Calculating the total energy available from a permanent magnet involves understanding the energy contained in its magnetic fields and the implications of energy extraction. The energy exerted by a magnet decreases as energy is drawn from its field, affecting the strength of the magnetic force. Since magnetic fields are conservative, energy used to attract objects like pins is returned when those objects are moved away, complicating energy extraction. The challenge lies in efficiently accessing this energy without being limited by the decreasing field strength as distance increases. Overall, the energy within a magnet's field is localized and difficult to fully utilize.