In the first two installments of this series, we explored Scarcity Toxic Myth #1 and #2:  “There’s not enough,”  and “more is better.” (if you missed these you can find them on the On Purpose Blog http://www.wbradfordswift.com/lop/scarcity-the-great-lie/ and http://www.wbradfordswift.com/lop/part-2-scarcity-the-great-lie/ )

Today we continue with Scarcity Toxic Myth #3: “That’s just the way it is.”  According to Lynne Twist in The Soul of Money:

“This is probably the one with the most grip. This is when & where the blindness, the numbness, the trance, and underneath it all, the resignation of society sets in.”

When I pondered upon this myth I found myself asking the questions: “Where have I become resigned about my life and especially my relationship with money?”

I realized that the automatic and pervasive relationship I have with money much of the time stems from my Inherited Purpose. This makes sense, since just as these scarcity myths aren’t true, neither is the Inherited Purpose. They both arise from the fear and lack-based thinking that we’ve thought and embraced for so long that we’ve come to believe it to be the truth about ourselves and life.

So, I have an Inherited Purpose relationship with money that is also driven by these scarcity myths of there’s not enough, so more must be better, and that’s just the way it is, and when my Inherited Purpose has taken over, shaping my experience of life, that’s really the way it feels.

In other words, it becomes my reality or my perception of reality, and so it begins to affect my actions and behavior. For me, that equates to feeling like I need to work harder as well as smarter, even though I know it’ll not really be enough, because it’s never enough.  Not a lot of freedom living in this perception.

Not only do these toxic myths drive us as individuals, they also drive our culture and economy, especially here in the United States where we’ve stopped being citizens and instead have become consumers.  Rampant consumerism has become the water we swim in, so much so that shortly after the tragedy of 911 we were admonished by our administration to strike back against terrorism by going shopping.  Shopping became the patriotic thing to do.  Writes Twist:

“This had become the new conversation, one in which American values shifted from qualities of citizenry and personal character to consumer spending and economic; from human values to consumer values. The timing of this promotion of consumerism as patriotism was particularly unseemly in the way it abruptly interrupted a nation in mourning.”

And the stereotype of the “Ugly American” as shallow, materialistic over-consumers was perpetuated. That’s just the way it is and that’s just the way we are….when we’re driven and shaped by the conversation of scarcity.

But there is another way…another viewpoint…another perspective.  This new perspective begins to immerge when we’re ready to let go of these three toxic myths of scarcity, and begin to embrace a new possibility. Next time, we’ll explore a world of sufficiency and discover how consistent it is with living a life on purpose as we examine the three radical and surprising truths that are foundational to such a world.

PS If you don’t want to wait and want to continue exploring this timely topic, join me as I continue reading and studying The Soul of Money on the Life On Purpose Facebook page ( http://www.facebook.com/lifeonpurposeinstitute ).

I’d also would much appreciate hearing your comments here as well. What do you see for yourself as you examine these toxic myths?  Come on — you know you have something to say.