Overcoming the Myth of Scarcity

It was 2 a.m., and my client was staring at his laptop...

The blue light cutting through the darkness of the night. His to-do list seemed endless, the weight of unmet goals and tasks pressing on his chest.

He told himself, “If only there were more hours in the day. If only I had more resources, more support, more time.”

That moment—overwhelmed and running on fumes—marked the height of his belief in the Myth of Scarcity.

As entrepreneurs, we’re often told that the world operates on this principle of scarcity. Whether it’s time, money, talent, or opportunity, the prevailing message is clear: there’s never enough to go around.

We’re taught that to succeed, we need to hustle harder, fight for our share, and protect what little we’ve managed to secure.

But what if I told you that scarcity is a myth?

What if the real barrier to your success isn’t the lack of resources, but how you perceive and approach them?

As Tony Robbins says, “It’s not a matter of resources. It’s a matter of resourcefulness.”

Scarcity Is a Mindset, Not a Reality

The Myth of Scarcity is pervasive, but it’s an illusion. Scarcity is not an objective truth; it’s a mindset—a perspective rooted in fear and resistance.

The language of scarcity is everywhere:

• “There’s never enough time in the day.”
• “We don’t have the budget for that.”
• “The market is too competitive.”
• “I can’t find the right people.”

These stories create a cycle of stress, burnout, and reactive decision-making. They lock us into small thinking, where every challenge feels like a zero-sum game.

But here’s the truth: resources like time, money, and talent are often more abundant than we think. The problem lies in how we approach them.

Time Scarcity: A Self-Created Illusion

Most entrepreneurs I know feel behind, burdened by endless to-do lists. They tell themselves they don’t have enough time. But the scarcity of time is a product of the mind—the result of imagining a future where we “need” to do more than is reasonably possible.

Here’s the reality:

• You will never do more than you can in a given period.
• The only thing that makes sense is to prioritize well and move deliberately.

Instead of believing there isn’t enough time, bring your focus to the present. Scarcity is an invention of the mind—a projection of an imagined future. If you bring your attention fully to the present moment, you can find no scarcity of time.

And it’s never not the present moment. In each moment, you are simply doing what you’re doing.

The idea that you’re not doing enough or don’t have enough time is a story your mind makes up. Letting go of the story of “not enough” calms your system and helps you think clearly, enabling better prioritization and decision-making.

Money Scarcity: Unlocking Resourcefulness

Before you started your company, it had zero money. Your resourcefulness brought in the capital—whether through fundraising or sales. What makes you think you can’t do it again?

The truth is, capital is out there. Investors are always looking for the next big opportunity. New revenue streams are waiting to be unlocked.

The real issue isn’t a lack of money; it’s often a lack of creativity, conviction, or willingness to ask for what you need.

When you shift from scarcity to abundance, you stop seeing obstacles as insurmountable. Instead, you recognize the opportunities that exist all around you, even in challenging circumstances.

The Real Issue: Creative Energy, Not Time

We all have the same 24 hours in a day. The difference between those who feel overwhelmed and those who feel on top of things isn’t the amount of time they have, but how they channel their energy.

Many entrepreneurs scatter their attention, reacting to emails, putting out fires, and managing distractions. This divided focus perpetuates the feeling of scarcity.

By contrast, focusing your creative energy on high-leverage activities—and letting go of the rest—generates far more impact.

Sometimes, this means making the short-term sacrifice of letting a few balls drop to prevent them from being dropped repeatedly in the future. It means prioritizing systems, delegation, and strategic work over busywork.

Moreover, the perception of scarcity actually blocks your creative flow. It puts your system into a state of threat, which drains your energy.

This is why entrepreneurs who learn to let go of the scarcity tend to feel like they have so much more time and get so much more done. They have more creative energy available to apply to their goals.

Trying To Do It All Yourself

Almost every entrepreneur I know feels like they have too much to do. In addition to the scarcity mindset, this is often caused by trying to do everything themselves.

Many entrepreneurs learned, typically at an early age, to be self-reliant and not rely on others. This adaptive strategy in childhood becomes maladaptive when you’re trying to scale a business.

Even without this pattern, it can be scary to delegate and let go when you know for sure that you could do it yourself the way you want it done. Feeling the fear that comes with delegating and letting go is often the key to unlocking growth.

When my clients face this, I invite them to welcome rather than resist the fear. If they’re not willing to be with the fear, they back away from delegating as soon as it feels scary. When they learn to be with their fear, they free themselves up to delegate more and more.

Breaking Free from Scarcity

To move from scarcity to abundance, you must challenge your mindset.

Here’s how:

1. Shift Your Perspective: Recognize that scarcity is a perspective, not a fact. Reframe thoughts like “I don’t have enough time” into “I have the time I need to focus on what matters most right now.”
2. Clarify Priorities: Time scarcity often comes from overwhelm. Identify the 2-3 tasks that will create the most impact and focus your energy there.
3. Delegate Effectively: Stop trying to do it all yourself. Delegation is an investment in long-term growth and frees you to focus on what only you can do.
4. Invest in Growth: Whether it’s building systems, hiring, or personal development, investing in yourself and your team creates exponential returns.
5. Embrace Presence: When you fully immerse yourself in the present moment, there is no scarcity. Presence allows you to act with clarity and intention, free from the fear of what might go wrong.

Abundance Over Scarcity

The Myth of Scarcity keeps us trapped in cycles of fear and limitation. But when you shift your mindset to abundance, you unlock possibilities for growth, creativity, and ease.

Time, money, and talent are not inherently scarce; they are waiting to be accessed through resourcefulness, clarity, and inspired action.

Let go of the belief that you need to fight for what’s left and start seeing the opportunities all around you.

Here’s to building a business—and a life—rooted in abundance.

With love,

- Dave Kashen