Resourcefulness Drives Innovation

Resourcefulness is one of the most powerful words we have ever heard. We may forget that sometimes, so I dedicated this post to it.

Let's start with three pairs of noun-verbs that deserve each other:

• Goal - Achieve

• Challenge - Overcome

• Creativity - Innovate

By combining these words, we can derive the following definition for resourcefulness:

The ability to use creativity to innovate and overcome challenges to achieve goals.

Now, here is a question to think about: How often do we need to overcome challenges to achieve goals?

If we say "not often", it's because we are not setting big enough goals, which means that we have settled in our comfort zone and are missing opportunities to grow.

If our answer is "quite often" or "very often", then here is another question: How often do we use creativity to innovate and overcome challenges?

If we say "not often", then we have probably been consuming more resources than we need and, again, leaving opportunities on the table.

Someone might say: "If I have plenty of resources, why should I bother?"

This is a fair question. But think this way: if we have plenty of resources, then we should raise the bar for our goals. Then we will find opportunities to be resourceful again, on another level this time.

After all, what is so powerful about the word resourcefulness?

Very simple: resourcefulness is itself a true source of innovation.

Didn't get it? Then check out the book Sky Color, by Peter H. Reynolds.

This is a children’s book that you may consider buying for your kids too, or for a kid you know. In the meantime, you can watch this video:

Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds : Read-Along (2:45 min)

Putting it simply, resourcefulness is all about doing more with less, which is itself a goal and a challenge. And creativity is the mean by which we do more with less, driving innovation as a result.