Scarcity as an economic concept “… refers to the basic fact of life that there exists only a finite amount of human and nonhuman resources which the best technical knowledge is capable of using to produce only limited maximum amounts of each economic good … .”[1] If the conditions of scarcity didn’t exist and an “infinite amount of every good could be produced or human wants fully satisfied … there would be no economic goods, i.e. goods that are relatively scarce…”[1]Scarcity is the limited availability of a commodity, which may be in demand in the market or by the commons. Scarcity also includes an individual’s lack of resources to buy commodities.[2] The opposite of scarcity is abundance.
You Probably aren’t Calling it Scarcity
You might be calling it self-doubt, naysayers, fear of the unknown, struggling, unworthiness, uncertainty, fear of failure (or success!), lack of money, or lack of time. Still, it’s scarcity that is holding you back in your business or keeping you from living a big life, so let’s confront and reframe, shall we?
Take the Shortest Route to the Best Result
Doubt is often a combination of overthinking without action. It can look like freezing, hesitating, plateauing, getting stuck, questioning, comparing ourselves, or the three fake P’s of productivity.
When we aren’t doing anything, there’s no way for the world to respond. When we retreat inside our heads, there’s no engagement, no feedback, no impact, or results. We miss signs and opportunities because we aren’t looking; we are in our heads.
Staying there (in our head) undermines our credibility, authority, worthiness, and ability to take significant, decisive, kick-ass action.
So what’s the deceptively easy solution? Do something. Take action. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say it doesn’t even have to be the best action or the right action. As long as you believe that what you do will lead to the future you want to create, it’s perfect. You know what you want, so do something that sets it in motion. Take the shortest route to the best result.
Even if You have a Big Goal, You Don’t have to make a Big Move
When we focus on what we don’t know, or what may happen, or all the things that could go wrong, we are going into the future. That pulls all of our power and intention away from the present moment. It puts us in a place that we can’t control, dealing with things that may or may or not happen, and erodes our ability to appreciate and capitalize on the incredible gift of what’s right in front of us.
If it’s uncertainty that’s tripping you up, instead of focusing on what you don’t know or everything there is to know about (insert your problem here), why not look for evidence that you are making power moves?
What can you do today to inspire confidence, prove that you are on your way, or influence the right trajectory? Crucially, you don’t have to make a huge move, even if your goal is a really big goal.
It’s too much to contemplate that any action in the entire world is your next right move — no wonder you feel overwhelmed by that — so pick one thing that is possible today and do that.
Beyond that, there are many strategies to bring yourself back to the present moment. Take 5 minutes to practice gratitude, meditate, get into nature, do some deep breathing, workout, journal, whatever your go-to strategy is for extending and savoring the present moment.
Do whatever it takes in the shortest possible time to resist the urge to focus exclusively on the future and what’s next. And if you don’t have a go-to strategy, develop one — Develop many! Be the person who can tap into abundance on demand.
Be Yourself
It’s tricky, and you may feel some resistance because many time and money blocks are pretty deep-seated, but one thing that is empowering and crystalizing is to say, “I have the same amount of time as everyone on the planet right now.” It’s like zooming out on the Google Earth app and seeing with a fresh perspective that I’m just me. I’m only one person, doing my thing; I don’t have to carry the weight of the world. I don’t have to make anything happen, and I don’t have to hustle my face off; I don’t have to do anything else. I can just be me.
Another way to find freedom is to spend your resources (especially your most precious resources — time and money) according to your values. If that’s out of alignment or at odds, if you are wasting time, money, or energy, you will feel resentful, constrained, or trapped in scarcity.
Intentional living, consciousness, and raising your vibe will also help. If you say things like “I can’t afford that” or “I don’t have time for that,” often, there is a specific energy you are exuding. Watch out for what it is creating — Our language reflects our internal reality.
Ask yourself, “do my words and vibe matches my highest, best, grandest purpose and vision for my life?” because energetically, that needs to match. If you are focusing on lack, hurdles, obstacles, challenges, and unworthiness, consciously or unconsciously, you must notice it, catch it, and be willing to break that pattern.
Life is short, so why would we spend our most precious resources on things that don’t matter to us or aren’t a part of who we want to be? Spend intentionally. Choose abundance.
PS
By the way, did you know abundance is contagious? If you’re struggling, look at the belief that is holding you back, then look at the evidence all around you.
If you don’t see exampmles of limitlessness, luxury, affluence, good fortune, well-being, and possibility, look harder. Seek it out. Borrow a new belief until abundance feels far-reaching and accessible.