Resourcefulness (Blog)

[Savage]

Use this thread to discuss the following entry from Steve Pavlina's blog:

Resourcefulness

[Fullcrum]

This is an awesome post after a few weeks of not-much stuff. It's a really good article! It's set me on the right track and re-alignment me towards the important stuff (i.e. I was getting caught up in unimportant things).

[Chandra]

Excellent article!

[grogan]

I agree - wonderful article Steve.

A question: Is building a skill like learning to play the saxophone an internal or external resource, or both??

[Wanderer]

Don't post much anymore, but just thought I'd say I really enjoyed the article too, the quotes were a nice touch as well.

[Raymond Fernando]

Thank you for this post Steve. I enjoyed the different perspective on life. I haven't thought about putting certain Earthly social and personal aspects into categories like you did. This has a helped me re-think a lot of social conditioning handed down from many generations.

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

Hey thanks Steve, again a very good post.

Originally Posted by grogan

A question: Is building a skill like learning to play the saxophone an internal or external resource, or both??

I think learning to do something is linked to 2 internal resources :

-reception skills (memorizing, understanding, analysing etc.)
-emission skills (creating, being self disciplined, etc. Actually playing the instrument in your case.)

Both of these skills would be internal resources I think, but the most important one in my opinion is the emission skill, especially for a goal that requires you to create something.

[Dave Kaminski]

Yes! Another good article! Good things come to those who wait, eh? Although, the post sort of says otherwise :P

I've been spending a good deal of time making money on craigslist when that time should be devoted to web design and development skill enhancement.

Thanks for another "Ahhh" moment Steve.

[Paul C]

Thank you Steve for yet another reminder at exactly the right time.

I can see the procrastination from taking action within myself when reading about it in this article. Letting lack of funds be my main excuse for not pursuing creative endeavours that I felt needed a specific situation to be present so I could make a real move.

[Erin ModernAndMillions]

Yes - this is a great article.

I think it can be summed up simply by saying that the priority order is BE, HAVE, DO .... instead of DO, HAVE, BE.

With gratitude,
Erin.

[Fullcrum]

Nice Erin - that's a nice quote.

I'd change it to BE, DO, HAVE - being is first, then you take "right action", then you get stuff without being all needy and getting attached.

[cardano]

Excellent article!

On a parallel note, Tony Robbins discusses Resourcefulness in his TED talk (IMO complements well with this article): YouTube - Tony Robbins motivates you in 20 minutes: TEDTalks

[Velvet]

"When I think of resourcefulness, I picture someone like Les Stroud, the guy who lived in the Canadian wilderness with his wife for a year..."

Does his wife have a name? Wasn't she resourceful, too, for living in the wilderness for a year?

Nice article, but if I were Mrs Stroud, I think I'd want some credit, too.

[Paul C]

Originally Posted by cardano

On a parallel note, Tony Robbins discusses Resourcefulness in his TED talk (IMO complements well with this article): YouTube - Tony Robbins motivates you in 20 minutes: TEDTalks

Thanks for the link cardano! I really get something out of these TED talks usually and this video was one of them. It related very well to Steve's Article.

Have a fulfilling day everyone.

[supertom]

great article, should have put some more Inner Resources.

[MariaG]

@Steve - I agree with your premise that internal resources inherently have more value than external resources because they are self-sustaining. One issue I struggle with however, is how people can develop their internal resources if they don't have access to adequate external resources.

If you accept Maslow's hierarchy of needs, doesn't it follow that it would be pretty hard to be "flat broke" and still have the psychic and physical energy to pursue inner growth? It seems to me that when people choose to pursue material possessions (external resources) they are often trying to get enough "room to breathe" to be able to pursue those internal resources.

Maybe the root of this problem is that people overestimate just how much external comfort they need to be able to pursue internal resources?

[Savage]

I think it's easier to develop your internal resources when external ones are lacking.

You don't have to be very creative when you can solve problems by throwing money at them. Look at how some big budget movies turn out compared to low-budget indie films. The indies can still win by being more creative.

Some of the best ideas arise from dealing with external scarcity. For example, as the world depletes its oil supplies, the motivation for creative solutions only grows stronger.

I developed my most creative computer game when I was flat broke and deep in debt. Erin and I were kicked out of our apartment early in the project because we couldn't afford the rent. I found creative business solutions to get everything done without spending money.

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. When you have to be creative and disciplined to feed yourself, that's pretty strong motivation.

I would much rather experience a scarcity of external resources than a scarcity of internal ones.

[John Prophet]

I think it's easier to develop your internal resources when external ones are lacking.

Or, as my old coworkers used to say, “desperation is the mother of invention”; lol.