The concept of an abundance mindset was defined by Stephen Covey in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
An abundance mindset means identifying and creating scenarios for mutual gain. In other words, someone else’s success does not necessarily mean your failure.
Contrast the abundance mindset with the scarcity mindset, or zero-sum mindset, where you believe that another person’s gain means your loss. People with scarcity mindsets are fearful and envious of the success of others, because they interpret it as a personal threat to their own success.
There are, of course, situations that truly are zero-sum on the surface. For example, a competition can only have one winner, and by definition everyone else loses. However, an abundance mindset allows you to reframe zero-sum situations so that everyone wins. This is where huge opportunities for growth can appear: being able to create abundance where everyone else sees scarcity.
Examples of an abundance mindset in Jiu-Jitsu:
- Being grateful for training partners who challenge and tap you.
- Using loss as a learning experience.
- Seeking training and coaching from opponents who defeat you.
- Thanking your opponents and sparring partners, regardless of the outcome.
Examples of a scarcity, or zero-sum, mindset in Jiu-Jitsu:
- Dodging tough rolls when training.
- Being envious of teammates who are more skilled or athletic than you.
- Resenting others for their competition successes or promotions.
- Interpreting a competition loss as a threat to your ego and self-worth.
