Is a Scarcity Mindset Hurting You?

Scarcity Mindset is a feeling, fear, or worry that there isn’t enough of something to go around. This state of worry can be amplified when we are saturated with concerns like the ones we face every day during this pandemic.

Especially now, when so many are out of work and uncertain about what the immediate future holds, one could easily find themselves falling into a pattern of worrying about whether there is enough money, food, time, and resources to keep them safe and secure. That worrying starts a cycle where we begin to focus on not having enough, and distorts our perceptions.

When we are faced with the reality that we will have to go without something (in this case, social distancing),  we react by taking steps to ensure that our needs are met. When those actions are driven by fear (such as health concerns, economic concerns as businesses close, and conflicting information), those reactions can become more and more irrational. A great example of this is the panic buying of toilet paper and other items.

This perception is incredibly stressful and ultimately harmful - and you can let it go.

What Does a Scarcity Mindset Do?

You may have heard the expression that you’ll find what you’re looking for. As it turns out, there is a lot of truth in that, and it has to do with how your subconscious mind uses information. We subconsciously gravitate toward the things we are focused on.

This Scarcity Mindset focuses the mind automatically and powerfully toward what we perceive are unfulfilled needs. For example, when we are very hungry, food grabs our attention. It is difficult to think about anything else when you are very hungry. Someone who is lonely may tend to focus on those feelings of isolation and a lack of companionship.

The interesting thing about this kind of tunnel-vision focus is that it can prevent us from noticing opportunities and solutions. A person who is focused on their feelings of loneliness may decline invitations to connect with others, and someone who is focused on their lack of financial stability could overlook new opportunities and not recognize the needs that are being met.

Like everything our minds do, there is a positive intent to this tendency to focus on what we don’t have. Being aware of what we don’t have enough helps us to prioritize our decisions and can make us more effective. That feeling of not having enough allows us to focus on the most pressing needs. The pressure of a deadline focuses our attention on using the time we have most effectively. And when we only have a little left, we tend to be more aware of how much we’re using. We pay more attention to how much toothpaste we’re using when the tube starts to run low.

Your subconscious mind naturally builds patterns, and spending too much time in a scarcity mindset can cause it to become a habit and can have an effect on everything we do.

In this mindset, we are operating out of fear. Either we are afraid of not getting something we want, or afraid of losing something that we have. This fear manifests itself in a lot of ways, from under-tipping a server to keep your bill small, to constantly being on the lookout for things to go wrong. When you have a scarcity mindset, all decision-making is based on the false notion that there isn’t anything else coming or that you can’t get more.

When you’re constantly focused on hanging on to what you have, you aren’t able to seek out new opportunities. The scarcity mindset can make you feel as if you aren’t worthy of wealth or success. You might be focused on just “getting by” and avoiding imminent disaster. Never mind that there’s no reason to believe that things will fall apart; you just want to stay afloat that so you’re reluctant to take any chances

Just for a second, think about all the things that need your attention right now. Bills that need to be paid, groceries and gas, family, and yourself. All with the same amount of resources you had last month or less. Does it feel like you have enough money to do all that you want to do? Are there enough hours in the day to get it all done?

Now, with your “scarcity goggles” on, you can only see what you are lacking - the things you don’t have enough of. Even if there were piles of money, great opportunities, and plenty of help right next to you, you can’t notice them, because all of your focus is on what you feel like you don’t have. Scarcity forces us into trade-off thinking. We recognize that having one thing means not having something else. If you spend $10 on anything, it’s $10 less that we have for something else. Taking time to do one thing means that you’ll have less time to do other things.

This constant cycle of worry keeps us focused on scarcity, elevates our levels of stress, and can prevent us from taking positive actions. When we are able to stop the cycle of worry, we can begin to put things into perspective.

Shift Your Focus

Your subconscious mind, that part of you that is driving your feelings and behaviors, is really only concerned with what is happening right now. It’s interesting to note that when you continue to worry about the future, your subconscious mind interprets that as “this is happening right now.”  This can trigger your stress response, deplete your physical and mental resources, and make you less able to manage things when they do arise.

You can use simple hypnotic techniques to shift your focus onto the things that you do have, instead of the things that you are lacking. This decreases the amount of worry and stress, and frees up more inner resources to better manage the future.

I’ll often suggest to my clients that they make a list of the things that are taken care of right now. Are you in a warm comfortable home? Is there enough food to get you through today? Do you have what you need in this moment? This is one of the simplest ways to bring your attention to the things you have, rather than the things you don’t.

Shifting your focus to what is okay right now naturally calms your subconscious and shuts down your stress response. Not only will you recognize that in this moment you really are okay, you’ll be better equipped to deal with issues when they happen.

Once you stop the cycle of worry and begin to move away from the scarcity mindset, you will open yourself up to new opportunities, have less stress, and feel more positive.🍥

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