Mastering the Sustainability Mindset

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast
 
Episode 123
 
Mastering the Sustainability Mindset
 
 
 
One to the fundamental principles related to being self sufficient is that first and foremost you have to accept that you are ultimately responsible for everything that you choose to do and everything that you choose not to do.
The same is true when it comes to being sustainable. We first have to accept that every single thing we do has some sort of an impact. Once we realize that, then we have to accept that responsibility. After all the choices we make, what we eat, the house we live in, the vehicle that we drive, and how much we travel all makes a difference.
But why is it that more people do not have this mind-set? And that is the topic of E123 Mastering the Sustainability Mindset. 
Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E123 which is called Mastering the Sustainability Mindset. And that in a nutshell is the topic of this podcast. I am going to discuss six different things that can prevent you from having a self sufficient and sustainable lifestyle and how to overcome those things. Furthermore I want to focus on what it takes to have the correct mindset so that everything you do is done with sustainability in mind.  But, truly it is a matter of having the right mindset. 
Now, just to illustrate a point I want to first talk about two different people with two different mindsets.  One person is wealthy and that is a guy named Jim.  The other guy grew up relatively poor and his name is John. Now, these are real people that I know on a personal basis. I have just changed their names to something arbitrary. 
So, let’s start with Jim.  Now Jim had an easy start in life from the very beginning. His family started a very unique yet very successful advertising business.  Needless to say when Jim was growing up his family always had plenty of money. They had nice cars and plenty of free time for vacations.
By the time Jim had become an adult he had never had to work a single day in his life. He simply lived off the family business. He purchased an 6000 square foot house with a very large garage for his collection of expensive cars. The house he purchased was on a dirt road and the driveway to his house is about 100 yards long. 
Since he did not want to have to plow snow in the winter, he had heating elements installed underneath the drive way and had asphalt placed over that. And since he drove nice cars, he even paid to have the dirt road paved with asphalt so he would not get his cars dirty. He also paid someone to come in and clean the house and cook meals for him.  
But John is the exact opposite. John grew up in a family that was somewhat poor. Growing up he never really did without anything but they never had that much extra money either. There were 6 people in the family and the house they lived in was about 1000 square feet. Eventually, his Dad paid to have the carport closed in so that the family would have more room. 
By the time John was 6 years old, he was helping his grandfather on the family farm. By the time he was a teenager, he would often spend the entire summer working the farm because this supplied the family with a great deal of food. They also kept a large garden, shopped at farmer’s markets and did a lot of home canning. 
After John was an adult, he did manage to purchase a few acres of land where he kept a large garden and raised some small livestock. In the end he was able to establish a very comfortable lifestyle where he always had more than what he needed. But his lifestyle remained to be very basic and there was never any display of excess. 
Now, just as a reminder, these are real people and their personal circumstances are just the way I have described. But because of how they were raised and how they continue to live, it is easy to understand that they have very different mindsets. Jim would never even consider getting his hands dirty in a garden or working in the barn. John could never understand why anyone would need to live in a 6000 square foot house and would consider the heated driveway a complete waste of money and resources. 
What this story illustrates is that your social identify and economic status changes how you practice sustainability if you do anything about it at all. But this also brings up another good point. One of my favorite books that I’ve read recently was written by Simon Anholt. The book was called The Good Country Equation: How We Can Repair the World in One Generation. In fact, E20 of this podcast was titled A Good Country and was inspired by Mr Anholt’s book. But, in his book he stated that his father would often say to him, “Check your privilege.” 
So, the bottom line is that our social identity, our economic status, and our level of privilege plays an important role in our perception of the world. If you are accustomed to a comfortable lifestyle in the US or Europe it is impossible to imagine living in a handmade hut with a thatched roof and dirt floor in the jungles of Guatemala. 
Likewise, many of us have grown up with a specific mind set that comes along with living in a disposable society. We may not be wealthy but we rarely do without anything. The average person has a nice smart phone, internet access, plenty of food at home, and a reasonably nice house to live in. As we look out our window and see the nice well-groomed neighborhood it is hard to imagine that we live in a world of dwindling resources. 
But I would say again, “Check your privilege.” 
My Personal Observations 
Just for a moment here allow me to pass along a few things from my personal observations. Many articles, websites, and other resources I’ve reviewed often malign the cost of being sustainable, some even discuss various legalities, perhaps even the physical difficulty, and numerous other reasons as to why few people make any attempt to actually be 100% sustainable.
Furthermore, in some social media groups that I monitor, I often see people asking questions about running their home on renewable energy, how to start a garden, how to live zero waste, or where do I start if I want to be more sustainable. 
Often when I read many of these posts, the first thing I think is that people in our culture like to skip over the learning curve and go directly to the “results” section. We have truly become accustomed to instant gratification and want results immediately. Many people never realize that the right mindset is very important to achieving any goal, much less living sustainably. It is actually a lifestyle which is a bit more complicated than choosing something off the shelf in the supermarket. 
It is actually very important to cultivate the right attitude before you even start down the road of self sufficiency and sustainability. By taking the time to master this sort of mindset, you will master the most important principle needed to make fundamental changes in your life. 
The Real Reason People Do Not Master the Mindset of Sustainability
Why do people fail to reach their goal of being sustainable or maybe even being self sufficient despite the wealth of information available on how to do it? This includes blogs, websites, ebooks, free reports and print books.
People still consider this process bewildering and overwhelming. Despite the available information, there is still a very small percentage of people that truly focus on a sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. Why is that? Why is is that we live in a world of dwindling resources, water scarcity, poverty, hunger, pandemics, an unstable unpredictable climate yet the vast majority of us never attempt to help ourselves by being more frugal and sustainable? Why do more people not have this mindset? 
Well, consider the following points. 
1) LACK OF ACTION
I see lack of action as the number one cause. Most people simply do not do the work to get the needed result, which is being sustainable or even have some small degree of self sufficiency. You have to make it a priority. 
If you look at every successful person, you can trace their success back to consistent hard work. They possess the desire to keep going despite setbacks and failures. They take action and keep working. Taking action and doing something is always the best way to promote further learning even if you fail. I believe it took Thomas Edison over 2000 attempts before he came up with a functional light bulb. He said, I did not fail. I just learn 2000 ways not to make a light bulb. 
Take action is far better than doing nothing at all. 
But, to simply say that everyone just does not work hard enough, is a convenient “catch-all” statement. Why do people fail to execute the needed action to succeed at their goals?  Why do they also fail to master the sustainability mindset?  
2) OVERWHELMING RESPONSIBILITY
Often times it has to do with all of the physical and logistical things in life that get in the way of accomplishing our goals. We all have a certain amount of responsibilities that drain our time and energy and take the fun out of life. It can be any of the following:
-Working long hours -Raising children -Numerous responsibilities at the end of your work day -Tremendous amount of personal debt -Physical limitations -Other personal and family obligations                   -wasting your free time on social media
 
