Abundance vs Scarcity Mindset
I have blogged about growth vs fixed mindset … and their relationship with Theory X and Theory Y and distributive and integrative bargaining … in the past. Here is something equally as interesting ... and perhaps related ... abundance vs scarcity mindset. I am beginning to think that there is a thread that runs through various content theories of motivation … Maslow’s, Herzberg’s and McGregor’s … growth and fixed mindset and various management and now economic theories.
Do you see the world as filled with an abundance of opportunity or a scarcity of opportunity? Depending upon you answer ... your mindset ... you would act in the world very differently. Those with an abundance mindset view the world as full of opportunity, with plenty of opportunity to go around, plenty of opportunity for everyone. If you have an abundance mindset, someone else winning an opportunity does not diminish your opportunity. Because there are plenty of opportunities to go around. You can be happy for others when they succeed. Because their success in no way diminishes your opportunity for success. Those with a scarcity mindset view the world as limited in opportunity. Any opportunity someone else wins means one less opportunity for you. If you have a scarcity mindset, someone else winning an opportunity does diminish your opportunity. You may then find yourself unhappy, envious, angry, with others when they succeed. Because there are limited opportunities to go around.
What does this have to do with growth and fixed mindset? The basis of a growth mindset is that intelligence is not fixed and therefore anyone can learn. The learning based on the work that one puts in not some fixed about of intelligence. The basis of a fixed mindset is that intelligence is fixed and therefore you can only learn what you are able to learn and no more. The learning is based on your raw intelligence rather than how much effort you put in.
The thread running through all of these theories seems to be this issue of fixed or expanding … fixed or growth. An abundance mindset would be more consistent with a growth mindset as both focus on growth … of intelligence and learning or opportunity. And a scarcity mindset would be more consistent with a fixed mindset as both focus on a set amount … of intelligence or opportunity.
If there is this thread running through all these theories, I suppose the interesting question is where did this thread come from? Where did you focus on expanding amount of everything vs. fixed amount of everything come from?