I’ve had survival on my mind lately. I am not a fan of reality shows, but I am finding “Alone” on the History Channel to be strangely addictive. 10 people are dropped off in wild remote places like Vancouver Island, Patagonia, Mongolia, and the Arctic, with only 10 items of their choosing. They are left utterly alone in the wilderness with no outside contact other than the occasional medical check-ins. The contestants have to fend for themselves enduring harsh weather, hunger, and loneliness without knowing how anyone else is doing. The last person standing wins $500,000.
Each person’s battle is as much about the mental fortitude as it is about survival skills and physical fitness. For me, “Alone” is as much a psychological experiment as a survival show. I feel it is a heart-wrenching depiction of the differences between surviving and thriving. This show demonstrates that the most important skillset is mindset, the survival of the most resilient. It is about trying to thrive in the wilderness rather than just hunkering down and enduring the daily struggles. In the wilderness, and along the career journey, what differentiates surviving from thriving is shifting from scarcity to abundance mindset. Abundance is all about proactively managing choices and creative problem-solving. An abundance mindset allows people to see possibilities even at time when resources are limited. Scarcity mindset is driven by fear that there will never be enough of the things we need. Abundance mindset begins with a choice to take risks and go for what we want, to live with abandon for abundance.
When we think of scarcity, we often think of challenges, costs, and consequences. Abundance mindsets flip fear-casting forecasting into positive possibilities. When we think of living life with abandon, we lead our life with curiosity, creativity, confidence and courage. There is always enough success to go around when you apply these four innate capabilities.
Curiosity: leading life with curiosity means being open to trying and learning new things.
Creativity: leading life with creativity means coming up with resourceful and unique solutions.
Confidence: leading life with confidence means keeping the delicate balance of self-acceptance and personal growth, taking responsibility for moving on, up and forward.
Courage: leading life with courage means embracing vulnerability, uncertainty and risk to conquer challenges in order to become the person you aspire to be.
To live with abundance is to be APT to adapt.
A is for Affirmation, Acknowledgement, and Appreciation.
First, affirm the facts of your situation and reality. Then, acknowledge the problems but live in possibilities. Finally, move towards your goals with appreciation for the big and small things in your life.
P is for Perceiving, Predicting, and Planning
First, perceive possibilities for action viewing problems and opportunities. Then, predict which alternative approaches are most viable. Finally, plan a feasible course of action.
T is for Trusting, Trying, and Tweaking
First, trust in yourself, others, and the abundance of life. Then, empower yourself to try out and do what you don’t feel ready for. Finally, tweak the things that if changed would make a positive difference.
The challenges you are facing may be big, but making small mindset shift can have a tremendous impact. Unlike on Alone, where the scarcity of resources is real, in our daily life, the illusion of scarcity is often created to establish the monetary value placed on goods and services. This mentality prevents us from realizing the abundance all around us. A scarcity mindset is limited, seeing danger and dead ends. An abundance mindset is expansive, seeing possibilities. When facing challenges, instead of feeling discouraged and defeated, people with an abundant mentality believe human ingenuity can create novel solutions. If you believe that an ocean of opportunities is within your reach, you can turn setbacks into success.
Train your brain for abundance. Focus on the positive opportunities and options in your career and in life rather than on what is lacking, the things not yet completed or achieved.
FAQs
An abundance mindset allows people to see possibilities even at time when resources are limited. Scarcity mindset is driven by fear that there will never be enough of the things we need. Abundance mindset begins with a choice to take risks and go for what we want, to live with abandon for abundance.
What is the abundance or scarcity? ›
To put it simply, a scarcity mindset leaves you feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and paralyzed. An abundance mindset leaves you feeling excited, motivated, and ready for action. They are opposites of each other, and we all have the choice to adopt one mindset or the other.
What does it mean to live in scarcity? ›
A scarcity mindset is when you believe there are limited resources, so if someone else has something, you feel there is less of that resource available for you, says Tabitha Kirkland, a psychologist and associate teaching professor at the University of Washington's Department of Psychology.