All of these things can hinder your productivity and distract you to the point of never taking action and producing results. You are always under pressure because you have so many other things to do. How can you possibly focus on being sustainable and self sufficient. 
Solution to overwhelming responsibility
Most of us have been in this sort of situation at some point in our lives. Too many things to do, too many obligations, too many distractions. Modern technology, while it brings great convenience, tends to produce even more distractions. If you have been following me for awhile then you know all too well that I was in much the same situation at one point in my life. I had so many obligations that it seemed as if I was living only to work.  But I decided to change that. 
I know from personal experience the simple truth is that unless you find a way to remove some of these responsibilities and distractions and simplify your life, you will never be able to move onto other things. Having more personal freedom, more time off, more time to focus on developing a lifestyle that is in line with what you value will continue to be a fleeting dream disappearing over the distant horizon. 
It is imperative that you find ways to simplify your life and create more personal time. I know because I’ve been there. If you want some further information on this then go back and listen to E38 The Value of Simplicity. 
3) LACK OF SKILL OR UNDERSTANDING
When I talk to people about being sustainable and self sufficient, it is surprising the number of times people give me bewildering looks. Yet, there was a time in our culture when most people were self sufficient AND lived off the grid. I spent a good portion of my childhood living in such a way.
Most people in our culture are not ignorant or lazy. Yet most of us depend on someone or something else in order to provide us with our daily needs. We are also dependent on a massive infrastructure for our very survival and it is something we cannot control. 
Learning how NOT to be dependent on someone else can be a daunting task. Learning all that you need to know to take care of yourself can be intimidating and may seem impossible. Not to mention all the skills needed to live sustainably and manage your own resources. This can be so overwhelming you are tempted to sit and do nothing. You are tempted to not even start. But, you have to realize that this is how I have lived for over 20 years and I am still learning. That just means being sustainable is not an end goal it is a lifestyle. 
Solution to lack of skill or understanding
The solution to this is to start by changing the things that you can. Take one simple step at a time to become self sufficient and sustainable. Start with things that require little or no money. Read a book, take a class, attend a workshop, plant a garden. It is important to make a commitment to start learning as much as you can.
Start with a small goal. For example, strive to provide 10% of your food or maybe even your energy needs. Plant a garden, raise chickens, install some solar panels. You will be surprised how much you will learn.
Most people that I know, and this includes myself, did not learn all the skills of self sufficiency and sustainability over night. I have been living off the grid for over 20 years and I am still learning ways to increase my efficiency and self reliance. My podcast on sustainability is now over 2 1/2 years in and I am still learning things. And I love it of course. So, despite any sort of lack of skill, take one step at a time and you will soon begin to master the sustainability mindset. If you do this, 5 years from now you will be surprised what you have accomplished. 
4) A LACK OF RESOURCES
In some respects time and money are critical factors in being self sufficient and living as sustainably as you can. If you have the desire to build a homestead as I did, then you need the time to start working on it. When you first start out, raising the money to purchase property, cover construction costs, acquire the necessary tools and equipment can be daunting. It can quickly become overwhelming.
It is far easier to allow someone else to do all of these things for you. It is far easier to buy property or a homestead that is already established. It is far easier just to stay right where you are and do nothing because the cost of everything is right in your face.
How are you possibly going to come up with the time and resources you need to get started?
Solution to a lack of resources
One vital key to living a simpler life is being debt free or carrying as little debt as possible. When you are in that kind of position it becomes far easier to make financial decisions. It also becomes easier to produce more expendable income and have more personal time to work on other things that are important to you.
Make it a priority to start decreasing your debt and eventually eliminate it altogether. I know it will take some time. I remember when I was under the pressure of a mortgage, student loans, vehicle payments and a huge mountain of credit card debt. Today I am debt free. So, it is possible. It just needs to be a priority and you need to take immediate steps to make it happen.
Years ago I was neck deep in debt. Once I made it a priority to become debt free, it took me about 5 years of committed action. Now that I am there, I have more personal time and more freedom than I have ever had in my life. So, don’t get caught up in a culture of buy more, spend more. Instead of spending all the time, buy less, be frugal, do things yourself, and pay off your debt as fast as you can. 
