Make MacGyver Proud!

Growing up as a child of the Eighties, one of my favorite television heroes was MacGyver.  For those unfamiliar, the show was about a secret agent that could get out of any situation simply with his ingenuity.

If you’re thinking James Bond, “Mac” was far from it.  He carried a Swiss Army knife and duct tape instead of a gun and traded the tux for a mullet.

Despite the unfortunate haircut, Mac was the coolest thing an aspiring teen geek such as myself could aspire to become.  He was good looking, witty, sometimes got the girl, and ALWAYS saved the day.

While being a genius definitely helped, the true key to MacGyver’s success was that no matter what rough spot he may have found himself, I’m positive he always ask himself the following question:

“How can I use this?”

By asking himself that one question, he found solutions where most others found despair.

• “I want to get out of this locked room and have nothing but the light fixture.  How can I use that?  Make a lock pick out of the lightbulb filament!”
• “I’ve got to use this car with a bullet-riddled radiator and I’m on a farm miles away from a garage.  How can I use what I’ve got?  Pour the whites from chicken eggs into the radiator to plug up the holes!”

So as you now imagine things that may have put you in a tough spot in the past (e.g., a friend standing you up, your spouse yelling at you, a prospect saying “no”), play the MacGyver Game and ask yourself that all important question and see all the solutions you can come up with.

FYI – if you want to get a MacGyver fix, CBS has posted all the episodes on YouTube.