How to tackle scarcity mindset as a solopreneur

When I relocated to Dar, I imagined a city where my skills as a writer and communicator would carve out a lucrative space for me. But reality was a stinging disappointment. The job listings I found online offered payments so meagre they felt more like casual favours than wages. My very first job in Tanzania only reinforced that belief. Gradually, I began to believe that money in Dar was elusive.

Clients negotiated, undervalued, and haggled as though words carried no weight. Slowly, I adjusted, not just my prices but my expectations. In trying to survive, I made the mistake of settling. I told myself that people would never pay me what I was worth. And so, I made myself smaller, quieter, and more palatable. My scarcity mindset was not born in a moment but adopted in increments until one day, it consumed me, whispering that this, this struggle, this undervaluation, was the best I could do.

For the solopreneur (an entrepreneur or freelancer who starts and runs a business independently, without co-founders or employees), the scarcity mindset often manifests in the form of a constant fear of not having enough clients, not making enough money, or not being able to compete with larger organisations.

One of my earliest mistakes was overworking in an attempt to “do it all”. I believed that taking on every project, no matter how misaligned it was with my core expertise or long-term goals, was necessary for survival. It led to burnout and a severe depletion of my creativity. I was stuck in a cycle of hustle culture and survival mode. It was a miserable, unproductive way to live, and I cringe when I think about it today.

One of the most powerful tools I learnt in combating scarcity thinking was psychological reframing. Reframing involves changing the way you interpret an experience or situation, often transforming a perceived “negative” into a more positive, empowering narrative.

For example, when I faced a dry spell in client work, I reframed it not as a sign of failure but as an opportunity to refine my offerings and build stronger connections. Instead of viewing lack of work as a threat to my survival, I saw it as an opportunity for growth. So instead of worrying about Luku, ‘nauli’ and internet payments, etc., I focused on investing my time in ‘YouTube University’ to hone my skills.

While reframing helped me manage scarcity, the real transformation came when I intentionally nurtured an abundance mindset. An abundance mindset is the belief that there are always enough opportunities, clients, and resources.

In a nutshell, here are four key strategies I implement to cultivate abundance:

1. Focus on long-term value, not short-term gains. Instead of stressing about every shilling, I focused on building relationships with clients.

2. Reevaluate your pricing strategy. I initially underpriced my services, largely because of a fear that clients wouldn’t pay higher rates. It took a while, but I raised my rates, and eventually, I was able to attract higher-quality clients who respected my expertise.

3. Letting go of the need to control everything. As a solopreneur, there’s a temptation to micromanage every aspect of your business. But I learnt that control is an illusion. I collaborated with another freelancer and delegated tasks when the workload became overwhelming. Delegating tasks, outsourcing, and finding trusted collaborators freed up mental space and time, enabling me to focus on strategic growth.

4. Practise gratitude and be kind to yourself. Gratitude is a powerful antidote to scarcity! It's not easy to practise when you feel like you’re in survival mode, but by actively practising gratitude, I was able to shift my focus from what I lacked to what I had. Celebrating small wins, whether it was securing a new client or simply completing a project I was proud of, helped me stay grounded in the belief that there’s always more to come.

However, even now, after years of cultivating an abundance mindset, I still catch myself slipping into scarcity thinking at times. But I’ve learnt that the journey to abundance is ongoing and ever-evolving.

For other solopreneurs reading this, my advice is simple: recognise the signs of a scarcity mindset early. Reframe your thoughts, focus on long-term growth, and know that there is enough success for everyone; it’s just about positioning yourself to see it.

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