Scarcity Mindset and Perfectionism: From Procrastination to Power

Below is a transcription of this video.

Hey there I’m Tripp Lanier. For over 12 years I’ve spent thousands of hours coaching folks to get out of the rat race, become an authority in their field, and make a great living doing the work they were put on this earth to do. And for more than a decade, I’ve hosted The New Man Podcast which has been downloaded millions of times and can be found on iTunes or Stitcher.

In my personal life and in my work as a coach I spend a lot of time dealing with folks who are struggling to get over their fears and get into action. These are people who are sick of being on whatever plateau they’re on professionally or personally. They know there’s a more exciting, more engaging opportunity for them, but they just get stuck at the starting line.
There are lots of reasons why taking action can seem hard, but today I’m going to talk about two beliefs that hold us back.

The first one is believing that our resources or opportunities are scarce. As in, “This is the only shot I have at this. I can’t waste money or time or energy. I have to get it perfect or I’ll lose this forever.”

Living in this mindset is excruciating and causes us to believe that perfection is the only way forward. And waiting for perfection means we’re not gonna make anything happen.

What helps to turn this around?

I find it really helpful to remember that we can always generate more money or resources if we really need it. We can always create more opportunities. We can always find another way.

Dismantling the idea that somehow this thing is do-or-die has us relax. And relaxing allows us to be more creative, take some chances, and experiment to see what works. It allows us to engage the process. And that’s how we’re going to move things forward.

So if you’re in this place try this on, “I can make more money if I need it. I can find or create other opportunities if I need to. This isn’t my only shot.”

The second belief that holds us back is the one that says, “I need to have the perfect plan.” We believe the perfect plan is going to protect us from uncertainty or any bumps that may come along. This belief has us think things like, “I can’t course correct in the future. I have to figure out the future now. I have to predict what’s going to happen.” This belief shows up when we forget that the future version of ourselves is going to be there to handle future challenges. That’s his job.

I don’t know about you, but predicting the future is freakin’ hard. Trying to anticipate all of the things that could and will happen drives me nuts. Throw some fear and powerlessness in there and it’s a recipe for crippling anxiety.

So what can help us turn this around?

It’s remembering how we’ve dealt with many, many challenges in the past. We often forget to give ourselves credit for all the times we’ve had to overcome unpredictable stuff. We forget that we have skills built on these experiences.

It’s far more powerful to remember, “Hey, if something happens then I’ll figure it out. I’ve done this in the past. I don’t have to predict the future.”

When you notice these two toxic beliefs showing up in your brain, see if you can shift over to a more grounded way of viewing the situation. Avoid the trap that says that you have to be perfect, and give yourself credit for all of the challenges you’ve overcome in the past.

If we’re facing a challenge and it’s time to engage, we don’t want the collapsed, terrified version of ourselves calling the shots. Sometimes we just need to remember how powerful we already are, and then bring that guy to the table.

Best to you and thanks for watching.