Wednesday, September 3, 2008

The Scarcity Mentality

One of the primary obstacles in reaching a goal is not the physical obstacles of work or relationships, how much you weigh or how out of shape you feel. Nor is the spatial constraint of time management a daunting challenge. For when you have a burning desire you have all the time in the world and you have all the energy you need.

To touch back on obstacles, it often comes down to the mental preparation you are doing that determines their size and scope and if, if, they are able to be overcome. When it comes right down to it, the people that accomplish their burning desires are not better than you in all aspects, but more determined than you in what's important to them. This is where the scarcity mentality is located.

The scarcity mentality is the belief that there is not enough of something, like courage or determination or time, to accomplish a goal. I am here to tell you that a belief is not a truth. A belief is something you have been told over and over again by someone important to you. That doesn't make it right.

You can be told enough times that you will never amount to much and believe it. Told that you will never walk again. Told you can't possibly finish a marathon or triathlon. Told that you are not smart enough to think for yourself. That is the scarcity mentality being put on you. There are too many to print that we put on ourselves.

The truth is you can do anything if you believe in it enough and act on it. Somebody told their entire life they will amount to nothing has finished ironman. People with physical and mental obstacles have completed marathons. I personally learned how to walk again, then run, then finish marathons, then an ironman. Now I am starting over again from something maybe worse.

I haven't believed for a moment that I wouldn't be on a race course again, at some time in my future. Maybe a dozen doctors, all experts, have told me as such. The scarcity mentality is meant to control. Its made to create fear and limit potential. The human body and especially the mind have vastly more potential than anything we can imagine.

The scarcity mentality is what has kept you, yes you, where you are at today. You can find the time. You can have the will power. Do you have the desire to do something?

Do it.

5 comments:

Flatman said...

Man, you are hitting on all cylinders with this stuff!

SingletrackJenny (formerly known as IronJenny) said...

Dude you know I resect your accomplishments and abilities and drive. But I can't help but be concerned that AT THIS POINT in time -- and it hopefully will turn out to be a teeny little blip of time -- that you heed your doctors' advice and take your time returning to your athletic goals.
I know that is much easier for me to say as an owner of a healthy liver and kidneys, than it is for you to actually DO in phoenix in your everyday life.
Especially since you are surrounded by athletes, all talking about their goals, their workouts, their mental struggles pertaining to their dreams... all the stuff you are also made of.
Hopefully your post is about US, and not you!
I will continue to pray for you speedy and full recovery. And I will start praying more for patience.
Love you, Friend.
Jenny

Steve Stenzel said...

Great post! Nice thoughts!!

Iron Krista, "The Dog Mom" said...

great post comm! I have to tell you, that after 4 years of IT band struggle (not including my latest bout with it on my second leg) I really believe this is true.

It was a really really tough time for me.... I even had some dr's offer me anti-depresent drugs (like that was going to fix my leg, ugh!).... But, I made it thru all of that and believe I can get past anything now. I just know i have some physical limitations. It makes it harder - but to me, that makes it all so much more worth it.

My desire is strong... and so is my will. Right now I'm putting my mental racing to the test and laying it all out there at Soma. I can't wait to see if I've grown in that aspect!

LBTEPA said...

You've turned my day around