How to Create an Abundance Mindset

You've heard, "You are your own worst enemy."

This can be true for many. Their minds are stuck in scarcity mode, instead of embracing an abundance mindset. This can lead to difficulty in go after what you really want in life and can lead to patterns of negative self-talk which hold back achievement.

How do you get out of this negative feedback loop?

Living in abundance means to see the endless potential in yourself and others. When you expand your perspective and develop an abundance mindset, you can open your life up to limitless opportunities.

This article will help you transform the limitations of a scarcity mindset into positive messages that will make you feel like you have what it takes - or that you will be able to figure it out if you don't.

What is an Abundance Mindset?

An abundance mindset in its simplest form refers to the ability to see the limitless potential in life.

It means you can see the potential in yourself, and everyone around you. As a result, you intentionally drive yourself towards creating the life you want.

An abundance mindset exudes the following traits:

1. Thinking big: People with an abundance mindset tend to think big, rather than limit themselves to a bird's-eye view of their circumstances.

2. Growth mindset: Living in abundance means having a growth mindset - the belief that you can improve your intelligence and skills with effort, and you aren't stuck with what you have.

3. Optimism: The glass full type of person, focusing on what they have, rather than what they lack.

4. Knowing there's enough to go around: Abundance thinking means seeing a limitless amount of resources such as love, money, and success. In other words, someone else's success or advantage does not take away from your own.

5. Generosity of spirit: They feel genuinely happy for other people's success, rather than resentful.

6. Embracing change: They accept and embrace change, rather than resist.

7. Taking action: They take a proactive approach to life, be seizing opportunities and working toward their goals.

8. Planning ahead: They plan for the future, rather than waiting around for things to happen.

9. An open mind: A person with an abundance mentality keeps an open mind and continues to learn, rather than believing they already know it all.

10. Know their strengths and weaknesses: They have identified their strengths then used these qualities to go after what they want. They accept their shortcomings rather than being limited by them.

Scarcity vs Abundance Mindset

People with a scarcity mindset have a zero-sum view of the world: whatever is gained by one side is lost by the other.

When you think in terms of scarcity, you put yourself in a box. You live within four walls of resentment, entitlement stagnancy, and victimhood. You see another person's success as your loss.

People with a scarcity mentality often fall into a cycle of negativity that not only pushes people away, but also holds them back from achieving goals. They say things like:

-They always get what they want.

-I never get what I want.

-I don't have enough money.

-I can't do it.

A scarcity mentality causes people to compete rather than work together. They look out for their own interests, rather than seek opportunities to help others. They hoard resources, like money or power, rather than sharing for the sake of the greater good.

You can see how many of these qualities would push people and opportunities away. Who wants to work with a self-involved cheapskate that only looks out for themselves?

When you step outside of a scarcity mindset mindset, you step into a world of endless possibilities. You realize your own strengths and develop them with confidence. You value yourself and, as a result. Celebrate the value in others. When you want to see everyone succeed, you help others more readily.

Naturally, this attitude of service and leadership attracts opportunities in all areas - work, relationships, family, and overall happiness.

Why an Abundance Mindset is Essential for Success

Successful people tend to have a growth mindset.

People with a fixed mindset tend to view their intelligence and talent as something they are born with, which doesn't change throughout their lifetime. They see their qualities as static traits, rather than something they can improve and develop.

In a growth mindset, people believe that they can grow their intelligence and skills with time and experience. Because they believe in self-improvement, they put in extra effort toward learning and skill development, ultimately leading to greater personal and professional success.

People with a fixed mindset tend to:

-Try harder to appear more intelligent.

-Believe they were born with a fixed level of intelligence.

-Avoid looking dumb, out of fear of criticism.

People with a growth mindset tend to:

-Believe that through hard work and experience, they become smarter.

-See the potential for personal development.

-Challenge themselves to improve.

You can see how someone with a fixed mindset would get stuck in their current situation. After all, if your intelligence is fixed, what's the point in putting in hard work to improve yourself?

People with a growth mindset believe they have the potential to succeed. They accept challenges. They put in time and effort to learn and build new skills. As a result, they welcome new avenues for success.

Tips for an Abundance Mindset

Even if you have trouble believing in yourself now, you can still develop a growth mindset with practice. Try the following to future your own strengths and support others in positive ways.

1. Recognize and accept your weaknesses: If you have a scarcity mentality, you may tend to ignore your flaws and live in denial. You wallow in self-pity and never take steps to improve yourself. Suppressing your insecurities can result in unhealthy patterns, like self-destructive behavior or acting out on others.

Recognizing your weaknesses in a healthy, compassionate way, gives you the opportunity to learn and grow. Then, you can put yourself on a path of self-development. By embracing your weaknesses, you can forgive yourself when you make mistakes and learn from them — rather than beat yourself up, blame others, or spiral into negative thoughts and behaviors.

Of course, you don’t want to focus on your weaknesses and let them hold you back. But having a true picture of yourself, you develop a sense of self-awareness in which you recognize, and even embrace your shortcomings in a healthy way.

2. Nurture your strengths: Everyone has their flaws. But we also have our strengths. When you identify your personal strengths, you can nurture those aspects of yourself and shine.

When you work hard a something you excel at, you will naturally succeed. Those achievements will help build inner confidence. You value yourself more.

You don't feel threatened by the strengths in others when you feel secure in your own skin. This way of thinking supports living in abundance, as you recognize that everyone has something to offer.

3. Visualize your potential: Visualization means to imagine a future event. You develop a mental picture of achieving a goal of your ideal self.

To put this into practice, take some time out of your week to visualize what you want to achieve or the ideal version of yourself. Close your eyes or draw a picture of that event happening in your favor.

Throughout visualizations, you can imagine yourself living in abundance. Imagine yourself balancing your bank account, getting that promotion, or sharing a joyful home with your family. Dream big and trust yourself to achieve those dreams.

4. Recognize, rewire, repeat: Negative thought patterns like feelings of scarcity, tend to develop from a young age. They become habitual and second nature. Perhaps you were told that success, financial security, or love were possible for other people - but not for you. Or perhaps you have a lingering fear or not having enough, because you didn't when you were young and dependent.

Of course these beliefs will be hard to shake in adulthood. The good news is that according to neuroscience, you can actually rewire your brain to develop more positive thought patterns through a process called neuroplasticity.

5. Donate and Volunteer: If you have a habit of thinking with a scarcity mindset, you tend to see one person's gain as your loss. Alternatively, an abundance mindset understands the limitless resources available to all. Giving to others, whether time, money, love, or attention, doesn't take away from what you already have. In fact, it enriches your life, creating a sense of purpose through fulfillment and service.

Essentially, the more you give, the more you receive. You can cultivate an abundance mindset by finding ways to give back to others. Activities like donating money or volunteering your time will get you into the habit of helping others, rather than hoarding resources to yourself. As an added bonus, scientists have found that regular acts of altruism also lead to greater happiness and overall well being.