“Scarcity does not live in the world, it lives in the mind. And it’s only when you change your gaze that you discover that abundance was always there, waiting for you.”
One of the things that has surprised me the most throughout my professional life is to see how scarcity can distort human potential. I have worked with extraordinary people, intelligent, prepared, full of talent… who, however, were completely blocked when they felt that resources were scarce: time, support, recognition or simply security.
The curious thing is that those same people, when the pressure decreased or when they regained confidence, were just as brilliant and decisive as anyone else. They had not lost their abilities; What limited them was not their talent, but the feeling of lack that occupied their minds.
Mental scarcity acts as a filter that narrows the gaze, reduces creativity, and shuts down confidence. When someone feels that they don’t have enough, their energy is focused on surviving, not imagining. And in that way, even the most capable end up doubting themselves.
I have learned that the problem is not in the lack of resources, but in how the mind interprets that lack. Two people may face the same challenge: one becomes paralyzed, the other finds a way. The difference is not in what they have, but in what they think is possible.
That’s why one of the most important tasks of leadership—and also of personal growth—is to help free people from scarcity thinking. When someone stops feeling threatened by what is missing and starts trusting in what they can create, their talent blossoms again. That’s the essence of what I’ve learned about human potential: it flourishes when the mind is freed from fear.
In the previous doses we learned to look at uncertainty without fear, to strengthen ourselves in adversity and to recognize that every challenge can be an opportunity for growth. This fourth dose invites us to take a step further:
What if what you lack was not more resources, but a new way of looking at what you already have?
That is the question that this dose opens. The answer, as always, is within you.
When scarcity changes our outlook
Scarcity doesn’t just reduce what we have; it also narrows our way of seeing the world. When we feel something missing, our attention contracts. And when that gaze is fixed on lack, our decisions become defensive and fear occupies the space of possibility. What was once a wide landscape becomes a close-up of what worries us most.
This new approach conditions our decisions. When time, money, energy or affection is lacking, we react differently: we think in the short term, we look for quick results and we act with a mixture of urgency and need. Every minute or every euro weighs more. And, yes, we become decisive… but at a price.
Because that precision also makes us short-sighted. We become obsessed with what is missing and stop seeing what remains. The mind, trapped in the urgent, leaves out the essential. Without realizing it, we begin to make decisions that take us away from what we value most. In the rush to put out a fire, we postpone an important conversation, neglect our health, or postpone a dream that gave us meaning. We gain speed, but we lose balance.
The scarcity mentality wears us down inside: it keeps us on our toes, reactive and always aware of what is missing, to the point of not enjoying what we already have. It also affects our relationships: when we feel that resources are limited, we see others as rivals, not allies, and distrust becomes the norm. And in our lives, scarcity narrows our gaze: not because things are lacking, but because there is a lack of inner spaciousness, gratitude and attention span.
Abundance opens a different window: where scarcity sees limits, she sees possibilities. And that change begins by creating a small space between the urgent and the important. A break in the agenda, a few minutes without screens, a margin to make mistakes without fear. That slack clears the mind: options, calm and creativity appear. It is not about doing less, but about living with more intention. When you silence the noise of scarcity, the possible reappears.
Over time, the scarcity mentality can lead to anxiety, sadness, low self-esteem or loneliness, because the feeling of “I don’t have enough” ends up becoming “I am not enough”. In relationships, it generates fear, dependency or difficulty in leaving ties that no longer suit you. Recognizing these effects is an act of self-care. Only by understanding how this loop operates can we make room for a healthier alternative based on trust, gratitude, and collaboration: the abundance mindset.
The challenge is not to eliminate the shortage, but to avoid getting trapped in its tunnel. Use your energy without losing amplitude. And sometimes a short pause, a slower breath or an honest question is enough to broaden your gaze:
“Am I attending only to the urgent… or am I forgetting the essentials?”
In that pause, we regained our gaze. And with it, life expands again.
Do you live from abundance or scarcity?
These questions can help you reflect on your mental focus and recognize whether you’re adopting an abundance or scarcity mindset in different aspects of your life.
How do I react to challenges? Do I see them as opportunities to learn and grow, or as insurmountable obstacles?, Do I tend to worry about a lack of resources or focus on how I can make the most of what I have?, Am I willing to collaborate and share my knowledge and resources, or do I tend to compete to protect what I have?
