From Scarcity to Abundance
I don’t know about you but I always thought you have to compete for everything. In school, for a job, for more clients and so on. I think our society engraves the idea of competition in our minds from a very young age.
We believe that we have to compete for the same jobs as others because if someone has a job, that means you can’t have the same job. But this way of thinking where you assume that you have to compete with other people for grades, money, or jobs, is not only far from true but is also based in limited thinking.
On the other end of the spectrum is the abundance mindset. The biggest mistake most of us make (because we’ve always been taught this) is that supply is limited. There is this underlying belief that there isn’t enough to go around. That we must be the first in line, the highest ranking or the most impressive in order to be successful.
That’s not always the case, but even if it were, adopting that scarcity mindset is only doing you more harm than good. Your mindset can radically affect the course of your life, which is why learning how to develop an abundance mindset is so important, especially in this world where success often looks like outdoing others.
A scarcity mindset is the belief that there will never be enough, resulting in feelings of fear, stress, and anxiety. On the other hand, an abundance mindset flows out of a deep inner sense of personal worth and security. It's grounded in the belief that there is more than enough for everyone.
So how can we shift from a scarcity to an abundance mindset? There are loads of ways you can do this but it all starts with noticing your thoughts and realising which areas of life you may be thinking these limiting thoughts. Once you’ve done that, here are 5 ways you could try shifting your mindset to a more abundant one:
Practice gratitude: As cliched as this sounds, this is one of the most life changing practices if you give it time. We always have something good in life, no matter what situation we’re in. And what we focus on, we magnify. So if we want more of the good stuff, then the best way to do that is by starting to be grateful for the good we already have.
Stop comparing: Comparison is the thief of job. While in a scarcity mindset, you’re constantly comparing yourself to others, an abundant mindset is all about how you compare to yourself and grow to be the best version of yourself each day. And at the end of the day, that’s what really matters.
Look for a lesson: When things aren’t going our way, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of scarcity and feel like ‘I can’t believe this is happening to me’. When you catch yourself in this trap, try to stop yourself and instead look for a lesson you could learn from that situation. How can you use this situation to grow and be better? This shift in perspective will help you feel more abundant and see more possibilities available to you.
Stay in your lane: Focus on your own passions and strengths; don’t get so caught up in trying to be better than your perceived “competition” that you lose sight of yourself. You’re unique so learn to use that to your advantage and make the most of it.
Practice giving: This could be anything - donations to charities, sharing other people’s work who you admire, tipping your Swiggy delivery guy. Too many people feel like they have nothing to offer when they have so much to offer: time, attention, presence, kindness, and knowledge. There is something really powerful in sharing of yourself, your time and your money.
There’s enough opportunity for everyone in the world. The problem is that most people don’t use the opportunities. Adopt an abundance mindset. Before you know it, you’ll have so many opportunities that you don’t know what to do with it. :)