Scarcity Mindset: How to Shift Scarcity Mentality

A scarcity mindset is one in which people believe there are not enough resources, like time and money, for themselves and others. This mindset can inhibit a person’s ability to practice gratitude and concentrate on day-to-day tasks. A scarcity mentality can take a toll on one’s mental health, leading to short-term fixations instead of long-term problem-solving. Often, what the person believes themself to be lacking is more of a warped perception than actual reality.

Periods of economic depression can heighten people’s scarcity mindsets, which may ebb and flow with the conditions of their professional or personal lives. During the Great Depression, for instance, many lost their jobs, leading people to have scarcity mindsets and low self-worth. Fortunately, there are ways to combat this fixed mindset to change your perspective and support your mental wellness.

A scarcity mindset and an abundance mindset are opposites. A scarcity mindset focuses on a lack of resources and causes tunnel vision, making it challenging to think about things other than what is lacking. A person with an abundance mindset believes there are enough resources for all. Whereas the scarcity mindset can lead to self-preservation and stinginess, abundance leads to generosity, greater trust in others, and a more communal perspective concerning resources.

You might have a scarcity mindset if:

1. 1. You avoid tasks. When coping with a scarcity mindset, you may make lists to show how you can acquire what you perceive to lack. Focusing on lists detracts from work progress, socialization, and other activities that are better for your personal and professional life.
2. 2. You constantly talk about what you lack. A scarcity mindset will cause you to repeat conversations about not having enough time or enough money. It will become an obsession, which can be taxing for family and friends who have to hear the same conversation repeatedly.
3. 3. You experience mental fatigue. This mindset can also slow cognitive function and limit your working bandwidth. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: People stress about what they don’t have, and that focus makes that worry a reality.
4. 4. You have increased stress levels. A scarcity mindset increases stress because it causes people to focus on the negative, which can diminish self-esteem and increase anxiety.

It is possible to shift your scarcity mindset to an abundance mentality. Consider the following methods:

• Collaborate with others. An abundance mindset encourages collaboration. For example, a person with an abundance mindset views coworkers as collaborators. Collaborating opens your mind and communication with others, leading to creativity and innovation.
• Consume positive content. Listen to podcasts and read books discussing fulfillment and practicing gratitude. Positive content can lead to a perspective shift and a stronger abundant mentality.
• Give where you can. Those living abundant lives believe wealth and generosity are cyclical, meaning what you put into the world will return to you.
• Practice gratitude. Say thank-you regularly, keep a gratitude journal, and notice all that has brought you joy, worth, and success—however you define those things.
• Rehearse positive affirmations. Practicing positive affirmations is a form of self-care that involves making positive statements about yourself to combat limiting beliefs, challenge negative self-talk, and increase self-esteem. Try repeating positive affirmations (like “I am enough,” “I love myself,” or “I am grateful for the things in my life”) to yourself in the mirror as part of your daily routine.

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