How do I handle failure? Do I see it as an opportunity to improve and move forward, or as a confirmation that I am not enough? Do I focus mainly on the shortcomings, or on how I can innovate and find solutions to move forward?
How do I perceive the opportunities that present themselves in my life? Do I see them as rare exceptions or as natural signs of a world full of possibilities? Do I feel that my boundaries are fixed, or do I believe that I can overcome obstacles and achieve my goals with creativity and determination?
How do I see the potential of others? Does it worry me when someone close to me achieves an important achievement or receives recognition? Or does the success of others inspire me, reminding me that I too can move forward and grow?
These questions are not meant to judge you, but to help you see where you are acting from. Because each answer opens a different door: one to contraction and fear, and another to expansion and opportunity.
How to Break the Scarcity Loop
Sometimes we think that we are simply prudent, demanding or foresighted, but what happens is that your mind has become accustomed to focusing on what is missing. When it goes into scarcity mode, your attention narrows. You start to look at life through a magnifying glass: what you don’t have, what you don’t control, what you could lose. That approach, although it seems to protect us, robs us of attention, clarity and serenity.
What was once a healthy precaution becomes a loop that feeds anxiety: the more we think about what’s missing, the more we feel like something is missing.
This loop has a very clear dynamic: Selective attention : the mind fixates on what is scarce: time, money, recognition, affection. Growing anxiety: that feeling of lack activates alertness, the fear of not being there or of being left behind. Constant comparison: we start measuring ourselves against others to confirm if we are good or not. Defensive reaction: We try to protect what little we think we have, we isolate ourselves and we lose space to create.
Thus, the mind shrinks in on itself. We are entering a state in which everything seems urgent, but nothing essential. The focus shifts from growth to control, from creation to protection. And when that mode is prolonged, it not only exhausts you and robs you of presence, rest and the ability to enjoy what you do have: it can become an anxiety that becomes permanent, a continuous feeling of going behind, of never arriving, of running without moving forward.
The same thing happens in organizations too. When the scarcity mentality dominates, teams become defensive: they protect territories, hide information, and block innovation. But when abundance is cultivated—trust, collaboration, and openness—people feel safe to experiment, make mistakes, and learn together.
Breaking this loop is not about eliminating fear, but about changing the way you relate to it. Let’s see how to do it step by step:
Step 1. Listen — Recognize the Symptoms of Scarcity
Abundance begins when we stop running away from scarcity. It is not a matter of denying it, but of listening to it: of recognizing when that inner voice appears that says “there is not enough”, “I am late”, “I am not capable”.
Think of something that today is generating a feeling of lack or urgency. It can be time, money, energy, recognition, or love. Write it in a simple sentence:
“I feel like I can’t get enough of…”
Allow yourself to feel stress, worry, or overwhelm without beating yourself up for it. Self-criticism only feeds anxiety.
Observing what you feel—without judgment, with curiosity—is the first step in freeing up the space that scarcity occupies in your mind.
Acknowledging scarcity is the beginning of the way out. When we observe it without judgment, we regain perspective and can use its energy without getting trapped. Because what is most scarce is not usually material, but presence, attention and trust. Scarcity is not an enemy, but a reminder: our gaze can be closed or opened. The choice is always yours.
Step 2. Reevaluate — See the apparent reward
Once you learn to listen to the loop, the next step is to reevaluate it: look carefully at what it gives you and what it takes away. Because every habit of mind—even unharming ones—offers a reward, however small: momentary relief, a sense of control, an attempt to protect yourself.
Revaluing means looking at the hidden price of those false rewards:
- What’s your fear of not having enough costing you?
- What do you lose when you live comparing yourself or trying to control everything?
- How much energy do you devote to protecting yourself, rather than creating, sharing, or enjoying?
By seeing it honestly, you can appreciate the intention but let go of the habit. The mind begins to understand that this old way of protecting yourself costs you more than it gives you. And at that moment, the loop loses strength. It no longer acts automatically because you are seeing it. And what you see with consciousness can no longer dominate you in the same way.
