thinking in abundance: the best of both worlds
When I was around thirty, a few years after starting off my professional life, my American Boss at the time: Steve Harrison† shared a lesson that has guided me ever since.
He was coaching me:
“Paul, first give. Then get.”
At first, I thought he meant it in a moral sense.
Be generous. Be kind.
But years later, I understood it differently.
Steve was describing a philosophy, a way to navigate life and business that’s both deeply human and strategically sound.
The limitation of zero-sum thinking
In business, it’s easy to fall into zero-sum thinking:
the subtle belief that if someone else wins, the other one must lose.
That success is a limited resource.
I’ve seen it in leadership teams, in partnerships, and even in friendships. Also for business leaders trying to create growth this can be extremely limiting thinking. The entrepreurial spirit is cut off.
When people operate from scarcity, they start protecting instead of creating.
They hold on tightly to what they have, and in doing so, they close off their thinking.
Over time, that mindset doesn’t just limit our opportunities—
it shrinks the world.
Abundance as a way of being
Thinking in abundance is not about being naïve.
It’s about being intentional.
It’s a strategy.
It’s the conscious choice to see every interaction as an opportunity to create, to connect, and to grow.
To give before you get.
And to trust that what you give will find its way back — sometimes directly, sometimes through unexpected doors.
I’ve witnessed this countless times in our work.
Leaders who think abundantly build stronger relationships, attract better opportunities, and inspire more trust. They become magnetic.
Net-net, they achieve better results. Every time again!
Not a bookkeeper’s game
In my business life, I’ve learned: don’t approach this philosophy like a bookkeeper. Where you keep track precicsely of every interaction and you count and evaluate it in isolation. Yes, if you do that, over the years there have been many situations where we gave more than we perhaps received.
And that’s perfectly fine.
Because when we zoom out en we take the high level view: the overall result is so much better.
When you genuinely think about how you can assist the people around you—
how you can give them something that’s truly valuable for them —you start creating new waves.
Waves of trust.
Waves of collaboration.
Waves of opportunity that often come back multiplied.
Better for your soul, better for your business
For me, thinking in abundance isn’t just good strategy — it’s also closer to who I truly am and want to be.
It’s a way of interacting with the world that feels right.
That aligns closer to my heart.
And here’s the real beauty: it also delivers better results!
So it’s the best of both worlds.
It’s better for the soul.
And it’s better for business too.
What more can you hope for?
A reflection for business leaders
If you’ve been in your role for many years, the challenge is not always about more effort or working harder — it’s about keeping your mind fully open!
Keeping your mind and your heart wide enough to keep learning, connecting, and creating.
So here’s a simple reflection for the week ahead:
“Where can I give first, without expecting something in return?”
Try it.
See what happens.
Because abundance isn’t just a mindset.
It’s a way of living—and leading—that multiplies everything it touches.
Hope this inspires.
Paul Donkers
Paul P.J. Donkers is a global business coach and consultant. He and his partners work with leadership teams to unlock growth and value.
Find out more at www.tencompany.org or www.ikigaicoachinginstitute.com.
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