The Basics of Self Reliance

September 17, 2009 | Posted by Brad Chaffee

What is self-reliance?  Put simply, it is a principle that promotes growth and understanding by expanding your strengths and abilities to do for yourself when it is possible to do so.

This is not to say you should not depend on others ever—for any reason.  In fact, working with others has terrific benefits.  The Self-Reliance Exchange is a perfect example of those benefits.

We all have different strengths that interconnect to provide a more colorful, and complete illustration of what self-reliance is.  I don’t have the slightest idea about raising animals for food, or vegetable gardening, so if you relied on me to learn how to raise or grow your own food, you would likely shrivel up and die.  The key is to know when to do it yourself, and when to delegate responsibility to someone with more knowledge and experience.

Self-reliance is a characteristic that requires action. You cannot wave a magic wand to get ahead but even if you could—what if the wand stopped working?  That’s right.  You would have to do it yourself.  You MUST invest the time and energy into learning new skills.  I did not wake up one day with an intrinsic knowledge regarding personal finance.  I had to learn it.  I can give you a head start by sharing with you what I have learned from my experience and personal growth.

I specialize in the following areas related to self-reliance:

• Personal Finance – This covers a wide range of topics but I will break them down into small, easy-to-digest pieces to help you take control of your money without feeling overwhelmed.
• Debt Free Living -  I believe the easiest way to build wealth is by eliminating and avoiding the use of debt.
• Goal Setting – Setting goals can provide you with a crystal clear plan of action regarding many areas of your life.  Goal setting is essential.
• Motivation – The key to self-reliance is being motivated to take action.  I will be challenging you to step out of your comfort zone and stay motivated along the way.
• Taking Responsibility – Perhaps one of the most important components of self-reliance.  Taking responsibility for your mistakes is hard, but without self-reflection, solutions are harder to come by.

Brad Chaffee is the Enemy of Debt, and a regular contributor here at the Self Reliance Exchange. Learn more about Brad by reading his bio. You may also contact him here.

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Categories: self reliance | Tags: do it yourself, personal development, self reliance | 2 Comments »

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