There’s a viral television ad campaign going on in Brazil right now. It’s the brainchild of SOS Mata Atlantica, a non-profit organization with the mission of preserving Brazil’s amazing rainforests.

Here’s the gist: Pee in the Shower… Save the Atlantic Rainforest. No really, they even broke down the numbers (1,157 gallons/year for each household).

But they weren’t content on just throwing that unique message out there. They’re apparently utilizing multiple mediums to drill the message home, including a cartoon television ad. They’ve managed to take something relatively boring (preserving water) and spin it into something that has garnered world-wide attention.

Although the video below is in Portuguese, no translation is needed to see the ingenuity here:

After watching the video for the first time, one word came to mind: Resourcefulness.

They found a topic that was just a tad taboo, but not completely tasteless. They mixed in a couple pop culture references to make it memorable. Lastly, they combined the cartoon-medium and child narration to broaden the appeal to younger generations, while at the same time driving home the ultimate message to the adults (preservation for future generations).

It’s so good, I actually just got done peeing in the shower for fun.

All kidding aside, the ad-campaign inspired me to take a reflective look at the power of resourcefulness in all areas of my life. The more I thought about it, the more I realized the impact that it had on nearly every aspect of my finances.

For example:

• Resourcefulness is an irresistible quality for potential employers. In fact, it’s the number one trait I tried to emphasize when I was job-hunting AND the number one trait I looked for when I’ve had to hire someone. It’s just this sort of resourcefulness that enabled Courtney to obtain an on-the-spot job offer at much-desired school here in New Zealand. (And we’re both maxing out all of our resources in order to try and obtain a visa in time to take the offer)!

• Resourcefulness is absolutely essential for survival of the self-employed. Don’t believe me? Just ask any entrepreneur or freelancer you know. It’s one of the few common traits in nearly every single self-made success story. My definition of the word entrepreneur is “one who when confronted with a problem, can not only find a solution, but deliver measurable value in the process.” That’s the very essence of resourcefulness.

• Resourcefulness fosters a “repair before replace” mentality. You know the type of people. The ones who can fix anything with a roll of duct tape, a small section of pvc pipe, and half a pack of dental floss. I’m not one of them… I suck at that stuff. But I’m constantly admiring those that are committed to increasing self-sufficiency. Although at times it’s better to replace, the key is to rewire yourself so that repairing is default. This will save you a ton of money in the long-run (and build your resourcefulness even further).

• Resourcefulness is a bargain hunters best friend. You don’t have to spend every Saturday at garage sales and flea markets to benefit from this. The skills I’ve built while constantly hunting for bargain airfare and lodging will pay dividends for the rest of my life. With the immense amount of information that’s available on the internet today, developing the ability to shift through the noise and find the underlying value has never been more important.

• Resourcefulness is fundamental to successful negotiating. The best negotiators are able to size up both sides of a given situation and piece together the real desires of each party. They’re able to brainstorm unique solutions and present them in a way that emphasizes the mutual benefits while minimizing each sides compromises. The more resourceful I’ve become, the more comfortable I’ve felt when entering into the negotiating process.

The bottom line is this:

Resourcefulness unlocks opportunities that otherwise would cease to exist.

That’s really the underlying commonality that links all the above examples together. It’s worked wonders for the non-profit above. Heck, it’s worked wonders in my own financial life. But I know the impact doesn’t just stop there…

How about you? What role has resourcefulness played in your life? What other examples can you think of where it has a profound effect on your finances? Do you pee in the shower? Let everyone know by leaving your comment below!