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Abundance versus Scarcity
We live in a competitive world. We compete in
the job market, in business, in politics, in
wars, and in beauty pageants. We compete for
position in checkout lines, to be the early
caller to get the best seats at a show, and to
get to the store first before the sale items
are sold out. We are told competition is good,
that it breeds invention and
efficiencies.
It is all too common for us to believe that if
we do not grab the goods while we can there may
not be another chance and we will have to go
without. But is this always true?
There are places for competition where its
effects are very positive. In sports where
competition creates excellence and many times
in business markets where innovation occurs as
a result of competition. This is healthy
competition. But in our daily lives is the
impulse to be competitive really always
necessary? Will we really go without what we
want if we don’t hoard and protect our time,
space, and possessions? Do we really need to
scheme another out of their money, their job,
or even their spouse? This is not healthy
competition.
Scarcity thinking is the result of our belief
that we have to compete for and take what we
want before someone else does, that there isn’t
enough for everyone. Scarcity thinking causes
us to pit ourselves against our environment in
many ways. Another result of "there isn't
enough" thinking is that we begin to think
about and judge who deserves it more, me or
someone else. All to often we ourselves come
out the loser as in "I don't
deserve...". Scarcity thinking sets the
stage for all kinds of judgemental
thinking.
Just think, who would you rather give something
to, someone who asks and doesn’t need it, or
someone who needs it but doesn’t ask? This is
only one example of how scarcity thinking
affects our environment, causing more scarcity
because of our own actions and resulting in the
reinforcement of our original feeling that
there isn’t enough to go
around.
Consider the generous vendor who provides
extras with his product and service without
asking for anything in return. Now think of the
vendor who charges you for every penny of extra
service that they provide and then works to
collect as though you are keeping their money.
Who would you rather do business with assuming
all else is equal?
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Can you think of
other examples where your
scarcity thinking is may be
causing less benefit to flow in
your
direction?
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We cling to particular outcomes because we
believe it is the only solution left to us. We
think if we do not achieve or obtain it right
now there will be no other chances.
We are not open to the limitless
other possibilities in our world when we are
indulging in scarcity thinking.
The recognition that there are limitless other
possible solutions or rewards that we can
receive if we remain open to them is abundance
thinking.
Shifting from scarcity thinking to abundance
thinking is a matter of opening up to the
possibilities and then moving forward in ways
that will allow diverse benefits and rewards to
manifest in our lives. Scarcity thinking
precludes many possibilities from manifesting
as our defensiveness and single minded self
interest repels opportunity.
Scarcity and Abundance Thinking
Compared
Scarcity thinking can be recognized and
characterized by feelings of contraction,
withdrawal, anxiety over the future and
anger. Abundance
thinking manifests as open to possibilities;
optimistic, forward moving, and
giving.
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Scarcity
Thinking
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Abundance
Thinking
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Equals
contraction/inaction,
protection, closing, fear of
the
future
·
I don’t have
enough
time
·
I don’t have
enough
money
·
We can’t afford
to have fun, we need to save
our
money
·
I have to suffer
at my job to pay the
bills
·
I have to get
that parking
place
·
What can I get
for
this
·
There aren’t
enough clients to go
around
·
I have to
impress everybody or I won’t
get
anywhere
·
I can’t let go
of this, I may never get
another
one
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Equals
expansion/action, giving,
openness, enjoyment of the
present
·
I have plenty of
time to accomplish what is
important
·
I can receive
enough money to meet my
needs
·
Let us enjoy
this now and continue to work
to meet our
needs
·
There are many
different ways to make money, I
will explore
them
·
There are other
spaces, I could use the walk
and I have
time
·
Maybe this will
help
someone
·
Everyone is a
potential client, I will get
the clients that are attracted
to me
·
People will be
attracted to me if I am
authentic
·
Letting
something go makes room for
something
new
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The scarcity/Abundance frame of reference can
be used many different type of situations. It
does not apply only to material possessions but
is also relevant to our time, our space, and to
our feelings. When you notice that you are in a
contracted or negative state of mind you can
use the scarcity label to identify it. Search
for the possibilities for abundant thinking and
feeling in this situation.
Techniques for Developing Abundance
Thinking
What can we do to move from scarcity thinking
to abundance thinking?
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Become aware of your scarcity thinking. Use
the examples in the table above; develop
your own examples that are more closely
related to your own behavior. When you are
in a scarcity moment, label it as such,
learn to recognize the
pattern.
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Ask yourself, “Is it true, do I really need
this … as much as I think I do. What would
happen if I just let go of my fixation with
… ?”
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When you become aware of a scarcity
thinking moment, reverse the situation and
think, “what are the possibilities for
abundance in this situation?” Use your
imagination to create a list of positive
alternative courses of action that will
result in a positive and abundant
outcome.
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Find more opportunities to give. Giving is
a liberating action; it will cause you to
feel the essence of abundance. You will
experience the intuitive realization that
it will somehow come back to
you.
-
Realize when you have a fear of lack in the
future. Reframe your vision of the future;
determine that your needs will be met, that
you will have many more moments of
enjoyment. The future does not depend on
this moment, but on a sequence of moments
which are always subject to change by
you.
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Realize that there is a difference between
being practical and being obsessed. We
don’t want to throw away our reason on an
“abundance binge” with the hope that it
will all somehow work out. It is the
obsessive behavior of clinging, narrow
thinking, and inaction of fear that should
be addressed. Loosen up and explore but
don’t throw out common sense.
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Confidence comes with experience. Our
ability to take risk comes as we experience
more and gain confidence in our ability to
adapt to the situation. Remember this and
look forward to an exciting future.
Exercise
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In this exercise
you are going to have a
conversation with yourself. The
ideal setting includes
positioning two chairs facing
each other, one comfortable
soft chair and one hard
straight back chair. When
coaching over the phone it can
be as effective to use virtual
chairs where the setting is
described in advance and the
client is asked to move from
one chair to the other.
Sit in the soft
chair, get comfortable.
Describe a scarcity situation
in your life. Go into the
details of your behavior; what
is it, what are your reasons
for the behavior, what are the
rewards. Defend your thinking
and your behavior around this
issue. When you feel that you
have thoroughly covered all the
aspects of this scarcity
situation – move to the hard
straight back
chair.
Sit up straight.
Now you are going to talk to
the person in the other soft
chair. First, give your
impression of that person in
the other chair. How do they
appear and sound to you? How
would you characterize their
posture, their attitude? Now
speak to that person. Address
each of the major points that
that person made regarding
their scarcity issue. Give some
suggestions on alternatives.
Suggest how they might change
their thinking and their
attitude. Enthuse that person
to act on these suggestions.
Move back to the
soft chair. How do you feel?
Can you sense a difference in
your attitude and feelings as
you move between the two
chairs?
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Reflections
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What is a dominant pattern of scarcity
thinking in your own
behavior?
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What is being prevented by prolonging this
pattern?
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Can you envision
alternatives?
Copyright © 2008 -
Jim Andrews - All Rights
Reserved
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