An “abundance mindset.” It’s a phrase we hear a lot these days, but what does it really mean? And how can you create an “abundance mindset” for yourself? 

Your mind can be your greatest tool for success. But it can also be your worst enemy, if you’re not diligent and intentional about the thoughts you consistently think. 

Today I want to share what an “abundance mindset” is, and how you can begin adopting an abundance mindset of your own to realize and achieve your biggest dreams. 

What is an Abundance Mindset?

An “abundance mindset” is a way of thinking that focuses on receiving versus focusing on the absence of things.  A key tenet of an abundance mindset is shifting your focus from scarcity (the things we lack) to abundance (the things we have).

A great way to think about choosing abundance is by imagining yourself walking down a busy shopping street. With an abundance mindset, the further you walk down the street, the more you discover stores full of items you love and desire, people you like and consider to be friends, and general happiness. You keep making wonderful discoveries, so you keep making your way down the street. As you walk, you are presented with new opportunities, new side-streets you never noticed before, and you say “yes” to new experiences that leave you feeling fulfilled, rich and excited about life. 

On the other side of the street is the path of scarcity – the stores are shuttered, or they are just closing as you reach their front door. You become discouraged, negative and unhopeful, shuffling along and wondering what else you won’t be able to get.

The thing is: at any moment, we can choose to change which road we want to travel on. It’s all a matter of consciously changing the way you receive and process information, and the thoughts you choose to think. 

8 Ways to Create Your Own Abundance Mindset

Here’s how to change your way of thinking, and start cultivating your own abundance-focused mindset. 

1. Think big!

Those with an abundant mindset are renowned for thinking big. They are able to see the bigger picture, and not get caught up in the minor details and stressors of day to day life. 

The first step to achieving goals is to set those goals. And the first step to achieving audacious, life-changing goals is to set THOSE goals (and believe you can achieve them.) 

2. Find the good in EVERY situation

To cultivate an abundance mindset, resolve to become overwhelmingly positive about your own life.

And this is very possible because positivity is a choice. 

I once had the honor of listening to a speaker who drove home the idea of positive outlook as a choice: “Each day when you wake up, you have the choice to decide whether today is going to be a good day or a bad day.” It’s 100% up to you. Your outlook determines your reactions, which determine your mood.

When you resolve to adopt a positive attitude every day, you will find it so much easier to find the good in every situation. Yes, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the bad, but when you’re able to identifying silver linings when they appear, you’ll gradually cultivate a positive and abundant mindset.

3. Practice extreme gratitude

We are aware that gratitude is a key to confidence. And the role that gratitude plays in realizing the abundance of good in your life is a big part of that. 

This is because the more grateful you are for all that you have, the more you realize ALL that you have to be grateful for… and more and more awesome things begin to become apparent in your life. It’s a self-perpetuating relationship. And once you begin to reframe your mindset for constant gratitude, you will continually gain MORE things to be grateful for.

See the good, focus on the good, expect the good.

When you are grateful for the things you have, it’s much easier to focus on those, instead of the things that you lack. You’ll feel more abundant. 

As Oprah Winfrey once said, “If you look at what you have in life, you will always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you will never have enough.” Make like Oprah, and practice extreme gratitude. 

4. Have an optimistic outlook on opportunities

To cultivate an abundance mindset, you must believe that there are endless opportunities available to you. According to Entrepreneur, those with an abundant mentality truly believe that “there is plenty of everything in the world from resources, love, relationships, wealth and opportunities. They believe they can afford what they want in life and say exactly that, ‘I can afford that…'” 

To practice this aspect of an abundance mindset, begin using positive language daily. Stay away from negative verbalizations, and shift your thinking to what’s possible, like: “I can do that” “I want that” “I’m going to make it happen” “I got this.” Saying these kinds of phrases every day reinforces the belief attached to them, and subconsciously primes you to believe endless opportunities are available to you. 

This also applies to our relationships and observations of others. When you see a friend, colleague, or stranger acquire something that you want, your first thought should be: “Good for them! I know I will acquire that too.” You do not need to feel jealous, resentful or disheartened. Just because they achieved this thing does NOT mean you won’t be able to.

“There is enough opportunity for all of us.”

I can’t help but be reminded of the musical, “Hamilton,” and one of the last songs of the show. If you know the story of Alexander Hamilton, and his lifelong rival, Aaron Burr, you know that Burr eventually shoots and kills Hamilton in a duel. 

