Scarcity gets a bad wrap these days. Just about every “motivational speaker” or “life coach” you hear speak will tell you that you must have an abundance mentality. There are always more opportunities, more money, more relationships wait to the to be earned.
A useful parallel to think about is air. Chances are you haven’t stopped to think this week about how lucky you are to be able to breathe in fresh air. Why would you? It’s everywhere around us, in what seems to be a limitless supply. But as soon as you disappear beneath the surface of the water it becomes the most precious thing in your world. Ask a scuba diver how much air they have with them, and you’ll quickly learn about the importance of using it wisely, controlling your breathing and keeping that heart rate down.
But what if the opportunity you were working on today was the last one you would ever have, how would you behave differently?
What if the $10 in your pocket was your last $10, what would you choose to spend it on?
And what if you somehow know that relationship you are in today was the last meaningful one you would ever have?
Chances are you’d be doing everything to look after the opportunities, resources and people in our life.
Scarcity creates a sense of respect, value and gratitude. When we treat the ideas, people and resources in our life with a sense of respect, value and gratitude, we enjoy them so much more.
Perhaps, it is time to start talking about creating a scarcity mindset and celebrating a different worldview.