I love the idea of the abundance mentality. You can find all kinds of descriptions online that talk about the abundance mentality, but the gist of it is that there is PLENTY to go around. There is an abundance (defined:more than an adequate quantity) of _________ (whatever you think there is a lot of).
For example, right now, with today’s sucky housing marketing, there is an overabundance of houses on clearance.
In Puerto Rico, where I lived for a few years, there was an abundance of amazing beaches to visit.
In Utah, where I live now, there is an abundance of amazing geological wonders.
There’s more than enough to go around…. that’s the idea.
If you have an Abundance Mentality you are not concerned about getting your fair piece of the pie, worrying that the pie will run out. You think the pie is big enough for everyone to have as much as they want.
I was reminded of the Abundant Mentality a few nights ago when my 10 year old son showed me the logo stuff he traded with a friend of his. When I was his age I was not a trader… I was more a hoarder. I was proud of what I had and for some reason was not open to trading with others. My son, however, trades toys with friends all the time. It’s somewhat foreign to me, but they are all excited to do it. They aren’t worried about having less, or fewer, or older, or whatever.
They know there is plenty to go around.
I thought about how, as job seekers, we are usually worried about losing out on that one job, or the few job openings that are right for us.
We are concerned that if someone else gets our job, we lose out, and we’ll have more days, weeks, months to be in unemployment hell.
It’s scary.
Lately, there has really not been any “abundance” of jobs.
I started to wonder, though, if we are thinking about abundance of the wrong thing?
Should we be wondering about an abundance of jobs (no one feels there is an abundance of jobs right now)?
Let’s go back to the beginning… I think many of us are not after a JOB so much as we are after an income.
Is there an abundance of MONEY?
Seriously, is there an abundance of MONEY??
I think there is.
We spend a lot of time chasing after the job, and get discouraged because we feel there isn’t enough to go around, all the while there is an abundance of money. (read my post on the Job Search Rabbit Hole, where I talk about chasing the wrong thing)
We just have to figure out how to get it.
What do you think… am I on to something or am I just daydreaming?
Of course you are correct Jason.
But you’d be amazed how few people are open minded to go after opportunities that are not traditional. We have been conditioned in school to become employees and, as you know, the money (or more importantly the good lifestyle) is not for employees (at least in the US).
It is reserved for people who take some risk as you did! They take the less traveled road…
Ironically today, in my opinion, the biggest risk is to rely on one income, especially if it is from a job.
I do like this thought process. Being just laid off for the 2nd time there is that fear of getting a job and not wanting to be on unemployment. But, I also don’t want just any old job, either. I want to get up each day and WANT to go to work not NEED to go to work. I am adopting this thought process and putting it out there that I will find the right job…and it is out there for me.
@Amy-Marie, I think you can apply the idea of an abundance mentality with jobs, too…. but I want people to think about other options… don’t give up your dream of your dream job, for sure!
@Sylvie – great irony you point out. I agree, we’re totally conditioned to go after “traditional.”
Jason, this is such a great perspective.
As hard as it may be to believe sometimes, there are ALWAYS ways to make money. True, it’s not always as much as you’d like, or as consistent, or in exactly what you’d like to be doing…but it’s there.
There are certainly many great traditional jobs to be had, but they’re not the only ways to make money. Whether it’s a long term career goal (such as starting a business or building a consulting practice) or a short-term income generator (baby-sitting, offering your skills through ODesk.com) the options are unlimited.