Coaching
Scarcity vs Abundance Mindset – Which One Are You?

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”. This is the power of the mindset. Your mindset is […]

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”.

This is the power of the mindset.

Your mindset is nothing more than a set of beliefs that shape how you make sense of the world and yourself. It influences how you think, feel, and behave in any given situation.

In other words: what you believe, matters. A lot.

 

That’s why it is so important to be good at managing and leveraging this amazing asset– your mindset -in a conscious and aware way. 


When it comes to mindset types, two stand out: Scarcity and Abundance Mindset. You’ve probably heard of them from the book by Stephen R. Covey The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.  Here’s the main difference between them:

Scarcity mindset is viewing the world as a dog-eat-dog environment where everything is limited: limited opportunities, limited resources, a limited amount of wealth, a limited amount of trust, allies, chances etc.

People who have scarcity mindset automatically choose a negative and cynical perception of life. For them the glass is always half-empty.

In the business setting this might result in general competition, hoarding of information and gatekeeping of opportunities at the expense of others. 

What people with this mindset miss is that this kind of thinking and behaviour trigger a cycle of a self-fulfilling prophecy, creating a negative field around them and trapping them in it.

 

In contrast, the abundance mindset is viewing the world as having endless possibilities and resources, and with enough room for everyone to succeed. For people with this mindset the glass is always half full. They believe that their success won’t hinder the success of others. On the contrary: the more people succeed, the better for everyone

In the corporate setting this will manifest as good teamwork and collaboration so that things get done faster, easier and more efficiently. People with the abundance mindset are not afraid to ask for help, and they readily help others, so they learn and build strong networks of support which in turn accelerate their progress and achievements.

The bottom line is this: our beliefs - no matter what they are - have a profound impact on us and our success in life.

So if you have the right beliefs, you increase your chances of having the desired outcomes in your life and work.

If you can bring the abundance mindset to your leadership, this can create a collaborative ecosystem in which everybody cooperates and thrives.

And isn’t this what we all want?

 

With leadership greetings,

More for you:

Article: Tips for an Abundance Mindset

Book by Stephen R. Covey: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

 

Quotes worth knowing: 

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”.

-Max Planck

“Whether you believe you can, or you can’t, you are probably right.” 

-Henry Ford