What is the fear of scarcity? ›
The scarcity mindset is a way of thinking that centres around the belief that resources, opportunities, and success are limited and hard to come by. It's a mindset grounded in fear—a fear of not having enough, not being enough, and not being able to secure what we need for our well-being.
How to move from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset? ›
Snapping Out of a Scarcity Mindset
Focus on what you have: You have enough. Consciously direct your attention to the resources and blessings already present in your life. Surround yourself with abundance thinkers: Hang out with people who radiate positivity and see opportunity where others see obstacles.
What is scarcity or abundance? ›
An abundance mindset allows people to see possibilities even at time when resources are limited. Scarcity mindset is driven by fear that there will never be enough of the things we need. Abundance mindset begins with a choice to take risks and go for what we want, to live with abandon for abundance.
What is your scarcity? ›
Scarcity is one of the key concepts of economics. It means that the demand for a good or service is greater than the availability of the good or service. Therefore, scarcity can limit the choices available to the consumers who ultimately make up the economy.
What is scarcity in everyday life? ›
Scarcity is a key concept in economics that refers to the limited availability of resources such as supplies, raw materials, or labor, which impacts the production of goods and services and their pricing. Factors like natural disasters, consumer behavior and international relations can influence scarcity.
What does abundance feel like? ›
But abundance is a feeling. In fact, when you look up the definition of abundance, it means overflowing, fullness, extremely plentiful, and wealth. Because abundance is a feeling, it means it is not created by anything outside of you. What always creates how you feel are your thoughts.
Can scarcity be a good thing? ›
Scarcity prioritizes our choices and it can make us more effective. For example, the time pressure of a deadline focuses our attention on using what we have most effectively. Distractions are less tempting.
An abundance mindset is the belief that there is enough wealth, happiness, and success in the world for everyone. It's a perspective that views life's possibilities as limitless, encouraging us to approach situations and challenges with optimism and generosity.
What does the Bible say about a scarcity mindset? ›
Matthew 6:33 puts it this way: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” 2. A scarcity mindset contributes to feelings of greed and envy.
What is a scarcity person? ›
A scarcity mindset is when you are so obsessed with a lack of something — usually time or money — that you can't seem to focus on anything else, no matter how hard you try.
What is the root cause of the scarcity mindset? ›
The research is still in its infancy, but it would seem that a scarcity mindset often stems from various deep-rooted causes (Peterson, 2020). Examples of causes include childhood experiences, societal and cultural influences, personal traumas and setbacks, and cognitive biases (Belk et al., 2023; Jiang et al., 2024).
How to heal scarcity trauma? ›
Positive Affirmations: Use positive affirmations to reframe your thinking and reinforce abundance beliefs. Affirmations such as “I have all that I need,” “Opportunities are abundant,” or “I deserve abundance in all areas of my life” can help replace scarcity thoughts with more empowering ones.
How to bring abundance in your life? ›
11 Ways to Attract Abundance in Your Life
- Begin with gratitude. ...
- Dream it. ...
- Alter your mindset. ...
- Construct an empowering reality. ...
- Stop making excuses. ...
- Realize your potential. ...
- Attract opportunity. ...
- Commit to living your dreams.
Humans place a higher value on an object that is scarce, and a lower value on those that are in abundance. For example diamonds are more valuable than rocks because diamonds are not as abundant. These perceptions of scarcity can lead to irregular consumer behavior, such as systemic errors or cognitive bias.
What is the meaning of abundance in economics? ›
Abundance refers to having ample resources. Unlike the economy of scarcity, the economy of abundance is built on the availability of near unlimited resources. The economy of abundance is almost always present in the digital world—digital products and content are easy and cheap to copy, store, and transfer to millions.
Which is scarcity? ›
In economics, scarcity refers to limitations–limited goods or services, limited time, or limited abilities to achieve the desired ends.
What does the scarcity indicate? ›
Scarcity is an economic concept where individuals must allocate limited resources to satisfy their needs. Scarcity limits the choices available to consumers in an economy. Some natural resources that are easily and widely accessible eventually prove scarce as they are depleted from overuse.
