How do I adopt an abundance mentality in my career?

Do you feel like you're on the hamster wheel of life?

When you feel like you've finally just conquered the obstacle in front of you, suddenly you find yourself chasing the next thing. If this resonates, then you may be stuck in what is called a scarcity mentality. Feeling stuck in this mindset can be scary and isolating, but there is a way to hit pause, reset, and get off the hamster wheel.

I've personally worked very hard to overcome my own scarcity mindset and have spent the last five years by replacing this with an abundance mentality. While there is no easy fix, there are steps that can help you build an abundance mindset.

Steven Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, coined the term "scarcity mindset". This mindset "views life as a limited pie, where if one person gains, others necessarily lose."

The scarcity mindset operates from a place of fear. This fear can be that someone else will win and you'll lose or that someone else will take your place.

Scarcity mentality sounds like:

• "There’s already too many people doing this — I’m probably too late."

• "If I don’t take this job, I might not get another chance."

Abundance refers to "the quality of having what you want in life, for example, love, happiness, or career success." Having an abundance mentality means understanding that there is enough for everyone.

An abundance mentality operates from a place of confidence and believing in the power of win-win situations.

Abundance mentality sounds like:

• “If this opportunity isn’t aligned, something better will come. I trust the right fit is out there.”

• “There’s space for my voice and approach. No one else brings exactly what I do.”

Developing an abundance mentality is a lot like getting into a new gym routine after the holidays. It can be hard to start and it requires discipline. Like a muscle, your abundance mindset needs regular "workouts" to stay sharp. Narrowing your career desires is no different.

Photo by Jean Lakosnyk on Unsplash

Kyle Gogen, president and founder of Pawstruck.com, shares three simple ways to practice an abundance mentality that will help shift your career:

1. Start from a place of curiosity and possibility rather than pessimism.

Ask yourself questions like:

• What is my job or career goal for this year?

• What can I alter or change to help move me closer to the results I desire?

Using these types of questions helps refocus your thoughts on the endless possibilities, rather than the barriers.

2. Learn from like-minded influences.

Look for people in your life who have the mindset you want to develop and do your best to learn from them. Ask for informational interviews with people you admire or want to learn from.

3. Embrace your authenticity.

One of my favourite perspectives on this topic comes from Caroline Wanga. Wanga started her career at Target and shares her career mapping process, which centred on leaning into her own strengths and authenticity, in her TikTok below:

Adopting an abundance mentality in your career starts with understanding that other people are your collaborators, not your direct competition. Like everything, shifting thought patterns takes practice.

Reframing your thoughts can help you to adopt an abundance mentality and further your career prospects. When encountering new people, it can help to start from a place of curiosity and emphasize networking.

When Caroline Wanga first started at Target, she mapped out the experiences that she wanted to have. In doing so, she identified key stakeholders that she could connect with.

As part of this process, she shared her map with various connections she made in each position. This helped propel her toward starting her own firm — Wanga Woman. This all unfolded because Caroline started viewing colleagues as people she could collaborate (rather than compete) with.

Here are some examples of how to reframe your thoughts from scarcity mentality of competition to an abundance mentality of collaboration:

• Other people have more success than I do.

• Good things only happen to other people.

• Everyone here is only out for themselves.

• I'm cultivating conditions to flourish with my team.

• I'm surrounded by successful people.

• My team is here to support me.

• There are people in my corner.

Having clarity around what you envision for yourself helps you to know the right thing when it shows up.

Recently, I read The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman. In the book, Emily talks about the importance of who you become in the process. She writes, "What matters more than the decisions you make is the person you’re becoming."

While the vision for your entire journey may not be crystal clear, begin by understanding what you value and what is driving you forward. For more, check out her podcast on indecisiveness and how to combat it.

I've recently been navigating a career transition of my own and have found myself reflecting on what my own "next right thing" is. When I have a potential opportunity, I evaluate each position on whether it aligns with my personal principles and values:

• Work-life balance

• Purpose & impact

• Equity & inclusion

• Growth & mastery

• Professional development

• Stability & decurity

• Flexibility & autonomy

In my role in education, I value opportunities to connect with students and help them reframe their approach to learning. However, I've also learned that I value the ability to prioritize clear work/life boundaries. These have been key themes I've looked for in finding my next role.

Like everything, you won't magically start seeing your career journey through an abundance mentality lens overnight. However, with small steps and continually reframing your journey to focus on pursuing the next right step at the right moment, you may find that your dream career is closer than you think. All that's left for you to do is to go for it!

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash