Think about abundance rather than scarcity if you want to succeed, says Gemini Parking Solutions CEO Ryan Jackson
Do you find yourself thinking there’s never enough time, money and other resources? Or do you believe there’s plenty of everything to go around and it’s just a case of accessing them? Your instinctive response is an indication of your mindset. Do you have a mindset of abundance, or scarcity?
These two extremes of thinking mark the difference between successful, happy people and worriers, whose actions are driven by fear. Your mindset is the key to achieving the goals in your business and personal lives – whether your mark of success is huge wealth, or simply happiness.
Scarcity thinking limits success
Many entrepreneurs and business leaders hit personal blocks and barriers to greater success, simply because of their mindsets. Somewhere along the line, they developed a belief that money is scarce, jobs are few, opportunities are limited, and you must fight for what you want. Or, since this is all part of the fear response – if you don’t fight, you take flight; or you freeze and do nothing (because there’s nothing you can do).
This scarcity belief might have developed in childhood, learned from family, teachers, or culture. You grow up thinking that you have to work hard, beat the rest and be the best. Or you believe that some people are just lucky and there’s nothing you can do, because there isn’t enough available for everyone.
‘Limiting belief that they don’t deserve success becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy’
Perhaps you heard phrases like “money is the root of all evil” and developed an unconscious limiting belief that you should never get rich, because it’s bad. This limits you and the possibilities that should be open to you.
Sometimes, people overcompensate for a deep-seated scarcity mindset by working extraordinarily hard. Some self-made millionaires have thrown everything they have into achieving success – only to find themselves suddenly bankrupt soon after, because there’s still some niggling doubt that they shouldn’t be rich or successful. This limiting belief that they don’t deserve success becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and often continues in a repetitive cycle.
Change your mindset
To get the balance right, focus needs to be on creation, not competition. Competition is based on the belief that there is only one pie available – and you must fight others for a slice. Creation suggests that there are infinite riches and possibilities. If you are imaginatively creating unique things using your mind, skills and experience you are also making your own path to prosperity. In business terms, if you overdeliver by providing a buyer with more value than the price they pay, you will succeed, they will be delighted and your business will grow.
Competition is selfish – it focuses on being better than the rest, beating others, and dividing winners and losers. Creation is about drawing upon infinite possibilities, giving generously, and the ability to serve others.
If you’re naturally a “scarcity” thinker, a good tip for starting to change your mindset it to notice how you speak to yourself and others. Turn around negative phrases like “I can’t do that”, or “there’s not enough” to words of positivity and possibility. If “I will…” is too much of a stretch for you, start with “I could…”, through to “I can”.
It takes practice to address patterns of thinking you might have had for a lifetime. But it’s worth it to change bad habits that prevent you from fulfilling your potential. Practice makes perfect. It’s abundantly clear.
Gemini Parking Solutions describes itself as an ethical parking solutions company. Its clients include the NHS, Hilton and Burger King
