Years ago, when my now middle-aged brother was around age 5 or so, he went through a standard battery of psychological tests our school system loved to conduct.

One of the scenarios was about going to the store to get mommy a quart of milk. You discover the store was out of milk. What would you do next?

My brother, being quite obedient at 5, knew he wasn’t allowed to cross the busy main drag that cut across our neighborhood. So in response to the question, he said simply, “I’d go home.”

Good boy. Wrong answer. The right answer? Go to a different store.

Ah, the resourcefulness question!

So, let’s be honest … we’re all friends here … what’s your natural inclination? Do you go home or look for a different store?

Me? I get all jazzed about the challenge. So what do I do if I can’t cross the street to a different store? I can find a store on my side of the street … ask someone older to cross the street with me/for me … or buy something else and convince my mother she didn’t need the damn milk anyway.

That’s the key to resourcefulness. To every challenge, a thoughtful, active response. That’s why MacGyver is my hero.

He’s never at a loss or nonplussed no matter what life or evildoers throw at him. He’s not a super hero, just a regular guy with imagination, a firm belief in himself, and a deep well of knowledge about how things work.

Knowing how to combine a ping pong ball, a paperclip and a cheerio into a mega-force weapon is cool. MacGyver never doubts himself. He never whines or allows the forces of darkness to overwhelm him. (If Anakin Skywalker had been MacGyver, he never would have turned into Darth Vader and the Empire would have been … oh, you know.)

You’ve read, as I have, numerous articles, blogs, yadayadayada, with tips and advice as to how to ride out the bad times while waiting for the good times to roll back in. Most of them cover similar ground so I won’t belabor them. There’s good stuff to be had in the reading, but none of it will do any good without the right “delusional optimist” MacGyver attitude.

And no, I’m no kidding.

Independents like us are used to a certain amount of walking the tightrope, the feast/famine cycles both macro and micro. But there’s no question that today’s crisis ain’t your daddy’s minor recession.

You’re a writer, right? So write! I read about a copywriter who now offers to write Twitter ‘tweets’ for her clients, in addition to other blog-type duties. It’s her way of expanding her value to clients feeling jittery in a maxi-jittery age.

So what are you doing to expand your own value with your clients? These are the folks who already know and trust you. There’s no ‘let’s date awhile’ cha cha. You know them and they you. Work ‘em! They want you, too. They need you to.

Further, if you’re “just a writer”, diversify your skill sets. Partner with other creatives for graphics and web design/development. Coordinate production services with printers and lettershops.

Say YES, I CAN to everything that makes financial sense and then figure out how to make it happen. I’ve spent 20 some odd years saying it and meaning it — and so can you.

Just ask MacGyver, and keep the ping pong balls and paper clips handy. You just never know …