From here, the next step will be to choose a better alternative, a way of living from trust, collaboration and shared creation: the fertile ground where the abundance mentality flourishes
Step 3. Creating Space for the Possible — Cultivating the Abundance Mindset
Once you’ve heard the scarcity loop and understood its apparent rewards, it’s time for the decisive step: choosing a healthier, more liberating alternative. It is not a matter of denying reality or forcing you to think positively, but of consciously choosing a different way of inhabiting the world from trust, gratitude and collaboration: the terrain where the mentality of abundance grows. Here are little practices that help create that space:
- Write down three things you feel grateful for each day.
- Surround yourself with people who inspire you and don’t drain you.
- Change the complaint to curiosity: when something doesn’t come out, ask yourself “what can I learn here?”.
- Focus your attention on the possibilities, not what’s missing, but what you can build with what you already have.
Ask yourself: What small action can I do today that broadens my gaze?
Maybe it’s calling someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, taking a walk without your cell phone or spending ten minutes on something that makes you feel more present. It doesn’t matter how small: it matters that you do it. Because it is those minimal gestures, repeated with intention, that give you a little more calm, perspective and abundance.
And if at any point it is too burdensome for you to do it alone, asking for help is also a form of abundance. It means trusting, opening up, allowing others to accompany you. No one breaks the loop of scarcity in isolation; We do it accompanied, sharing vulnerability and learning.
Six Practices for Growing Abundance Every Day
Here are some simple practices—inspired by my book The Seven Mindsets for Navigating Uncertainty—that you can start integrating today:
- Start by valuing what you already have: Abundance is born when you stop looking at what is missing and focus on what is already in your hands: your talents, your relationships, your learning. Ask yourself: What am I overlooking in my life that is already a form of abundance? How can I make better use of my current resources, skills, and connections?
- Practice gratitude: Nothing strengthens the muscle of abundance more than gratitude. Take a few minutes each day to recognize three things you are grateful for. Ask yourself: Who can I thank for something today, no matter how small? What three things do I value at this point in my life?
- Replace fear with curiosity: Fear is the language of scarcity. Curiosity is the key to abundance. Ask yourself: What lesson or opportunity may be hidden behind this challenge? How can I turn my concern into concrete action?
- Look at the potential in others: Seeing people not for who they are today, but for what they can become, radically changes your relationships. Ask yourself: Who could you support or encourage today in their growth? Am I looking at others from possibility or from judgment?
- Surround yourself with influences that elevate you: If you surround yourself with voices that live from complaint or fear, it is easy for your mind to adopt the same gaze. Cultivate a network of relationships that inspire you and help you grow. Ask yourself: Am I surrounding myself with people and messages that fuel my confidence and positive view of the future?
- Bring abundance into your professional life: When you stop seeing work as a terrain of competition and scarcity, possibilities that previously went unnoticed appear: new collaborations, shared ideas, creative solutions and a more human climate. Ask yourself: How can I turn work challenges into opportunities to learn and collaborate? What small gestures can I make to foster an environment of abundance with my team?
The abundance mindset is not a fad or a pretty phrase for social media. It is a way of being in the world. An active attitude that allows you to see opportunities where others only see limits. When you embrace it, you change the way you navigate life: you go from fear of losing to the desire to create, from control to trust, from competing to collaborating.
A personal invitation
Abundance begins in a silent gesture: giving yourself permission to look at life more broadly. It’s not ignoring problems, but reminding yourself that you’re not defined by what’s missing. When you change the way you look, the possibilities you see change. And that, although it may seem small, can completely change the way you walk through life.
And perhaps that is the most profound invitation of this dose: do not wait to have more to live better. Start now, with what you have, with who you are, with the next step you can take. Abundance is not a destination, it is a way of moving forward that gives you clarity, confidence and an open horizon. And the best thing is that it is always, absolutely always, within your reach.
I leave you with three questions to accompany you today:
- What are you looking at from the lack that you could start looking at from the possibility?
- What small gesture of gratitude, collaboration, or openness could you practice today?
- In what area of your life could you shift the focus: from what is missing to what is already present?
In the next dose we will take a step further in this inner expansion: we will explore the Infinite Mindset, a way of looking at life that leaves behind the obsession with immediate results and focuses on sustained progress. It is not about winning today, but about always growing. To build trajectories, not just one-off victories. To turn every day into an opportunity to be a little better than yesterday.
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