Breaking Free from a Scarcity Mindset: How to Recognize the Signs and Move Forward

Do you ever feel like there’s just not enough time, money, opportunities, or something else? Are you always rushing to finish your to-do list or finding it tough to make decisions? Do you struggle to say “no” when people ask you for favors?

Therapists actually have a term for this: scarcity mindset.

“The scarcity mindset doesn’t allow much grace for oneself,” says Jordan Bierbrauer, LCSW, a therapist with Thriveworks who specializes in anxiety, stress, and conflict. “Someone with a scarcity mindset may be thinking that everything that is needed for a bright and secure future is becoming scarce.”

Why some people develop a scarcity mindset and others who face identical circumstances don’t is unclear, says Katarena Arger, LMFT, clinical director at Alter Health Group.

“At some point, many of us have ruminated about what could be improved in our life if we had A, B, or C,” Arger says. “However, if the absence of what you have or want becomes the focus of your thoughts every day, this can start to take over your life.”

A scarcity mindset riles up lots of emotions: guilt, anger, envy, annoyance, and even hopelessness. Those feelings can bleed into your relationships and take a general toll on your mental health, says Bierbrauer. There’s also a whole self-fulfilling prophecy to it all: You’re so fixated on feeling like you don’t have enough of what you need that you can’t move forward in life.

You might also end up being pessimistic, impatient, intensely competitive, and controlling, Arger says. You may always feel like you’re behind or over-schedule yourself.

All that said, there’s help: “Learning to manage it can help you live better and have better relationships, more motivation, and more self-worth,” Bierbrauer says.

In his book Scarcity Brain, Michael Easter writes that the reaction to scarcity isn’t new, but “an ancient behavior system that evolved naturally in the human mind to help our ancestors survive.” Scientists noted scarcity mindset and the reaction to scarcity cues as far back as 1795.

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But, a scarcity brain doesn’t make sense in the “modern world of abundance,” Easter writes. It can actually work against you.

There’s nothing wrong with pushing yourself, taking on new projects, or never finishing to-do lists. Scarcity mindset isn’t ambition (that’s healthy!). It’s when you start to obsess over a lack of something—time, money, ability—to the extent that it begins to negatively affect your life or the lives of others.

People often experience scarcity if they grew up in or currently live under below-poverty levels, according to the Cleveland Clinic. But you don’t have to experience poverty to suffer because a scarcity mindset isn’t always about money. It could be triggered by events like losing your job,

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