aron ralston

There are certain people that seemingly can not be stopped. We see documentaries about their triumph and how they have endured against insurmountable odds. People like Aron Ralston who survived being stuck in a climbing accident by amputating his own forearm to free himself from the death grip of a boulder. Others like Farrah Gray, who was raised in  inner city Chicago by a single mother and became  millionaire at 14 years old. These people imbue a relentless resourcefulness and it is the determining factor in their success.

We have to recognize that there are two types of resourcefulness displayed. One is external resourcefulness that allowed Farrah Gray to manage his relationships, and be an expert salesman. It has to do with being empathetic, well liked, sociable, and convincing. Commonly this is what comes to mind, the people who can make something out of nothing. On the other hand we have internal resourcefulness. This is what comes from someone who digs within themselves to get what they need. Whether it be determination, heart, or resilience these are people that can make something special out of themselves.

One thing that runs common between both types is commitment. There seems to be something inherent in removing the possibility any other outcome from your mind except the one you want that actually opens up the possibility of every option to realize your goal. There in lies the spark of resourceful thinking.

There will always be collateral costs and side effects to every action we take. Whether we decide to accept those collateral costs in pursuit of our goals is up us. If you take the story of Farrah Gary, some where in his heart he was determined to change his surrounding. So it meant that when other kids where playing at the park, he was working on his business. Internally, Aron made the decision that he would not die on that mountain, but he had to cut his own arm off to realize that goal. Each of us has our limits, and questioning the merit of those limits can help us to reveal more potential in ourselves or in the situation.

So many of us would have said ” I’m stuck, and there is no way to get out.” Aron said, “The only way to get out is to move the boulder or remove my forearm.”, and once moving the boulder proved to be impossible he moved to plan B. It is as simple as that from the standpoint of principle. When you consider external resourcefulness it can be far more complex.

Farrah Gray had one goal in mind but there were several ways to approach it, so the conditions he set upon himself provided the context for his actions. One of the conditions that seemed to be impressed on him was a willingness to abide by the law. It is a condition that many people choose to forego. Without a conditional context you remove the ability to see relevant resources. In an environment where everything is a potential resource it becomes difficult to determine which option should be cultivated.  We use this conditions to narrow our field of view and filter for the most suitable path, material, or even frame of mind.

Aron could have just as easily diverted his attention to coming to terms with the fact that he would die there. He could have said a prayer, or made peace with the situation instead of deciding to change it. We speak about this commitment as a driver but is also an anchor. For many businesses it is the mission and vision statement, from which the company must never stray. For doctors it may be the Hippocratic Oath, and for a married couple it could be their wedding vows.

Whatever it is, resourceful thinking stems from the decision to manifest a desired result, a commitment to that end, and the adaptations needed to make it so.