I came across this idea in my reading of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Upon first being exposed to “R&I” as Covey referenced it, I found that this strategy resonated with me almost immediately. But why is R&I so critical? Most importantly, what can it do for you?
In an age of rapidly growing technology, answers are always conveniently at your fingertips. This is the slippery slope of of technology: everything is readily accessible, but there’s a catch. If any and every bit of information can be found instantaneously, we have been conditioned to expect what we are searching for to come easily. Gone are the days where actual work, time, and effort were required for completing a task. Unfortunately, I think this has created a disservice for the growing generations. In my extensive experience with teenagers, I can attest that my students (yes, this is a generality) express true distaste for having to put any brainpower or effort into achieving any type of outcome. But should they be blamed? They are the products of their upbringing and surroundings. If it’s all they know, how do we reverse this behavior? Through R&I!
Let’s start with the term resourcefulness. The definition I provide for my students is as follows: “the ability to skillfully meet situations, make decisions, and act on your own.” I like to break this down. What is so cool about the word ability? The definition of ability includes the possession of the means (or skill) to do something. I believe that everyone possesses the ABILITY, in some way, to use their resourcefulness. But let’s analyze this term further: the ability to meet situations, make decisions, and act on your own. These three attributes are critical, so listen closely. How does one meet a situation, make a decision, or act on one’s own? You have to sink your boots in and try. Again and again. That’s the biggest battle I have to face with my students on a daily basis. Inputting energy that any task might require can be the biggest hurdle to jump over. But getting into the habit of taking those first steps will set you apart as a student, employee, friend, family member, etc.. Being resourceful in any and all areas of your life will allow you to grow and be better at everything you do. This leads me into the second part of R&I: initiative.
There are two definitions of the word initiative I like to provide to my students: “the ability to assess and initiate things independently” and “the power or opportunity to act or take charge before others do.” The two most important words I extract from these definitions are “independently” and “opportunity.” If we adapt our mindset to the language of opportunity instead of the responsibility, we are immediately more inclined to initiate a particular behavior. Taking initiative is critical to the success of any task or project. Yes, of course, not everyone is made out to be a leader. But initiative does not have to be exclusive to leadership; initiative is simply knowing what needs to get done and seeking the means to do so. Whether that involves other people is not of any real concern; it should be the concern of one’s own to assess and take charge for the betterment of one’s overall character.
R&I. These two qualities stand out in a person. I am always quick to separate the students who use their R&I (the board, the materials, technology, peers, etc.) from the students who are quick to desperately reach out for an easy answer or simple fix. For example, I always joke with colleagues and friends about how many times I have to repeat the same directions. Or worse, I provide my students with a resource manual for the class at the beginning of the semester, but they choose to abruptly call out a question to me instead of referencing the materials that took hours to compile. To put it brusquely, to me it feels like pure laziness. R&I are the FIRST steps to achieving anything. Whether it’s completing a school assignment, conducting a work project, researching a history topic, or painting the garage, R&I can get you where you need to go.
Thank you for listening to my Ted Talk. (Just kidding).
Kirsten Zahn