Abundant Mentality
An abundant mentality is known as a soft skill, many times associated with productivity and effective leadership. It’s also known as an abundant mindset. With this mindset, any success is mutually beneficial to all involved. An abundant mentality is contrasted with a scarcity mindset in that victory comes at the expense of others. This person has difficulty sharing credit, recognition, power and profit with others.
I want to live my life with an abundant mentality, or with the attitude that I have everything I really need. It creates a healthy focus on thankfulness and gratefulness for what I do have with the opportunities before me.
Here, we will discuss four attitudes to develop an abundant mentality that will hopefully help you in creating or keeping a healthy focus. This list is not all-encompassing but will move you forward toward developing and enhancing your abundant mindset. The four attitudes are: gratitude, giving, being a team player and developing a proactive approach.
One: Attitude of Gratitude
One with an abundant mentality practices gratitude. They wake up to focus on what they do have and not on what they don’t have. To be grateful is to be others-focused with appreciation for what others have done for them. There is no one that gets to where they are completely alone and those with an abundant mentality recognize and acknowledge this.
Prayer and thankfulness go along with the attitude of gratitude. The New Testament biblical verse Philippians 4:6 reminds us to tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. This is not only a spiritual principle, but common sense for leaving unnecessary worry, anxiety and stress behind, which is healthy and freeing.
Two: Attitude of Giving
One with an abundant mentality gives to others freely, even if they have little to give. I have found the boomerang effect, which is a psychological term, applies to giving to others. I would like to add a disclaimer that there are certain individuals and organizations that aren’t trustworthy, so I would stay away from those. But for the most part, if you have chosen your circle of contacts wisely, you will have much to gain from giving.
An attitude of giving confirms the fact that we come into this world naked and with nothing. Our parents may have had some money, but most of the time they are working hard to support families and everyday living. If you have focused on an attitude of gratitude, giving to others and different organizations becomes an outflow of your life of appreciation for what you have been given.
I have found it’s hard to out-give others and this is where the boomerang effect really takes hold. As I give to others, I realize with even more clarity how much has been given to me. You can give time, expertise or a listening ear. The ideas are endless. Giving is not only monetary. The gift of a listening ear may be the best gift you could give a colleague, friend or even a boss.
This principle was blatantly illustrated after losing my parents, who gave freely and abundantly to many worthy organizations. Many of the possessions they left behind after their death were sold in an estate sale, given away or even thrown away. They no longer would experience the joy of giving those things they had gathered throughout their life, even money. That may sound a bit morbid, but I would like to experience the joy of giving while I’m still here.
Three: Attitude of a Team Player
No one climbs a mountain completely by themselves. Even if climbing alone, they have received training, obtained ropes and other materials necessary for the climb, gathered information about the climb and much more. Many solopreneurs are similar to those single mountain climbers, but they are not truly alone in their quest.
To be a team player takes an attitude of give and take. It doesn’t matter if you are constantly working with others or work mostly alone. Whenever I get a chance to watch a rowing team on the ocean I notice how the rowers synchronize their strokes. They are also positioned according to their strengths. The front two rowers balance the boat with a smooth and fluid technique. The following rowers serve as the engine of the boat. The point is they all have to pull together or they will go in circles.
In the same way, a business, family or any organization works much more efficiently if they pull together toward the same goal. If one person decides to do their own thing, it will hold the whole team back. Depending on the circumstance, it will slow the team down or cause them to submerge or keep circling. An abundant mentality starts with the attitude that together you will be stronger and more effective, so pull together.
Four: Proactive Approach
To be proactive is the opposite of reactive, though both do have value. But with an abundant mentality, moving ahead with confidence even if there is some risk, is a proactive approach. Instead of forecasting doom and gloom, there is a sense of nothing ventured, nothing gained. I have found that many people hold back, not because of finances or time, but because of fear.
Getting past unhealthy fear is more important than ever in today’s world with so much uncertainty. What has helped me in this step is to think about the worst-case scenario. For many this is death. You may not want to think about it, but that’s the reality; we are all going there at some point. There are many who have lost everything, whether from a natural disaster health crisis or financial risk, only to rebuild again. But they are still here. It helps to put life in perspective if you can get beyond that worst-case scenario of dying. If you are truly scared of this, take some time to through your spiritual beliefs. It will be well-worth it.
A Healthy Mindset of an Abundant Mentality
There are more seminars, webinars and courses than ever available on developing a healthy mindset. In fact I have a free online course on Head Trash. Even though there are more principles, if you focus on the four basics of gratitude, giving, being a team player and developing a proactive approach you will be well on your way to developing an abundant mentality. And with an abundant mentality comes an abundant and full life. That is what I wish for you.
With an abundant mentality comes an abundant and full life.
deborah johnson
Thought Leader, Keynote Speaker, Author
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