I recently read the following paragraph in an article: “The brutal reality of competitive markets means for most companies that chances of long-term survival are slim. The Darwinian process of corporate evolution leaves few firms standing.” (Finance and Management Magazine).
The words chosen in this article are reflective of a mindset that has shaped our thinking and society for the past one and a half century. The phrase ‘survival of the fittest’ conjures up an image of a fiercely competitive struggle for survival and individual success.
To have a competitive edge often means I am winning and others are losing.
Scarcity Mindset
At the root of this belief is an oversimplified view of Darwin’s theory of evolution and the idea that ‘fitter’ organisms tend to produce more offspring and thus driving evolution by means of eliminating others. It’s a mindset of scarcity rather than abundance – all justified by the notion that it’s ‘natural selection’.
This could not be further from reality. Life in essence means cooperation and balance. Our own bodies for example house about the same amount of microbial cells as our own human cells. Evolution takes place when cells and organisms cooperate to form more complex structures. And when cooperation breaks down, the results can be disastrous. Cancer for instance is the result of cells turned rogue.
The foundation of our Western world is built on the concept of scarcity and imbalance of resources/power. It fosters the belief that ‘there will never be enough’ and therefore we have to compete to stay on top, we have to hoard things, we’re suspicious of ‘others’, are afraid of change and being replaced. Basically the size of our pie is finite.
It is the prevalent behaviour we see in politics, business, sports and to some extent even the way we educate our children. Even though statistically the majority of us have more material wealth than our parents, we are not happier. Quite the contrary. Depression, burnout and anxiety rates have risen dramatically overall – and amongst young adults in particular.
This is an unhealthy and eventually unsustainable way of living.
We truly have confused ‘survival of the fittest’ with evolution.
Abundance Mindset
Evolution means expansion, progression, transformation. Evolution is abundant and therefore the size of my pie is ever increasing.
Research shows that strong correlations exist between the wellbeing, happiness, health and even longevity of people who are emotionally and behaviourally compassionate – with the caveat that they are not overwhelmed by helping tasks.
What does that mean, being compassionate – but not too much? It means being in balance, in a healthy homoeostasis of giving and receiving.
As a business owner or as a leader this means that I need to have highly developed self-awareness and self-regulation. What feeds my batteries, what drains them? It is my responsibility to show up motivationally and emotionally ‘well nourished’. It builds the foundation to evolve and to foster abundance thinking.
In this mindset I welcome change, think big and courageous, welcome healthy competition, share and are generous. I strongly believe that the best is yet to come.
Even though I have a Master’s Degree in Motivational Psychology, it was a 3-day workshop in PCM that initiated the ever evolving journey I’m on. It wasn’t the 8 years of training in psychology, it was that particular workshop that gave me the basic tools to change my life in a meaningful and consistent way for my personal and professional life.
How do you as a leader, spouse, friend, parent make sure that you show up in your best mindset?
For more research on happiness and health, please see here:
