Sometimes when you are running, things really come into view. A few years ago, I had been considering two different kinds of thinking that lead us in very different directions as I jogged.<\/p>\n\n
One way of thinking that I considered\u2014which many call scarcity thinking\u2014usually leads to failure, fear, and discontent. These are the sort of limiting beliefs that I have come to warn people against.<\/p>\n
The opposite of scarcity thinking is abundance thinking, which gives us a shot at success, joy, and fulfillment. These more generous ideas have much in common with the liberating truths I have used to help leaders drive out doubt and overcome significant obstacles.<\/p>\n\n
My friend Robert Smith, author most recently of 20,000 Days and Counting<\/em><\/a>, is a great example of abundance thinking in action.<\/p>\n Robert is one of the most generous people<\/a> I know. He always greets me with a big smile, a hug, and an encouraging word. I leave his presence energized, feeling great about being me.<\/p>\n And I have noticed that he is like this with everyone. He treats employees, vendors, booking agents, publishers, and others as if they are his best customers. He routinely invests in their success.<\/p>\n It comes back to him in a thousand ways.<\/p>\n One of my former clients\u2014who we\u2019ll call Charlie\u2014is just the opposite, and a perfect example of applied scarcity thinking.<\/p>\n Charlie exhibits a hoarding mentality. He never picks up the check, even if he asks you to lunch. He constantly complains about everything. When I was working with him, I always left his presence drained and diminished<\/a>.<\/p>\n And he is like this with everyone, I learned. His employees roll their eyes when you mention his name, but don\u2019t dare say anything that could get back to him. They live in constant fear that their livelihood and well-being are at risk.<\/p>\n Not coincidentally, the success that their boss craves always seems to elude him.<\/p>\n When I got home from running I wrote down this list of polar opposites, with Robert and Charlie in mind:<\/p>\n Abundance thinkers:<\/strong><\/p>\nMore Than Enough vs. Never Enough<\/h3>\n
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