After the fatal encounter, Burr has a moment of reflection, where he realizes that his actions, and his selfish motivations have cemented his place in history as a villain in Hamilton’s narrative. He sings:

Now I’m the villain in your history
I was too young and blind to see
I should’ve known
I should’ve known the world was wide enough for both Hamilton and me
The world was wide enough for both Hamilton and me

-Aaron Burr, “Hamilton, An American Musical”

What Burr realizes, although all-too-late, is that “the world was wide enough” for both Hamilton and him to be successful – to achieve their goals and cement their legacies.

And you must realize the same: another person’s successes are not your failures. Another person’s successes do not take anything AWAY from you. And even if it’s a one-for-one scenario – keeping with the musical theme, say you auditioned for a part, and someone else got it instead of you – this only means that there is something better waiting for you. Believe that wholeheartedly, and you will never be disappointed. 

5. Be proactive

There is a certain element of trust involved in cultivating an abundance mindset. You must believe and trust that there are endless opportunities available to you.

But that doesn’t mean that you should sit back and be a passive participant in your own life! Rather, you must realize that you are responsible. 

The sooner you accept and internalize the notion that you (and only you) are responsible for your own life, the better. Say out-loud to yourself, right now: “I am responsible.”

Repeat this phrase throughout the rest of your day – when you’re confronted with a challenge, when you need to do something you don’t quite feel like doing… Heck, you can even use it as a motivational tool! The important thing is to repeat it out-loud, and to repeat it often.

Internalize this concept and assume responsibility for creating opportunities for yourself. Assume responsibility for creating your dream life. Once you do, you’ll find it’s more attainable than you ever realized. 

6. Be open to change

In addition to being proactive about your life, you must also be open to change. Abundance-mindset practitioners embrace and accept change; they understand that change is an integral part of life. This is because they know that change often leads to more positive outcomes, even if the process is difficult, and even scary. But they can see past the fear to the greater reward – and pretty soon that fear subsides. 

Richard Branson has this wonderful quote: “Every success story is a result of constant adaptation, revision and change.”

But change isn’t always easy. In fact, it rarely is.

But change is also necessary. It’s inspiring! It is the key ingredient in any success story.

Think back to the last “success story” you heard, the last nonfiction book you read, the last speech you heard. The most impactful stories never happen because the storyteller “kept doing the same old, same old.” They happen because those people who inspire us made changes to make their lives better. They made the choice to take responsibility and ownership for the own life, and to DO something to improve themselves and their surroundings.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again – you are meant for too much greatness to be a passive participant in your own life.

7. Share your gifts

You were born with a unique set of passions, talents, gifts and qualities that only you can give back to the world. And it is your responsibility to share these things!

Learn how to share your gifts and provide value by serving those who would benefit most. Be self-less in giving your gifts to the world, and it will come back to you in spades. 

“Your greatness isn’t what you have, it’s what you give.”

8. Believe you deserve it

More important than maybe any of these steps to cultivating an abundance mindset is believing that you can.

Just in case you had any doubt, I want you to know that it is 100% within your power to create the kind of life you want for yourself. You DESERVE to live a life that makes you happy – that makes you feel fulfilled, and that makes you excited to get out of bed every day.

You. Are. Worthy.

You are worthy of your biggest dreams. You are worthy of your dream life. You are worthy of your dream job, and every other perfect scenario you like spend your time imagining.

And not only do you deserve it – it is 100% available for you. You just have to believe that it is, and then put in the work.

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life

I want to close this post with a scenario that you may have even experienced before.

Picture this: you’re waiting for the elevator on your way up to work. You’re staring at the mirrored doors thinking, “Man, I really don’t like my outfit today. What was I thinking when I got dressed?”

As you’re staring down your reflection and questionable outfit choice in the mirror, a fellow woman approaches the elevator.

“LOVE that top!” she exclaims. “Where did you get it?”

You say “thank you,” do the required sharing of purchase details, and think to yourself, “Hey, maybe this top is actually pretty awesome!” And you exit the elevator with some renewed pep in your step.

All because someone gave you some assurance.

The brain is funny that way. If you tell yourself something enough times, or if you get told something enough times, you will eventually believe it to be true. (Unfortunately this works with negative talk just as well as it does with positive talk… but we’ll talk about that in a little while). The good news is, it’s just as easy to believe you’re awesome, capable, confident, deserving, and AMAZING as it is to believe you’re not. It’s all a matter of what you choose to believe.

Bottom line: What we repeatedly tell ourselves is what we will inevitably think.

Therefore, it crucial that you master your internal thoughts for the better to begin cultivating your own abundance mindset. Get started adopting an abundance mindset with these tips today – and let me know how it goes!