The question today about how you see the world.
Do you view the world through a lens of scarcity or abundance?
Worldview of Scarcity
This means you constantly don’t think you have enough. You feel like you need more success, more money, more stuff, more time. Maybe you want more abs or to have more weights on the barbell. Others definitely have more than you do. You’re constantly comparing yourself to others. Usually when you pull up social media there’s a whole lot of feeling like everyone else is doing amazing things and you ask yourself “What am I doing?” When you see someone else receive or accomplish something good deep down you feel like they took something from you. Maybe it even feels like you now have or are worth less.
Worldview of Abundance
With this worldview you see that you have everything you need. If somebody else has a success you are genuinely happy for them. You know they didn’t actually take anything from you. There’s enough of all those things we mentioned above for everyone out there. Success, money, stuff, time…
Here’s an example
If Bob owns a hotdog stand in Knoxville and Joe owns one in Tampa Bay, when Joe expands his restaurant does that mean Bob’s is failing? Does it mean Joe won? No! First of all there isn’t a game being played. Secondly, these two stands have zero interaction with each other. They are both successful and Bob should be happy for Joe while still feeling proud of his own stand.
Clearly we want to operate in this world with a view of abundance. We want to be people who are happy for others and simultaneously are satisfied with our own place in life. If you’re reading this you clearly have access to the Internet and you very likely have access to other basic human needs. That alone means you are doing pretty good. We’ve got to begin operating in the world without jealousy, without the fear of missing out, without a constant craving for what we perceive others to have.
So when you catch yourself comparing yourself to others just remember someone’s always going to have more than you and someone has a lot less. Practice being grateful for what you do have. There’s plenty to go around. Build someone else up today and allow yourself to be completely happy for them.
