Decisions & Destiny

 Resources vs. Resourcefulness

The biggest illusion we have in life of why we can’t achieve something is that we start to believe that we’re lacking adequate resources. I don’t have enough money. I don’t have enough time. I don’t know the right people. I don’t have the right training. While any of these may in fact be true, there has certainly been something in your life where one or more of the above factors didn’t stop you. You found a way. You may not have had the money, but you were creative enough to get it. You may not have had the education, but you found another way to learn a skill.

If the obstacle seems absolutely impenetrable but you’re focused enough, will you find a way anyway? Of course you will, if you have enough determination, enough flexibility and enough creativity. The truth is resources are never the real problem. The real problem is a lack of resourcefulness, and the ultimate resource is human emotion. Human emotion is how we get the resources we need. We tend to forget this because we live and operate in a cognitively driven world, that is, we lean on our ability to figure things out. And if we reach a point where it seems like we can’t figure out a solution, that’s when the illusion of failure keeps us from reaching our goals. But in reality, if we feel strongly enough about something, no amount of time or perceived lack of resources would keep us from achieving what we want.

The mind needs fuel. It operates very differently when you’re passionate about something than when you’re frustrated, angry, bored or dejected. Your mind will wire itself differently when you’re feeling excited, eager, enthusiastic, inspired or engaged in what you want to achieve, like there’s a real purpose behind your goals. That passion expands into your thoughts, actions and the way you interact with people.

Change the fuel that drives the mind, and you change the experience of anything you’re trying to accomplish. We’re either unresourceful or resourceful based on the habit of emotions that we use most often. Once you realize that you are in control of the fuel that directs your thoughts and actions, the next step is to recognize the power of the decisions you make from moment to moment and throughout your life.