Master the Off-Grid Mindset

In a previous post titled The Off Grid Mindset  I pointed out a fundamental principle related to being self sufficient. 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.

But, why do more people not have this mind-set? What does it take to actually master the off-grid mindset?

My Personal Observations

Many articles, websites, and other resources I’ve reviewed often malign the cost of going off the grid, the legalities, the physical difficulty, and numerous other reasons as to why few people actually do it.

Furthermore, in some social media groups that I monitor, I often see people asking such questions as “How do I set up a solar electric system?” or “How do I actually live off the grid?”.

When I read things such as this, the first thing I think is that many people in our culture like to skip over the learning curve and go directly to the “results” section. We have 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 off the grid.

It is actually very important to cultivate the right attitude before you even start down the road of self sufficiency. By taking the time to master the off-grid mindset, you will master the most important principle needed to make fundamental changes in your life.

The Real Reason People Do Not Master the Off-Grid Mindset

Why do people fail to reach their goal of being off-grid and 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 are self sufficient, much less actually living off the grid.

Consider the following points.

1) LACK OF ACTION

Most people simply do not do the work to get the needed result, which is being self sufficient and/or living off the grid. 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.

Stop thinking about being self sufficient and living off the grid and actually do something about it.

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 off-grid mindset? 

2) OVERWHELMING RESPONSIBILITY

This has to do with all of the physical 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

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.

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.

The simply 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.

It is imperative that you find ways to simplify your life and create more personal time to work on your goals. I know because I’ve been there.

For further reading, check out my post on  The Importance of Simplifying Your Life

3) LACK OF SKILL OR UNDERSTANDING

When I talk to people about living off the grid, 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.

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 off the grid 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.

Solution to lack of skill or understanding

Start by changing the things that you can. Take one simple step at a time to become self sufficient. 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 about self sufficiency.

Start with a small goal. For example, strive to provide 10% of your food or 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 off-grid living over night. I have been living off the grid for 20 years and I am still learning ways to increase efficiency and self reliance. Despite a lack of skill, take one step at a time and you will soon begin to master the off-grid mindset. 

4) A LACK OF RESOURCES

Unfortunately time and money are critical factors in being self sufficient and living off the grid. You need to the time to start and build a homestead. 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.

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 off-grid mindset, taking a step forward encourages you to take another.  

Solution to knowing what to do first

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.

6) LIMITING BELIEFS

I stated earlier in this post that the reason more people are not self sufficient or living off the grid 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, to scary, too much work to try to be self sufficient or live off the grid. They would rather do something else instead of taking the needed action to reach their goal. They are overwhelmed.

Solution to limiting beliefs

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.

The first few years of being 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. 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.

Today those same friends and family want to know when I go out of town so they can use the cabin.

Master the Off-Grid 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? By “adjustments” I mean learning something new, acquiring a new skill, or getting some further education.

One of the problems in today’s culture is that we have become accustomed to instant gratification. We want to acquire something or achieve a goal over a short period of time. However, every challenge you have when it comes to being self sufficient and living off the grid is actually surmountable. You just need to take action and stay committed.

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.

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.

Start something today. Learn something new. You will not learn all of the needed off-grid skills overnight. If you simply make the commitment and take action, 6 months from now you will be surprised how much you know.

This is how you master the off-grid mindset.

Additional Posts of Interest

The Best Reasons to Live Off the Grid

20 Benefits of DIY

Go off grid and live well,

Patrick