Change Your Mindset
#70: Stop Thinking of Wealth as a Zero-Sum Game
It seems like one of the most common errors in thinking about wealth and money is to think of it as a zero-sum game. A zero-sum game implies that all wealth is somehow fixed, and that wealth for one person happens at the expense of another. The phrase “The rich get richer, the poor get poorer” perpetuates the fallacy of the zero-sum notion. There isn’t a static pot somewhere that everybody draws upon. Wealth can be created out of nothing and can benefit everyone.
Wealth can be created out of nothing by advances in information, technology, and other creative endeavors. Just look at our own society compared to 100 years ago. Financially speaking, our incomes have shot through the roof. Where did that money come from? Inventions, technology, and ideas that lead to the betterment of society, largely.
Wealth is more about providing value than it is about money. It is created when the one creating it serves a purpose larger than himself. For example, Bill Gates got rich from his contributions to computer technology but also benefited many people in the process which, in turn, enabled others to create more wealth for themselves. Now his philanthropic efforts are benefiting countless thousands here in the United States and around the world. It’s a win-win for everyone.
#71: Stop Jockeying for Position
In short, building wealth doesn’t mean that someone else has to have less. Remember this next time you look at your neighbor. Be happy for what others have, knowing that you don’t have less because they have more. You’re responsible for your own finances alone, and wishing that others had less or judging them for what they have doesn’t accomplish anything. .
While wealth itself is a zero-sum game, your position in society is not. In other words, if someone moves from third place to second place it means that someone else loses their ranking. If you get a raise which puts your income ahead of Joe the Plumber, your position goes up and his goes down although his income may remain constant. This isn’t true just in terms of what you have financially. People compete on a myriad of levels: athleticism, intellect, looks, and so on
We get an ego boost when we reach a goal, finish a project or win a competition. There’s nothing wrong with that type of accomplishment unless that happiness due to “outdoing” someone instead of internal measures of success. When we start looking to others to define our success we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment later on
Similarly, if we avoid trying new things because we’re afraid we may fail, we’re shortchanging ourselves.
If jockeying for position is important to you, you tend to lose out on appreciating what you have. Think of the man who can’t be happy with his new Toyota because the neighbor just bought a Lexus. Or, the runner who can’t be happy with the race because he came in third instead of first (although he did his personal best).
#72: The Five Things Notebook
One of the fastest and easiest ways to stop jockeying for position and to really get back in touch with your own blessings is to start a gratitude journal. If you watch The Oprah Winfrey Show, you’ve probably heard of gratitude journals before. She started keeping a journal many years ago after reading
Simple Abundance by Sarah ban Breathnach and she frequently mentions its impact on her life.
If you aren’t really a journaling sort of person consider a “Five Things” notebook. I started one along with my then 8-year-old daughter about a year ago. The notebook was a way for us to recap the good things that happened in our day in a way that was easy for her.
If going into great detail about your blessings seems intimidating, or you simply don’t have the time or energy at the end of the day, consider starting out this way. It doesn’t require any sappy, flowery writing skills and literally just takes minutes. If you want to challenge yourself, make it a “Ten Things” Notebook.
What we focus on expands. If you’re walking around thinking about the things in life that are bringing you down, you’re allowing those negative thoughts to have too much power in your life. Everyone has a reason to smile today, even if it’s something as simple as the sun is shining. Nothing is too small to be happy about. Placing the spotlight back on the good things in life is a quick and simple way to create more happiness in your day-to-day life.
What are five things YOU are happy about today?
#73: Turn Negatives into Positives
I believe that our outlook largely influences quality of life. However, it’s not always easy to walk around counting blessings when life just doesn’t seem all that peachy. You can take the “five things” approach and use it to turn pessimism into optimism.
For every negative, there’s a positive. For every yin, there’s a yang. Taking that principle and applying it to difficult situations in your own life can help you get back into a positive frame of mind. If there is a situation in your own life that you’re not happy with or a person you can’t seem to get along with, try this game:
• Name five things about that difficult person that you admire
• State five things you have learned from a difficult experience
• Name five good things about a bad situation
If you catch yourself in a downward spiral of thoughts, try to nip It in the bud. Don’t let it escalate or snowball. Try the “five things” game and focus on those thoughts instead.
Steps #70-73: Change Your Mindset
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