Picture a squirrel, its cheeks bulging with nuts, but still trying to cram in just one...more...nut. Does it sound familiar? That's us – humans! We are driven by "more", even when our kitchen shelves are overflowing. "Another Pizza! Extra cheese! Double garlic butter crust!" Or scrolling through phones bursting with information which still is “Not enough! Not exciting!” It is endless! And unsatisfying. So, are we hardwired to crave more? Technically, yes! Our ancestors had to constantly seek for basic survival tools like food, material goods, information, and power. All of these were scarce and hard to find. So they hoarded, they hunted, they chased "more" with all their might.

Fast forward to today, shelves laden with snacks, phones holding more knowledge than a million libraries. Yet, our brains haven't gotten the memo. Even with our ability to fulfil our desires easily, the “scarcity mindset” still works the same as before. We are still hoarding and seeking. Made worse by the "scarcity cues" everywhere. See that ad promising the picture perfect life? Scarcity cue! Your neighbor's fancy new car? Scarcity cue! Mindless scrolling on social media for dopamine hit? Scarcity cue! Endless overeating? Scarcity cue! That constant urge to grab every shiny thing, even when we don't need it – all scarcity cues! 

Michael Easter in his book “Scarcity Brain” unveils this reality for us – we are chasing an illusion of "more" that's always just out of reach. This obsession can make us anxious, drown us in debt, and even hurt the planet! And, of course, missing out on life's delicious moments, just cause we’re stuck staring at glowing screens.

In the following sections, we’ll learn how to break free from this “scarcity trap.” Join us as we dissect the hidden forces behind the scarcity mindset. Get the science, the tools, and the power to tweak your brain and conquer those pesky habits. Ready to reclaim your mind? Dive in!

Ever seen those clunky slot machines from the 70s? The ones that clattered like angry washing machines and offered about as much excitement as watching paint dry? Yeah, those snooze-fests. Fast forward to today, they are a symbol of fun times. AND a full-fledged industry benefiting the American economy by 30 billion dollars every year!How did this evolution happen? The code was cracked by an entrepreneur named Si Redd, sometime around the 1980s. Redd didn't just play around with gears and wires; he played with our very brains by exploiting what Michael Easter calls "scarcity loop." This loop turns us into addictive reward-chasing hamsters on a wheel using three components – opportunity, unpredictable rewards, and quick repeatability. Let’s see how.It dangles a juicy carrot in the form of an “opportunity” – a jackpot that makes your eyes bulge. Maybe chance to get a social media like that validates your existence, or even just a tiny win like getting 50 cents back on a $1 bet. This little win is the “unpredictable reward.” Even though overall it is not much and you’re still losing, it triggers a mini-fireworks show of victory in your brain, leaving you wanting more. It keeps you guessing – “will I get it this time?” “Maybe, maybe not!” “Ugh, Almost there. I’ll definitely get it this time!” And finally, bam! You go for more. It makes you spin, scroll, or click again, in the hopes of catching that magic prize and takes the form of “quick repeatability.” Once you’re lured into this loop, the chances are you’ll not get out anytime soon!But those old slot machines were terrible at playing this loop. For one, the possibility of any rewards was evidently low. Redd saw through it. He transformed the single-line bets of the old machines into multi-line bets per spin. What that meant was that the odds of winning were still statistically slim but it allowed for bigger rewards. And, Redd didn't stop there. He programmed in a golden goose! Straight up ticket-to-paradise kind of rewards. But hard to win; reserved for a lucky few. These weren't just a few extra bucks; they were fortunes. For most players, winning meant getting 50 cents back on a dollar. So this golden goose wasn’t a logical “win” but an emotional “win,” enough to trick the players to play more. The addition of digital screens, lights pulsing like fireflies, music...

Imagine a lever that sometimes drops a juicy crumb, but mostly just sighs with disappointment. Back in the 1940s, a scientist named B.F. Skinner watched rats tap, tap, tap that lever, obsessed with the thrill of the unknown reward of food. This wasn't just a rat thing, though. It was later confirmed by Thomas Zentall that almost all animals (that includes us humans, too, btw!) get hooked on compulsively wanting the unpredictable reward, be it a slot machine payout, or food! Doesn’t matter if we have another source of getting that ‘reward’ that’s more stable; we will still opt for the thrill of unpredictability instead.Now, why are we like that? Because “scarcity loop” runs in our genes. Owing to lack of resources, our ancestors constantly had to hunt for food and shelter, even though finding it was never guaranteed. It was important for their survival. But is it important today as well? Nope, it’s just become a built-in feature. We live in advanced times where survival is much easier. Yet, we pull the lever constantly hoping for an uncertain reward. Why? It's all thanks to dopamine, the brain chemical that fuels our desire for rewards.Back in the days of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, finding food was no easy feat. Every rustle in the leaves could be dinner… or danger. This constant uncertainty kept our brains on high alert, waiting for that dopamine rush that came with a successful hunt. The bigger the surprise, the bigger the burst of dopamine. Our brains became conditioned - every time there was uncertainty, the brain released dopamine, expecting a reward.  This became a powerful motivator to keep searching, keep hoping, even when the odds were stacked against them. Plus, the element of surprise spikes up the dopamine like crazy!So, whether it's a slot machine teasing you with a jackpot just out of reach or a caveman coming close to catching a plump rabbit but watching it hop away, our brains get a thrill from near misses. The scarcity loop thrives on "almost" moments: the slot machine flashing jackpot symbols a heartbeat too soon, the half-empty bag of chips you unearth from the pantry depths. These near misses keep that dopamine drip going, even if the reality is stale chips and near-miss jackpots. And that’s the explanation for our more, more, and more cravings! Now, the question is how much more? Is this craving just limitless?...

