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We are hardwired to withdraw into a scarcity mindset because we think it protects us. By withdrawing into a figurative “shell,” we believe that we retreat into safety.
Thousands of years ago, this was the case. This was how we survived. If you were kicked out of the tribe, more than likely you perished.
And today we tend to continue adhering to this evolutionary mindset. We run away from things that make us feel uncomfortable. We run away from our emails. We run away from our to-do list.
We stick with what is comfortable and resist doing things that can bring change.
This can be a huge handicap when it comes to making the right decisions that lead us to abundance and wealth creation.
Poor decisions caused by “turtling” behavior lead to long periods of hemming and hawing, frustration, and delay. In short, ineptitude. This mindset paralyzes so that we act dead, trapped in a non-generative retreat from living.
When we hold onto a scarcity mindset, we doubt genuine opportunities. In general, we lack confidence of overall success. And worse still, it causes us to sabotage ourselves.
But here’s the reality of the situation:
The entrepreneurs who have experienced meteoric success have a huge “reality distortion field.” Richard Branson, who has undertaken numerous death-defying stunts throughout his lifetime, is an example. Elon Musk is another.
They aren’t so blindly optimistic that they don’t realize potential risks, but their mindset more than compensates for any potential stumbling blocks.
Musk, incredibly, is certain that what we experience as reality is nothing more than a sort of virtual simulation created by a more advanced life form. He recently insisted that our odds of living in “base reality” are less than 1 in 1,000,000,000.
Is it any wonder, then, that his goals (and the expectations he sets for himself and those around him) seem outlandish and far-fetched when compared to our own?
He literally believes he’s living in an altered reality than the one you or I take for granted. One where he can play by a different set of rules, one where things like failure and rejection are moot, one where he can dare to push the limit of reality.
I believe there’s enormous power in deliberately calibrating our subjective view of reality in a way that empowers us to the utmost. Through the lens of mindfulness and introspection, we can adjust our subjective reality and thus what we’re able to accomplish.
It starts with setting unrealistic goals. If your current goals don’t cause you to well up with excitement, then it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
Embrace ideas and actions that challenge your preconceived notion of reality. Be flexible and fluid of thought. Question everything, including your own habits and beliefs. When presented with a new way of looking or doing things, try it out immediately and test the results in an objective fashion.
Never become complacent in your routines or attitudes; when you do, it’s time to pause, take a step back, and reflect.