LETTING GO OF SCARCITY LIKE A SUMMER BREEZE

Somedays I feel a bit anxious about all the things I have not yet completed. About that project that took longer than I thought. Or that delayed decision that cost us time and money. Or that product that didn’t sell fast enough to balance out the cash flow. The list goes on. When I seek fault, I am good at seeing it everywhere. The optimistic side of me says there is always room for growth. The other side of me shouts at me that I got this all wrong and that I’m not good enough.
Sounds familiar? I am experiencing a scarcity mindset.

The feeling that there is limited resources, time and opportunities and if I do not make a decision fast, I am doomed to fail and the ending will be awful. That it’s a zero-sum game.

Yes, the resources may indeed be limited, but in truth, a large part of the scarcity is inside my mind more than it is in reality. The haunting part is that once we let our minds dive into a scarcity mindset, it’s hard to get out of it and see opportunities – even if it presents itself.

I bring this up because I want to remind ourselves how important it is to learn to detect, understand and let go of scarcity mindset. It happens to the most of us – but if we don’t recognize it, we can’t prevent it. The heartbreaking news of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain last month profoundly reminded us that wealth and fame are not everything. And that there are often many causes of stress and depression behind the curtain. What you see (or do not see) is never the full picture.

It’s halfway through 2018. I know at times we may feel like we’re falling behind. But instead of letting that scarcity mindset eat away our thoughts, how can we use it as an opportunity to make the most out of what’s left of 2018?