Scarcity Brain: Fix Your Craving Mindset and Rewire Your Habits to Thrive with Enough

by Michael Easter

Every fall, the cold sets in and changes squirrels. It leads to a release of hormones that trigger their little squirrel scarcity brains to go into hoarder mode. The squirrels begin collecting and storing as much food as possible for winter. But these seasons can go one of two ways. Fall hoarding is a relaxed endeavor if it’s been a good summer for nuts and seeds. It’s like going to the Mall of America with friends and a fat wad of cash. The squirrels gather, saying hi to their squirrel neighbors as they do. They place all their nuts and seeds in a burrow and let it be as they casually add more to it. But the situation changes if it’s been a bad summer for nuts and seeds. Scarcity makes the scene apocalyptic. The squirrels become defensive and paranoid. They think their neighbor squirrels are trying to steal their stuff. They’ll fight with other squirrels over scarce nuts and seeds. And then, once they’ve amassed a large enough hoard, they’ll prepare for more conflict. They’ll stand like a bouncer at the entrance to their burrow, ready to defend the hoard.