Abundance or Scarcity – What Is Your Mindset? By Brian Klemmer

Many people think that their struggle with money stems from the circumstances they’re in. They think that if only they could change their circumstances by making more money, they would save and invest some of that money and be more generous. But the truth is, poverty is a state of mind. 

Circumstances come and go, but whether you have a mindset of abundance or scarcity is more critical. In the 1950’s there was a game show titled, The $64,000 Question. Many contestants on this show won a lot of money, but of those who did, only one significantly changed her lifestyle. That was Dr. Joyce Brothers, an unknown at that time. It’s the same for many who win the lottery. I know someone who won seven million dollars in the lottery, but within five years couldn’t make his house payment – and he did not have a fancy house! 

Many people say, “If only I had more money, I’d save it.” Or, they don’t have money to invest because “money is tight.” But the question is, are you saving or investing now? If you’re not saving, investing or tithing now because “money is tight,” then you have what we call a scarcity mentality about money. 

The opposite is also true. In the 1980’s Donald Trump’s worth was valued in the billions. By 1990, however, he had lost his fortune to debts he couldn’t repay. Many thought there was no way Donald Trump could make a comeback. But although he was broke, Donald Trump never became poor. In spite of his circumstances, he had a mentality of abundance. Today Donald Trump is once again a billionaire, and it is said that he is even richer than before. 

How we approach life — whether out of an attitude of abundance or scarcity — generally applies to many areas in our lives. That is the point of chapter 8 in my book, The Compassionate Samurai. There are some who say there are no good men (or women) available, others who insist there are no good prospects for their network marketing business, and others who believe there are no good job opportunities in today’s market. 

Take a look at your life. If you’re stuck on a frustrating treadmill, consider how you think. Is it a scarcity mindset that keeps you there? An awareness of how you think is the first step toward changing your thoughts and your life. In the next newsletter we’ll discuss ways to foster an attitude of abundance.