We are at a time in our lives where everyone seems like they are on a very different wave length. For the first 20 years of life, everyone seems like they are somewhat moving at the same pace. Sure, some people may have been dating their future spouse since high school and it’s true that some people have had their perfect job set up since their first year of university. Yet it always seemed as if these people were few in numbers, and that the majority of the pack was still figuring it all out.
For me personally, I am nearing the end of my four years of undergrad, and the threat of not meeting certain milestones is looming. I, as many others, are watching people receive the key to their future lives, whether that’s admission into medical school or the perfect job lined up for post-grad. I’m definitely beginning to feel the pressure of time. Indeed, as other people around us seem as though they are in a different stage of life, it could be easy to feel threatened by their success.
The Threat of Others’ Success
Sometimes it may feel as though we are in a natural disposition to envy the success of others. Indeed, no matter how much positive self-talk you may do, there will inevitably come a time where your inner dialogue consists of either picking on yourself for not succeeding in a certain way, or begins to pick apart the other person’s success in an attempt to invalidate it. Why is it that we are so threatened by other human beings that we—along with others—feel the need to not be able to take success at a face value? It all comes down to seeing the world through a scarcity mindset. Let’s unpack what this means, and see what we can do to switch from the scarcity mindset to the abundance mindset.
The Scarcity Mindset
The scarcity mindset means that you hold the belief that success is a limited resource, leading you to view someone else’s success as a threat to your own. If you operate within a scarcity mindset, you may seek to undermine others’ accomplishments in order to not feel threatened. For example, someone else getting a promotion at work would be taking something directly away from you. The scarcity mindset means that you think others success takes directly away from your own, as you believe there is a finite amount of opportunities available.
The Abundance Mindset
On the other hand, an abundance mindset is the belief that success is not a finite resource; rather it’s infinite and there is more than enough to go around. Embracing this perspective allows us to celebrate others’ successes genuinely, understanding that their achievements don’t diminish our own potential for success. Indeed, there are endless opportunities for all of us, and we can share in the success and joy of others.
Switching Mindsets
Sometimes, it may feel as though the majority of the world is operating from a scarcity mindset. Circling back to the above, other people may even try to enforce the scarcity mindset, as it can sometimes feel like a form of self preservation. Yet there is so much joy to be brought from an abundance mindset, and I highly recommend that you start to notice your patterns in thinking and acting that may be pulling you away from an abundance mindset. The world is full of endless opportunities for us. Once we start celebrating other peoples wins instead of being threatened by them, we will begin to see just how much the world has to offer us.