Do you know anyone who spends a lot of time and energy competing with others or putting people down verbally because they fear that that person is better than they are?

Are you the type of person who battles their weight, but insists on eating every last morsel of food on your plate because you don’t want to waste?

Or perhaps you can think of someone who has a relationship conflict of some type, and is struggling for an answer of what is the right thing to do.

In these three brief examples, having an “Abundance Mentality” mindset will help overcome the challenges that many of us are faced with on a regular basis.

An Abundance Mentality basically means being of the mindset that there is plenty out there for everyone. There are many benefits to having a mentality that is secure and confident that there is plenty for all, and my mission with this article is to point out these benefits in order to help you to think “Win/Win” when making choices and decisions.

What would our lives be like if we changed our thinking to be in sync with a mentality of abundance? Examples of this mindset would be to believe that the world has fruit for all, that there is plenty to go around, that there is a lot of room at the top, that we are beneath no one and superior to no one. If we could develop this mentality, we would free ourselves from fear, we would be immune to criticism, and we would experience ultimate freedom in our minds and in our hearts.

Our lives will change for the better if we adopt this mentality, and our behavior will be more in line with achieving our own definition of success.

Let’s look at the characteristics of an Abundance Mentality, versus the opposite, which is known as the “Scarcity Mentality”, where people believe that there is only one pie in the world and you’ve got to fight to get your piece of it.

The Scarcity Mentality is limiting. It may seem like a good plan at first, but over time too much energy is wasted on conflict, negative thinking, and stifled creativity. On the other hand, the Abundance Mentality is beyond one’s ego. It’s fearless, it’s free, and it’s immune to criticism. It is beneath no one and superior to no one. It is full of magic.

What are the benefits of an Abundance Mentality? When it comes to human interaction, characteristics of integrity, maturity, and an Abundance Mentality have the ability to create Win/Win situations for all parties involved.

Win/Win is a thought process of both the mind and the heart that continuously seeks mutual benefit in human interaction. With a Win/Win frame of mind, all parties involved feel good about the solutions, agreements, and decisions because they are mutually beneficial for everyone involved. In this way of thinking, emphasis is put upon cooperation, not competition.

If we don’t already possess an abundance mentality, how do we learn to acquire this new way of thinking? One of the easiest ways to shift your way of thinking is to spend time with a person or people who already thinks this way. (You are the product of 80% of the people you spend time with, so choose to spend time with someone who you feel possesses the qualities and characteristics that you wish to adopt) The characteristics of an Abundance Mentality are listed in the table above). Also, you can read Dr. Steven Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, where Habit #4 is dedicated to “Think Win/Win”. There are workshops, facilitators, and motivators that can help you develop these qualities with continued education, as well as books and even movies that have Win/Win examples within their storylines.

The written advice of Shakti Gawain, author of Creative Visualization, helps you get right into the mindset. She writes, “Imagine yourself as a successful, satisfied prosperous, fulfilled person. Really open your eyes to the goodness, beauty and abundance that are all around you. Imagine this world transformed into a healthy and prosperous environment in which everyone can flourish.” An affirmation that you can repeat to yourself has been provided at the end of this article.

The concept of an Abundance Mentality eliminates the need to criticize others, pass judgment, evaluate, analyze and label people, which create turbulence in our inner dialogue. This constricts the flow of positive energy, which is essential in achieving personal success.

Let’s revisit the three examples from the beginning of this article, to determine how behavior might change in these circumstances with an Abundance mentality.

One who believes that there is plenty for all would not waste energy competing with others. They would look for ways that they could enter Win/Win arrangements, and use synergy in their favour. One who has an abundance mentality knows only to eat until they are full, that their food supply is plentiful and that discarding unwanted food is healthier than stuffing it in and having it stick around for the next 5 years. Relationship conflicts can be kept to a minimum when one or even both parties seek Win/Win solutions. The next time you are in a conflict situation, ask the other person if they would agree to communicate about the issue until you have both reached an agreement that you can feel good about.

I hope you are convinced that having a mentality set on abundance for all is a win/win situation for everyone. With that in mind, I’ll see you at the top!

Best Wishes for Abundance in 2006!

~ Penny Tremblay 

This article was inspired by a dear friend, Monica Martin, who is a constant source of motivation and inspiration to me.