Tips & Insights for Top Performance

In a time where it seems like each week you hear of someone new laid off or out of work. People are short on money and struggling to make ends meet. .. . stress is high, nerves are short and tempers are quick. It can be easy to forget the many things we have been blessed with and focus on what we do not have or fret about what we might lose.

There are two concepts that come to mind to help us be THANKFUL …

1. Prosperity. Be thankful for what we have. We are SO richly blessed here in the USA. We have more then we realize and what we feel we are “missing” is riches beyond what most ever dream about. We have exactly what we need. That is hard to remember when we are truly short on cash; however, it is true that often with some pre-planning we can avoid irresponsibility and neglect that might get us in compromising positions.

• Be a good steward of what you have. Review your spending and remove things that are unnecessary. Do not live beyond your means, making you financially strapped and unable to save for the rainy day.
• Be thankful. Instead of complaining about what you don’t have or  whining about what you want, make a list of all the things you have been blessed with. You hear of people sick with cancer having a renewed perspective on life and what is important. In the hustle of life, it is materialism, more money, more toys, and better upgrades which draw us in with the elusive promise of…what? When it comes right down to it, the relationships with family and friends, the time we have together, our health, a clear understanding of why we are here, and the value of each day are what is truly important. Be thankful for what you have and focus on that.

Christy Geiger, Executive Business Coach & Trainer, Minneapolis, MN

Your perspective on scarcity or prosperity is very important because:

It impacts how you see the world. As explained above, each side promotes either positive or negative thinking. People are naturally more negatively wired (They are. There is some statistic about 75% of all adult conversations are naturally negative – just listen the next time you are out.) Positive people live longer, are less stressed and enjoy life more. So, if you desire less stress and a long and enjoyable life, start thinking through the eyes of prosperity.

It impacts what you receive. Some are skeptical about this, but it is the law of nature. When you live in scarcity and cling onto everything, afraid of loss, you get little and things seem to run out. You attract scarcity. It is uncanny how this works, but it really happens. People get attached and cling to money, time, possessions, and for whatever reason, it is not something that can be held on to. The harder you fight for YOURS and cling to it, the quicker it dissipates.

On the other hand, when you live in and give from prosperity, it is incredible what comes into your life. I choose to see it as blessings from God. It is amazing. When you let go of your agenda and serve others, you are served. When you stop worrying about money and become responsible yet generous, you have plenty. When you volunteer freely of your time and energy you are uplifted and blessed. There are many old adages about this: “Givers Gain”, the Golden Rule, etc. When you can stop and look at what is good, what is right and allow yourself to live in the blessings you have been given, appreciate them and give back, the process continues to flow. When you get caught in fear, negativity and pessimism, life gets tough, fast.

Once you are in the scarcity mode, it can be a challenge to get out. You can get out, though. You just need to be intentional about listening to the tape that is running in your head. Listen to yourself talk and hear what you are saying. Are you saying CAN’T, WON’T, NEVER, ALWAYS, DON’T, etc.? These are signs you are looking at life from scarcity. Stop and ask yourself, “What CAN I do?” “What is true?” “What is possible?” Then do what you can. If you continue to always do what you can, you will start to embrace prosperity thinking and living.

Don’t believe me? Try it. It is amazing

Scarcity and Prosperity are two terms I had not heard of until I entered the coaching world. At first I felt they were worldly concepts of the common pursuit of wealth and possessions… connected with the overused term: Abundance. I soon learned about the truth found in these concepts and see the huge impact our perspectives of them have on everything.

First of all, Scarcity vs. Prosperity is talking about your perspective on the world. Scarcity focuses on what you don’t have and cannot do. It is negative and dwells on how you are limited, held back or unable to move forward as you would like.  It shows up like this:

• Business owner: I can’t do any mailings because it costs to much.
• Mom: I can’t get out of the house because there is no one to watch the kids.
• Unhappy professional: I can’t change jobs because I need the stable income.
• Executive: I can’t hire more people; sales are down.

Prosperity is the flip side of scarcity. It is looking at what you DO have. It is positive, up-beat and solution focused. It finds what IS good and what IS possible. It asks “What CAN I do?” I might sound like this:

• Business owner: Mailings are expensive, but I have a small list of 100 names from the Chamber that I CAN do a series of target mailings for and test their effectiveness.
• Mom: I can get out of the house and take the kids to the park. My spouse is home Friday nights and I can plan to do errands then.
• Unhappy professional: I need stable income and CAN take a few classes to explore other interests while working my current job.
• Executive: Sales are down, but I CAN hire short term contract help to pull through this slump. I can also come and work on the floor 5 hours a week to support the team.