Abundance Mentality > Scarcity Mentality

The ghost of the late Stephen Covey continues to haunt another generation. Consider the following:

An Abundance Mentality maintains that there is "more than enough", and adopts the Win-Win mindset where "we can all achieve more together", and "there's plenty to go around and everyone can enjoy the plenty that we've been given."

People with a Scarcity Mentality have a very difficult time sharing recognition and credit, power or profit - even with those who help in the production. They also have a very hard time being genuinely happy for the successes of other people - even, and sometimes especially, members of their own family or close friends and associates. It's almost as if something is being taken from them when someone else receives special recognition or windfall gain or has remarkable success or achievement.

Now, tell me that ain't insecurrrr - Kanye

Although they may verbally express happiness for others' success, inwardly they are eating their hearts out. Their sense of worth comes from being compared, and someone else's success, to some degree, means their failure. Only so many people can be "A" students; only one person can be "number one". To "win" simply means to "beat."

It's difficult for people with a scarcity mentality to be members of a complimentary team. They look on differences as signs of insubordination and disloyalty.

The Abundance Mentality, on the other hand, flows out of a deep inner sense of personal worth and security. It is the paradigm that there is plenty out there and enough to spare for everybody. It results in sharing of prestige, of recognition, of profits, of decision making. It opens possibilities, options, alternatives and creativity.

Reference: Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, pp. 219-230.

As my friend would say, I call to the witness stand: Jesus

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. John 13:3-5

Jesus was so SECURE. He knew everything he had was given to him by his Father. He knew where he came from. He knew where he was going. John gives us this additional commentary as a backdrop to the foot washing episode. When we are secure in our identity, position, calling, mantle - whatever, it's the secret sauce that enables us to live with an abundance mentality.

As the old adage goes, "a candle never loses light by lighting another candle."

- Ralph