Abundance vs Scarcity Mindset

Moving through the world with an abundant mindset means we celebrate the successes of others.

When those around us win, we also win because we take joy in seeing others succeed.

An abundant mindset is rooted in the deep belief that there are enough resources in the world for everyone to succeed.

The opposite of an abundant mindset is a scarcity mindset. Meaning that when others do well, we have difficulty finding joy in their success.

A scarcity mindset is rooted in the belief that resources are limited. And if there are not enough resources, money, jobs, or relationships to go around, then when others succeed, a scarcity mindset will lead you to believe that there is less of a chance that you will succeed.

There are many reasons why we may have developed a scarcity mindset. And I don’t believe people voluntarily choose scarcity over abundance. However, I do believe that a scarcity mindset can go unnoticed if we don’t turn inward and ask ourselves a simple yet powerful question:

When others do well, how does it make me feel?

Is my immediate reaction one of joy, or is my immediate reaction one of happiness clouded with envy or jealousy?

If your answer more closely aligns with the latter, you may have a scarcity mindset.

And how does a scarcity mindset impact leadership?

As stated by the great John Maxwell, “The job of the leader is to make more leaders.”

A scarcity mindset will undoubtedly limit your ability to lead others to be better than you, limiting the potential of your team, the organisation and even yourself.

If you think a scarcity mindset may hinder your success as a leader or in any aspect of your life, we can work through this in one-on-one coaching.