5) KNOWING WHAT TO DO FIRST
With so many things hanging over your head, it is hard to know where to start. It does not help when there is so much information available and so many opinions on how you should live.
Information over load makes things even worse. There is so much in your face you have a hard time deciding where to start and what to do first. This may prevent you from taking action. Sitting and doing nothing is always easier than taking a risk. Remember, if you truly want to master the sustainability mindset, taking a step forward encourages you to take another.  
Solution to knowing what to do first
The solution to this is to start with something simple and small. Learn about gardening first. Focus on conserving your resources and living on less. Cook at home. Learn about home food preservation. There are a multitude of things to learn about self reliant living that you can do even if you are presently living in the city.
Also, go back and listen to E62 of this podcast. That episode focuses on how to get started living sustainably. It is called Pick one. 
 6) LIMITING BELIEFS
I stated earlier that the reason more people are not self sufficient and sustainable is that most people do not do the work necessary to get the needed result. This is usually due to a lack of action. But, behind every lack of action is a belief that limits you from taking action.
People believe that it is too difficult, too scary, too much work to try to be sustainable. They would rather do something else instead of taking the needed action to reach their goal. Most of the time it is because they are overwhelmed.
Solution to limiting beliefs
First of all I think the solution to this is to just make a commitment to do it. The decision is entirely in your hands. Making a commitment is the foundation for continued action regardless of circumstances or emotions. This is what sets successful people ahead of the crowd when others are failing.
My first few years on my off-grid property were the true definition of hardship conditions. I had so little money and so few resources it was absolutely ridiculous. I lived without electricity and running water for years. All of my friends and family members truly thought I had lost my mind. 
However, I was so committed to accomplishing my goal that I just would not give up. And I am still at it over 20 years later. But, that is because I am committed to establishing a lifestyle that was in line with what I value. And what I value is living as sustainable and self sufficient as possible. 
Today those same friends and family that thought I was crazy want to know whenever I travel so they can come stay at the cabin.
Master the Sustainability Mindset, the Key to Success
Have you ever committed yourself to a specific goal and stuck to it over a long period of time? During that time did you adjust things in your life as needed in order to achieve that goal? What I mean by “adjustments” is you had to learn something new, acquire a new skill, or educate yourself in some manner.
We truly live in a culture that is accustomed to instant gratification. In many respects it is that instant gratification that got us where we are today because we live in a take-make-dispose society and we are of the mindset that such a lifestyle is okay. Well, it is time to change that. 
Every challenge you have when it comes to being self sufficient and sustainable can actually be overcome. You just need to take action and stay committed.The key to successful people is they are committed to their goal. This commitment guarantees continued action despite circumstances or their emotional state. This is what it takes to succeed.
Truly succeeding at anything is hard work. Taking action is always the best possible choice. Taking action guarantees learning because, as life goes, things just do not always go well. But, we would never truly learn anything if things always went well. By taking action and learning new things, you also gain new insights. This leads to even more learning.
Each of the six points that I made above actually build on one another. As I said, taking action guarantees learning. Part of your action should be to get rid of the endless and meaningless responsibilities that you have in your life. By doing so, you free up your time to learn new skills and expand your understanding of what it means to live sustainably and achieve some level of self sufficiency. Freeing up your time and money enables you to devote those personal resources to acquiring what is needed to take much better care of yourself, to build a homestead if that is your desire, and to create a safe and secure lifestyle. And all you have to do is start with something simple and build on your successes. Once you experience a little success your limiting beliefs start to fade away. 
And that is how you master the sustainability mindset. 
 
Okay, I want to leave you with one last thought before I close. As a way of life, adopt the attitude of continuous improvement through education. This way you can leverage the one thing you always control-how you use your mind to develop yourself. 
And that is how you master the sustainability mindset. 
Until next week, this is your host Patrick signing off. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future.  
Patrick
Patrick