…and embrace the abundance of wanting. We often confuse “want” with “need”… “I need a new dress”…. “I need to lose ten pounds”… “I need my boss to like me”. If we think about it, how much of what we need isn’t a need at all? The difference here is important – we’re talking about a scarcity vs. an abundance mindset! Read on to escape the scarcity of needing.
Why needing comes from a place of scarcity.
When we feel the need for something, we’re trying to fill a perceived hole in what feels like a zero-sum game. It feels desperate, consuming… and often, lonely. You see, if I need something that someone else has, I must seize from them to benefit myself. Conversely, if someone else is doing well, I may feel that their success comes at my expense.
How do we operate when we perceive resources are scarce?
- We worry about and hoard what we have.
- Our hands hold onto things tightly, our posture clenched and rigid.
- Emotions become tethered to, and swing wildly when are perceived needs are filled.
- We focus on costs, think in transactions, and covet security.
How wanting can come from a place of abundance
Yep, it’s the total opposite! Instead of filling a perceived hole, we approach life with gratitude, creativity and cooperation. Instead of worrying about not getting our fair share of limited resources, we consider ways to innovate solutions and create more. We see endless opportunity as we want for ourselves, and for everyone!
How do we operate when we approach the world with an abundance mindset?
- We let our imaginations loose and dream about what we want.
- Outstretched hands reach out, our posture loose and open.
- Our emotions remain steady, because our want doesn’t come from a place of fear.
- We focus on investments, think about transformations, and pursue purpose.
This applies to every aspect of life and work.
In life – if you exist in the scarcity of need, you may feel overwhelmed with anxiety. The pressures of life can weigh you down, leaving you immobile. Or perhaps you need to feel loved and remain in a relationship that isn’t healthy or balanced.
But if you embrace the abundance of want, you start with gratitude. You recognize all that you have and calibrate what is enough… often, more than enough. Then, you design creative solutions that amplify – our family’s shared living solution is one example that brings us so much joy!
At work – if you operate with the scarcity of need, you might remain in a job that you don’t love. You may come to resent your boss or peers, or spiral in self-deprecation.
However, if you embrace the abundance of want, you appreciate what you can in your current role. Then, you consider ways to grow your influence and increase your impact. Perhaps you design a new role for yourself or begin looking outside as you want for more. For instance, wanting to write a book, my family supported a bold move to take a one-year sabbatical and do just that.
If you shift your Need to Want, you’ll find yourself:
- Worrying less and dreaming more,
- Holding things less tightly, and reaching out with open anticipation,
- Focused less on security and more on opportunity,
- Releasing a need for status and instead, pursuing contribution,
- Shifting your mindset from mandatories to multipliers,
- Reframing costs as investments,
- Dropping transactions and designing transformations,
- Evolving your approach from managing to leading,
- As your priorities become purpose.
For related articles, check out
- Find the fun and leave a legacy – that time I played community elf.
- The power of tiny interactions – and the abundance they bring!
Images made in my WPP Creative Studio