Imagine life as a game of Tetris, where your goal is to build a stable, satisfying life. But instead of strategically fitting blocks, you're just shoving them in, piece after piece, until your tower crumbles under its own weight. That's the trap we fall into when we equate "more" with "better." And so, we chase this more blindly, forgetting the power of letting go. Aka subtraction!This lesson came home to the American scientist and author Leidy Klotz, not from his textbooks, but from his three-year-old son. Building a Lego bridge, the little kid didn't add more bricks like Dad expected. He took one away, and bam! The bridge stood strong, a proof to the magic of “subtraction.”Intrigued, Klotz conducted experiments. All his subjects overlooked the potential of "less." They added in more obstacles, added unnecessary words to texts. In one specific study for stabilizing a Lego structure, participants focused on “adding” to complete the task when just removing one piece would have done the trick. Even with directions like “take things away” and financial "penalties" for each addition, the "more is better" mentality won every single time.What does this tell you? We prefer accumulation. Subtraction gets skipped like a bad song on Spotify. We equate it with failure, while "more" screams success, even if it's just more clutter and chaos. Think about it: Since 1950, U.S. regulations have experienced a significant increase, expanding by a factor of 17. Similarly, the average American home has grown in size by 300% since 1970. Furthermore, employee engagement in meetings has risen by 130% compared to the 1960s. But more does not translate to better.And just like with scarcity loop, companies abuse this craving for "more." Endless notifications keep us hooked, apps become black holes, and new gadgets pop up faster than popcorn kernels. They fuel the never-ending quest for "more!"But there's a secret path out of this maze. Consciously adopt subtraction. Look around: GenZ is all about minimalism! Like in graphic design. By subtracting extra elements like shapes, or colors, the designer creates a cleaner, more minimalist composition that draws the viewer's eye to what's important. Or our vehicles. So sleek! Engineers look for ways to reduce the weight of a vehicle by subtracting unnecessary components or using lighter materials. And does anything scream minimalist subtraction like the latest fashion? No excessive patterns, or unnecessary embellishments. Pure art. They all embrace the power...

Imagine your pantry transformed into a time machine, overflowing with meals from every era of human history. Back in caveman days, dinner wasn't a casual supermarket stroll, but a full-time quest. Roots, grains, greens, some proteins and such was the daily diet. Healthy, but kinda boring and bland when you compare it to our indulgent, hyper-palatable options. Think cheeseburgers and shawarmas! Nowadays, our pantry explodes with candy bars, chips, and endless culinary options. But our brains still think every bite could be the last one for weeks! That's why we crave variety, keep wanting more, and sometimes overdo it. It's all because of this "scarcity brain," a leftover from famine days, now driving us to overeat in feast times.We get the rarely-yummy foods part, but what is so awesome about more calories?  Well, more calories once meant more energy. But today, when our brains still urge us to gobble them up, it just makes moderation difficult. We eat more than we need!But it's not just our brains. Food companies are like sugar magicians, making snacks extra yummy and calorie-dense. They fry things, add sweet coatings, and keep the party going in your mouth, making it even harder to stop.Another thing: our ancestors faced limited food options, unlike our endless buffets. Now, our brains see each new flavor or texture as a source of nutrients, pushing us to keep sampling, from savory appetizers to sweet desserts. Food is also a powerful reward, and readily available snacks and fast food trigger our brain's pleasure pathways. This "scarcity loop" reinforces overeating as we chase that next reward bite.Processed food is another culprit. Packed foods and snacks pack a calorie punch far exceeding their natural counterparts. Techniques like deep frying and heavy seasoning and smothering foods with cheese further entice us to overconsume.However, finding balance in this feast doesn't mean ditching modern food entirely. We’re not against tasty, you know! Achieving moderation and balance is key. Some tips:Tip #1 - Fill your plate with friends: Whole grains, beans, veggies and lentils are non-processed items that offer fiber and nutrients without overloading your brain's "more, more, more" alarm. You’ll feel full as well. The effect will be compounded by a sizeable dose of non-starch veggies that’ll take some time to chew - so you get the feel of eating ‘more’Tip#2 - Quality over Quantity: Choose lean protein (avoid red meats), a rainbow of veggies, and...

We live in a time of plenty, but often feel like we have nothing. This "scarcity mindset" makes us crave more and more, never feeling satisfied. It's time to switch! Focus on quality, depth, and lasting moments, not just constant grabbing. Less can be more. Ditch the clutter and distractions to find what truly matters. Do we let marketing and instincts control us, or choose what fills our precious time? Choose fulfilment. Break free from "never enough" and embrace "enough is enough."