The abundance mindset has become somewhat of an esoteric concept, synonymous with repeating positive affirmations, visualizing, and magically manifesting things using the law of attraction.
(Does anyone remember the “Serenity Now” episode on Seinfeld?)
This mystical connotation of the abundance mindset has created an unpleasant taste for those who are more pragmatic and resist what feels like relying on make-believe.
If you feel uneasy about fuzzy and touchy-feely concepts, you may have discounted the power of the abundance mindset. But what if I offered you a scientific tidbit to make it more rational?
In this blog article, I would like to revisit the concept of the abundance mindset, introduce the Reticular Activating System, and share three practical exercises to reap its benefits.
Think mental attitude, not woo-woo magic.
What Is the Abundance Mindset, and What Does It Do?
The abundance mindset concept was popularized by Stephen Covey in “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” published in 1989. He called it Abundance Mentality and presented it as a character trait that favored personal and spiritual growth.
“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.”[1]
And long before Covey’s book came out, Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” Just for reference, Henry Ford died in 1947.
The recent new-age-y flavor of the abundance mindset became prevalent in the 2000s. This was approximately when the book “The Secret” and the corresponding documentary emerged (2006).
Before the law of attraction became all the rage, the abundance mindset was seen more as a character trait to be cultivated in the pursuit of personal excellence.
The abundance mindset can open us to opportunities and give us agency. If we think there are enough resources to be successful and happy, we are more likely to work to find them.
What Is the Alternative to the Abundance Mindset?
The opposite of an abundance mindset is a scarcity mindset, which focuses on what is lacking. It fundamentally believes that resources are limited and that life is a zero-sum game.
Under the scarcity mindset, we all compete for the same piece of the pie. And one person’s success means there is less success available to others.
“Often, people with a Scarcity Mentality harbor secret hopes that others might suffer misfortune — not terrible misfortune, but acceptable misfortune that would keep them “in their place.” They’re always comparing, always competing. They give their energies to possessing things or other people in order to increase their sense of worth.”[1]
Beyond making people stingy, competitive, and mistrusting, a scarcity mindset can also lead to unpleasant mental conditions such as anxiety and depression.
According to a medically-reviewed article on TheVeryWellMind.com, “Growing up in poverty—in true scarcity—is linked with behavioral and mental health issues, as being raised in scarcity literally changes your brain.”[2]
I recorded a YouTube video describing my experience with a scarcity mindset and how I am working to change my ingrained attitudes to focus on abundance instead.
Abundance Mindset and the Reticular Activating System
Have you heard of the Reticular Activating System (RAS)? It is a tiny part of your brain (about 2 inches long with a diameter about that of a pencil). It is the connection point where all the senses (except smell) join into a bundle of neural circuits. [3]
“While it may be a fairly small part of your brain, the RAS has a very important role: it’s the gatekeeper of information that is let into the conscious mind. This little bit of brain matter is responsible for filtering the massive amounts of information your sensory organs are constantly throwing at it and selecting the ones that are most important for your conscious mind to pay attention to.” [4]
In short, RAS is responsible for the phenomenon that occurs when you start thinking about buying a lime-green Jeep gladiator and can’t stop noticing lime-green jeeps everywhere.
So, while daily affirmation and visualizations may appear as woo-woo methods, they help your brain and RAT actively focus on what you want in your life, making it easier to achieve.
On the other hand, if your mental filter is set on finding problems and limitations, you will likely find them everywhere.
How to Practice an Abundance Mindset
1. Practice feeling enough
As an immigrant from the third world, I was conditioned to live in a state of scarcity. Even when things were okay, I was constantly reminded that there wasn’t enough for everyone and that having enough was not something to get used to. As a result, feeling content with what I have is a foreign feeling to me and often uncomfortable.
However this experience is not unique to immigrants. Many people grew up with limited means and were ingrained in similar beliefs, making it hard for them to settle into “enoughness.” We all know some wealthy people who cannot stop taking free packets of ketchup home.
