there isn’t enough of whatever I think I need?
How is this fear showing up in my actions and decisions?
Beware that your conditioned mind is likely going to create some resistance by trying to come up with reasons why a scarcity mindset is justified and necessary in certain situations. If that happens, just allow yourself to just observe those thoughts and feelings. I’ve found that the act of observing a limiting behavioral pattern in and of itself tends to start the process of unraveling that pattern. In my next post (Part 2), I’ll share some tips for how you can start embodying more of an abundance mindset through your behavior.