RESOURCEFULNESS ILLUSTRATED
Addressing a key issue that will help you maximize your life. The outfit I am wearing aptly illustrates this gift—or should I say ability—that you need to cultivate. It is called resourcefulness.
Resourcefulness is the ability to quickly and cleverly provide solutions to problems. During the Gold Rush in the Sacramento Valley, people used denim as material for work clothes—trousers, which Americans called pants. One major issue was that the junctions of the trousers, where the pockets were, would quickly loosen. Someone cleverly used rivets to reinforce these angles. He couldn’t afford to patent his idea, but he was a hardware store owner selling supplies to miners. He met Levi Strauss, who patented the idea, and this led to the widespread popularity of jeans. A simple solution—adding rivets at the pocket angles of denim trousers—resulted in the production of jeans.
Similarly, Coca-Cola was initially produced by John S. Pemberton, who then sold the formula to Asa Candler. Instead of selling it in glasses like Pemberton did, Candler bottled the drink, which significantly increased sales. The ability to provide clever solutions to complex issues is a hallmark of resourcefulness.
In the hotel industry, there was a challenge with increasing the height of a building due to elevator constraints. A creative waiter suggested placing the elevator outside the building, allowing it to glide up and down externally. This innovation led to the development of exterior glass elevators, demonstrating resourceful thinking.
In surgery, there is a notable example involving the Shunt Valve, designed by a neurosurgeon and a blacksmith named Speed and Holter. The blacksmith’s son suffered from hydrocephalus, a condition causing excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. The surgeon discussed the issue with the blacksmith, who designed a valve to prevent the fluid from flowing back into the brain, demonstrating resourceful problem-solving.
If you are married to a resourceful person, especially a resourceful wife, you will benefit greatly. A resourceful partner can produce excellent results at minimal cost. This has certainly been true in my marriage. My wife is skilled at achieving great results while keeping costs low, which has been incredibly valuable.
At the construction site of the Petra Institute, as we approached the roofing level, I needed to fill the pillars with concrete. I was looking for a cost-effective solution due to rising building material prices. Someone suggested using rice gravel—gravel derived from sand and stones—which turned out to be cheaper, smoother, and stronger than buying a trailer load of traditional gravel.
I also saved money by buying 60 planks for scaffolding, rather than the 80 planks suggested by another carpenter. This allowed us to reuse the planks once the walls and pillars dried. When the concrete pouring team proposed a higher cost, I negotiated a better price, further demonstrating how resourcefulness can achieve excellent results at lower costs.
Resourcefulness extends to many areas. For instance, I started my book publishing with minimal resources. I initially printed lecture notes in pamphlets and sold them, which helped me fund the publication of books. I use my phone to write and send chapters via WhatsApp, enabling me to work efficiently from anywhere.
I also used scrap materials and plantain from behind my office, which was fertilized by fish tank wastewater, to fund my projects. I sold the scrap and plantain to support my printing endeavors. This ability to make the most of limited resources is crucial for achieving significant results.
Resourcefulness is about cooking a good meal with minimal money, finding innovative solutions, and utilizing whatever you have to achieve great results. I started my real estate business and publishing ventures with minimal capital, demonstrating that even small resources can yield remarkable outcomes.
If you adopt a resourceful mindset, you can achieve great results with minimal resources. This principle is essential for purposeful living and success.
I am Dr. Charles Apoki