To make the most of what abundance has to offer, it is essential to start practicing the feeling of having and being enough.
The most practical way I discovered for doing this is to look for evidence of enough in my life and purposely linger in that state.
You can journal, talk to a friend about it, or do anything else that forces you to recognize and accept when you have enough of something (time, money, love, education, health, etc.) I love to call my brother to talk for hours about how far we have come.
Get your mind and body to become familiar with and accept the feelings of peace and contentment that come with enough.
2. Actively choose to want more
Wanting more is often seen in opposition to having enough. But this line of thinking is limiting and, thus, not based on abundance. Wanting more is what keeps us alive as human beings. It is what motivates us to keep going.
Wanting more is how we pursue and achieve growth. I don’t know of anyone who accidentally wrote a best-seller or stumbled upon greatness. It usually started with wanting more.
So, here are my favorite prompts to help you clarify what you want:
- Think about someone you admire or are fascinated with. What specifically about them is it that you are drawn to? Is it their adventurous spirit? Their generosity? Their fearlessness? Try to clarify what you are vicariously experiencing through them.
- Think of your personal hero. Ask yourself what they would do differently with your life and current circumstances. Imagine your hero traded places with you today; what would they do differently? How would they make your life better?
- What would you do if time and money were no object?
- What would you do if you won the lottery tomorrow?
Answering these questions will help you imagine your life beyond the limitations of your current circumstances. These prompts can help you think outside the proverbial box you are currently sitting in.
Explore the things you secretly want but don’t admit out loud.
3. Get out of your own way
You will be tempted to shrink back when you allow yourself to want more than your current circumstances can accommodate. Don’t do it! Now that you have imagined the possibilities, your old box will feel too small.
If something seems too far out of reach, research it. Google it. Whatever your dream, I am sure someone else has done it before you. Learn about them and what they did to get there.
You may not follow their path strictly, but you will start seeing the possibilities more clearly. More importantly, you will get your brain to expand what it thinks is possible for you.
Watch how you speak to yourself or talk about the things you desire. Do not phrase your dreams in ways that tell your mind you cannot achieve them. Try not to reject yourself before you even try.
Avoid saying things like “I wish I could, but…” or “must be nice…” or “that’s not for people like me.” Instead, ask yourself, “how can I achieve this?” and “how do I go about doing this?”
Using negative or limiting statements discourages your mind from pursuing what it perceives to be outside of the realm of possibility. But asking the right questions can send your brain on a quest to solve a challenge.
Parting Thoughts
The abundance mindset can work in your favor. There doesn’t have to be any chanting or mystical powers involved (unless you are into that!) Your mind and attitudes are your best allies in this quest.
You can want more from a place of having enough.
Wanting from a place of enough elevates your desires. When you have enough, you think about leaving an impact on the world. You dream about fulfilling your unique potential.
Your aspirations are nobler because they come from a positive place, not from desperation. When you start with enough, you make room for others to rise with you.
Do not blunt your own happiness because you worry about taking up too much space. There is no such thing. Your limits are self-imposed.
There is more for all of us out there. More friends, more adventures, more projects, more health, more fun, more joy, etc. We are collectively breaking generational patterns and creating lives worth living.
As long as you are not hurting anyone else, go for more. Abundance is yours for the taking.
References
[1] Covey, Stephen R. “Habit 4: Think Win/Win.” Essay. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, 25Th Anniversary Editioned., 230–31. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2020.
[2] Blanchfield, Theodora. “How to Shift from a Scarcity Mindset to an Abundance Mindset.” Verywell Mind. Verywell Mind, March 24, 2022. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-shift-from-a-scarcity-mindset-to-an-abundance-mindset-5220862.
[3] Arguinchona JH, Tadi P. Neuroanatomy, Reticular Activating System. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island (FL); 2022. PMID: 31751025.
[4] “Reticular Activating System: Definition & Function.” Study.com. August 23, 2016. https://study.com/academy/lesson/reticular-activating-system-definition-function.html.
