For most of us to improve, grow, and contribute more we need to shift from a scarcity/poverty mentality to an abundance mentality. That’s easier to agree to than it is to implement.
While the trope is about people who “were born on third base and think they’ve hit a triple,” there are also many people who have hit a potential triple but stop at first base because they’re afraid of being critiqued for the aggressive base running, even though the outfielders still havn’t caught up to the ball.
I’ve coached people who are constantly looking for bargains or cost reductions in embarrassing manners. They choose cheap hotels for their workshops, or refuse to fly business class, or remove the taxes from the dinner bill before calculating a 15 percent tip (they don’t leave more than that). They wait for the last possible minute before paying for something on a deadline.
Powerful people enjoy dealing with powerful people, and they expect people to look and behave in a mature and sophisticated manner. Yet I often hear, “I’d love to have you work with us, but we haven’t budgeted for external help.” (Budgets and money, which can be moved among budgets, are two different things. You may not have “budgeted” for me, but you certainly can move money from existing budgets to hire me.) You need to overcome their poverty mentality. They focus on cost and not benefit.
An abundance mentality is how you view life through your belief system. Your beliefs create attitudes which are manifest in your behaviors. If you think buyers are a step above you, your attitude will be not to confront them and your behavior will be docile and timid. If you believe, however, you’re dealing with a peer, your attitude will be one of engaging an “equal” and your behaviors will be expressed in a conversation (not a presentation).
When people tell me that they are “doing great” but don’t act philanthropically or generously, I know they’re either not doing great of they’ve never shaken off the poverty mentality.
If you’re rounding first base and they’re still chasing the ball in the outfield, run like hell to make it all the way home. Sometimes you have to ignore the third-base coach and keep going. That’s the difference between your having more of an abundance mentality than those who don’t—because they think they’re helping you by projecting their caution onto you.
Keep running.
The Fishbowl: In January I’ll be starting a year-long, monthly, “live” coaching session whereby one member of the group will be coached by me for 45 minutes on a current issue of theirs, we’ll deconstruct what happened, and then have 45 minutes of Q&A. This is a variation of the very popular “fishbowl” technique I ran a few years ago.
You may volunteer to be the person coached or simply watch. You needn’t attend every session and I will provide video to everyone afterwards along with written commentary. This should build your coaching prowess considerably.
This will be $500 for the year and I’m offering it to you, here, first, because I’ll obviously have limited participation. My offer to you is $400. (An hour of my “situational coaching” on my site is $2,500, so this is a hell of a deal if you choose to be coached or even just observe.)
You can register here: https://alanweiss.com/store/quick-pay/
I’ll cut off registration in December, but if you wait and we’re filled, I can only put you on a waiting list. If for any reason I don’t run it, you’ll receive a full refund prior to the end of this year.
The Proof Behind Social Proof: TOMORROW— YOU CAN STILL REGISTER
Has anyone ever asked you, “Give me an example of your point?” and you suddenly forgot how to speak? Or have you said, “Let me give you an example…,” and then have immediately gone into brain freeze without any ice cream? “Social Proof” comprises pragmatic examples that others can readily relate to which reinforce your point instantly.
When you “open the hood” on social proof, beneath is actually a psychological dynamic which creates normative pressure assuring that the actions of others are appropriate and should be imitated. A desire to “fit in” is created.
Join me for 90 minutes and fill your conversations, narrative, and collateral with social proof that will build your brand and fill your bank account. People ask what research I invest in for my success. I don’t. Then they ask what my investigative habits are. I don’t have any. “So what DO you do?” they ask.
I look around.
Learn how to look around to dominate conversations and close business: October 14, 2025. 10:30 to noon, US eastern time. Video and Zoom notes included. Fee: $350 until and including Sept. 30, $500 thereafter. https://alanweiss.com/growth-experiences/the-proof-behind-social-proof/
BOOK SPRINT begins Nov. 3, 60-minute weekly call to create a completed, professional book proposal in the following 60 days. I have an 80%+ record placing these books with publishers for the last five years. I will introduce the proposal to agents and publishers (and so can you) and provide an additional 30 days of support for the book. The fee is only $4,500. Stop procrastinating and produce your first (or next) book, which is how I’ve attracted well over 90% of my business over the years. Register here and I’ll send the simple prep work: https://alanweiss.com/store/quick-pay/
AI: Alan Intelligence
My unique AI resource which will direct you to the relevant aspects of my entire body of work to answer your “real time” questions about proposals, value based fees, conceptual agreement, avoiding “ghosting,” and thousands of other issues with text, audio, and video resources, all of which you can download. Please go here to gain lifelong, constantly growing access to my work, including referral to specific pages in my books which you can access online: https://alanweiss.com/ai-alan-intelligence/ If you decide at any time to engage in one of my two elite, personal coaching relationships, I'll deduct the full fee you've paid for this resource.
Zoom Workshops 2025: Join me on September 9 for our next installment. If you can’t attend “live” you’ll still receive the video and the AI Companion transcript. https://alanweiss.com/growth-experiences/zoom-workshops-2025/ October 7: Self-Awareness and Self-Honesty. This is the psychological issue of our times.
Million Dollar Consulting® for the World: I’ve provided 14 modules with videos from me, from your colleagues globally, slides, and text. They include everything from launch to self-esteem, proposals to fees, closing business to creating a brand. No upsells! It’s only $115. What do you think about a 10,000:1 ROI? We have over 500 people from 47 countries. https://milliondollarconsultingcourse.com
Million Dollar Consulting® for the World ADVANCED: The new program contains over 60 videos and has 15 modules focusing on what to do in the buyer’s office, overcoming crises, financial planning, and much, much more. https://alanweiss.com/growth-experiences/advanced-global-learning-program/
Million Dollar Consulting® for the World GRADUATE: Another 12 modules with videos by me and your peers on contemporary issues such as Raising Fees Aggressively, How to Be Consistently Interviewed, Maximizing Happiness, and Managing Multiple projects. Join the people from 57 countries who are availing themselves of this inexpensive way to dramatically grow their businesses in any economic times. How does 100:1 ROI sound? https://milliondollarconsultingcourse.com/graduate-learning-program/