Jay Doubleyou: the abundance mentality or abundance mindset

Wednesday 8 July 2015

the abundance mentality or abundance mindset

It's easy to dismiss the 'self-help' industry and its gurus:
Jay Doubleyou: smile or die: the power of positive thinking
Jay Doubleyou: mindfulness: "too many people are avoiding using their brains"
Jay Doubleyou: fish philosophy and the motivational mafia

But there are interesting places to go:
Jay Doubleyou: this column will change your life
This column will change your life | Life and style | The Guardian

For example:
Jay Doubleyou: how useful is your job?
Jay Doubleyou: how do you make decisions?
Jay Doubleyou: what's it costing you to sleep?
Jay Doubleyou: what are you good at?

One of the most successful self-help books is 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People':

It has sold more than 15 million copies in 38 languages worldwide, and the audio version has sold 1.5 million copies, and remains one of the best selling nonfiction business books. In August 2011 Time listed 7 Habits as one of "The 25 Most Influential Business Management Books".^[3]

U.S. President Bill Clinton invited Covey to Camp David to counsel him on how to integrate the book into his presidency.^[4]

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It looks at a very interesting idea:

Abundance mentality

Covey coined the idea of abundance mentality or abundance mindset, a concept in which a person believes there are enough resources and successes to share with others. He contrasts it with the scarcity mindset (i.e., destructive and unnecessary competition), which is founded on the idea that, if someone else wins or is successful in a situation, that means you lose; not considering the possibility of all parties winning (in some way or another) in a given situation (see zero-sum game). Individuals with an abundance mentality reject the notion of zero-sum games and are able to celebrate the success of others rather than feel threatened by it.^[5]

Since this book's publishing, a number of books appearing in the business press have discussed the idea.^[6] Covey contends that the abundance mentality arises from having a high self-worth and security (see Habits 1, 2, and 3), and leads to the sharing of profits, recognition and responsibility.^[7]Organizations may also apply an abundance mentality when doing business.^[8]