Why Your MENTALITY MATTERS MOST

We all have heard the saying MIND OVER MATTER, but WHY exactly does your mindset matter more than matter itself?

Broadly speaking, behavior is much different from our feelings and emotions, however, it is STRONGLY influenced by them. What we think DIRECTLY affects how we feel, and how we feel impacts how we behave. Therefore, to make any significant behavioral change, and be successful with it, it becomes necessary to consider what type of mindset, or stream of consciousness, we are operating from.

At any given time, you have a choice between two predominant mindsets that routinely and without fail compete for your attention: the SCARCITY mindset and the ABUNDANCE mindset. You may have also heard of these mindsets described as the FIXED mindset and the GROWTH mindset, or the FEAR mindset and the GRATITUDE mindset. Whatever way you look at it, the two are contrary to one another and cannot coexist in the same circumstance. This is both positive and negative. The bad news is that most people are deeply scripted in their learned patterns and personal paradigm, while the good news is that we all have the CHOICE to adopt one mindset over the other, ultimately allowing our engrained methods and systems to take on a new shape.

A SCARCITY MINDSET is the view that everything that is needed for future survival, progress and success is running out and there will never be enough to go around. This mindset is filled with envy, guilt, fear and anger. It suggests that life, in and of itself, is a ZERO-SUM game, meaning that if someone else does well it must be at the expense of everyone else doing poorly.

This mentality breeds COMPETITION, GREED and JEALOUSY between both people and businesses. The scarcity mindset implies that once resources are depleted, they cannot be replaced, therefore, you must compete to get as many resources as possible while restricting those same resources from others. When we think in this way, we then start to feel as if there is only so much to go around and, as a result, we behave in ways that hold us back from achieving the real growth and success that we desire.

On the other hand, an ABUNDANCE MINDSET believes that there are more than enough resources and successes for everyone, and that everything important is growing and improving as a result. This mindset takes all of the negative aspects of a scarcity mindset and transforms them into positives. Rather than viewing life as a zero-sum game, this approach to thinking sees all the opportunities that life has to offer. Instead of seeing the depletion of resources, it focuses on the human ingenuity that exists and how that can create new, practical solutions and breakthroughs in the future.

An abundance mentality builds GRATITUDE, CREATIVITY and COOPERATION. When we devote ourselves to this frame of mind we begin to not only think, but BELIEVE that everything is getting exponentially bigger and that the world is all-inclusive. We understand that tools, systems and networks create endless new areas of both personal growth and general expansion, and act in a way that not only celebrates others’ success, but welcomes it.

A person living with a SCARCITY MINDSET:

+ acts based on fear

+ is risk-averse

+ stays in their comfort zone

+ resists change

+ worries about things that are outside of their control

+ has a negative attitude

+ focuses on what is lacking

+ fears personal failure

+ neglects their health and relationships

+ lacks motivation

+ is prevented from showing up at their best

A person living out of an ABUNDANCE MINDSET:

+ is willing to take action

+ takes calculated risks towards their goals

+ steps outside of their comfort zone

+ accepts and embraces change

+ focuses on what they can control

+ has a positive attitude

+ sees unlimited possibility

+ views failures as learning opportunities

+ operates from a deep sense of self-worth and security

+ is empowered to show up at their best in life

If you look at both the scarcity and abundance frames of reference, you can see that there is an evident and very clear distinction in the language used for each. Genuinely understanding and becoming aware of this distinction, and increasing your mindfulness around it, is incredibly valuable and highly applicable to ALL areas of life, including factors such as time, money, power and, most importantly, self-worth.

The language of scarcity can be found in nearly EVERY occupation, industry and economy in the world and uses words like COSTS, TRANSACTIONS, PROFESSION, CLIENTS, PRODUCTS, SERVICES, EMPLOYEES, STATUS, SECURITY and LIFESTYLE. Oftentimes, many of us default to this language without ever realizing that an alternative exists. Whether you are attentive to it or not, this type of language can have a tremendous impact on your mindset, and subsequently our feelings and behaviors, and actually prevents us from recognizing the abundance around us.

The language of abundance is harder to find, however, it is an ever-present tool that exists within our grasp, if only we are willing to choose it, access it and develop it. It is the KEY to cultivating an abundance mindset and includes words such as INVESTMENTS, TRANSFORMATIONS, NETWORKS, VALUE-CREATION PROCESSES, TEAMWORK, CONTRIBUTION, FREEDOM, LEADERSHIP and PURPOSE.

Comprehending and distinguishing between the two mentalities is the first step towards greater improvement, achievement, results and success in both the personal and professional realm. The next step, however, and arguably the one that matters most, lies in the ability to actually TRANSITION from the scarcity frame of mind to the abundance paradigm — and to do that you must address LANGUAGE and how you, personally, view, use and interact with it on a day-to-day basis in terms of communicating with yourself and with those around you.

How you can shift your mindset from scarcity to ABUNDANCE using language:

+ Time is running out so I have to multitask becomes THERE IS ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO DO THIS NOW, AND DO THAT LATER

+ I will never have the chance to relive past memories becomes THERE ARE UNLIMITED MOMENTS TO HAVE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES WITH MYSELF AND THOSE I LOVE

+ We don’t have enough money becomes WEALTH IS A NATURAL PART OF LIFE AND THERE IS ALWAYS MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM

+ Healing, creativity and connection are not “real work" becomes “REAL WORK” ENABLES PEOPLE TO SHOW UP IN THEIR FULL CREATIVE POWER

+ I will share information and relationships when I can trust others with them becomes IF I ENTRUST PEOPLE WITH INFORMATION AND RELATIONSHIPS, THEY’LL BE TRUSTWORTHY

+ This is the best way to do this task becomes THERE ARE ENDLESS RIGHT WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH THE DESIRED RESULT

+ I will never be as good as this other person who is succeeding becomes OTHER PEOPLE’S SUCCESS IS MY SUCCESS BECAUSE WE CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER

+ I always have to operate at a level of perfection to be seen as worthy becomes I AM ALWAYS WORTHY, BEAUTIFUL, FUN AND INTELLIGENT

Xx,

Leah Kutsch P.S. Keeping IIN Touch