Week 14--My Last Lecture

Thinking back over this semester of learning how to become an entrepreneur, I have learned that there is a lot more to becoming an entrepreneur than just one day deciding to start a business to start selling something.  Being an entrepreneur takes heart, determination, honesty, loyalty, trust, hard work, passion, leadership, gratitude and balance.  When you start down the road of entrepreneurship, make sure you have a direction. Know what your goals are. Know what you want to accomplish.  But with this course that you want to take, be open and willing to change directions if what you are doing is not working out the way you planned. 

I think the three biggest lessons I took away from this is as follows.  

• Balance.  As a mother, right now my biggest focus and responsibilities are my family.  I learned from many that if your true to yourself, your goals, and your values, you can balance your family with starting a business. It will be tough in the beginning while the company is starting up, but if you can get through that part, balancing your family and work is doable. I really liked what Randy Haykin said, “I do believe that I am a better worker and leader if I feel balance in the rest of my life. . . Balancing work and family has been a real challenge, but I thin the most rewarding part.” (Linda A. Hill, Jennifer M. Suesse, “Randy Haykin: The Making of an Entrepreneur”, Harvard Business School, August 1998) Remember that when you are at home, be extremely present.
• Challenges.  Challenges are a part of life. They are also a part of starting a business.  Overcoming challenges, if done in a positive way will build our potential. “The only limitations you have are those you set on yourselves. . . In life’s most crucial and telling tasks, my plea is to stick with it, to persevere, to hang in and hang on, and to reap your reward.” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “However Long and Hard the Road”, BYU Speeches, January 1983) Life’s setbacks and challenges are there to help us grow to see what we are made of.  Is what we are working for worth it?
• Integrity.  Being true to yourself, the company, and to your customers goes further than any other aspect of business.  I recall a story about a man, who just out of college took a very competitive marketing job.  The other men he worked with were very competitive because they wanted to get the job done and meet the deadlines.  It wasn’t this man’s nature to do whatever it took to get ahead. He was worried he was going to lose his job because he didn’t do things like these other men. But because he wanted to be true to who he was, he took a different approach, one that in the end allowed him to get his projects done before the other marketers.  He was full of integrity.

I am still not sure I want to be an entrepreneur but taking this class has opened my eyes to the possibilities that I just might be able to one day start my own business. It has taught me that I can be a mother and a business woman. I just need to make sure I set strong values and balance my career with my family. 

Week 13--A Journey of Gratitude

There are many who we can be grateful for and to.  As I have gone through this week’s lesson, I have thought about this semester and what people did for me so that I could succeed at being a good student. I don’t think I have thanked these people for their actions in my behalf. My family has been the biggest supporter in my schooling. They have stepped up in cleaning, cooking, running kids to activities, all so I could spend a little more time doing homework.  I don’t think I have thanked them enough.

From the support I have received so far from my family, I know they will continue to support me as I graduate and start working in my chosen career.  But for this to happen, I need to be grateful all along the way.

In Recognizing and Shaping Opportunities, it gives three lessons to learn if you are wanting to become an entrepreneur. It suggests that first you need personal, educational, and professional experience and networks. Second, recognize that having an idea is just the first step; you then need to shape it into a viable business opportunity. And third, narrow your focus to find a market entry point that can be tested, refined, and then used as a platform for developing the business to its full potential. (Lynda M. Applegate and Carole Carlson, “Recognizing and Shaping Opportunities”, Harvard Business Publishing, September 2014)

As I follow these steps outlined here, if I choose to become an entrepreneur won’t necessarily be easy, but I will be on the right path. Learning from others is one of the best ways to be successful.

Week 12--Becoming a Change-Maker

There were many great things I learned in this week’s lesson.  I liked how everything was geared towards helping others.  Showing that you can be successful by showing compassion and helping others when they are down on their luck. 

In the article, “Microlending: Toward A Poverty-Free World”, I liked the example of how one man, Muhammad Yunus, tried to change the way bankers and many other people see the poor. He recognized that “because of barriers created by our societies, individual people never get the full opportunity to bring out their potential.”  (Muhammad Yunus, “Microlending: Toward a Poverty-Free World”, BYU Studies Quarterly, 1999) One way he tried to change the way people think.  He saw that banks wouldn’t lend money to the poor so he decided to loan them money.  The people worked hard and every penny was paid back.  The mind-set of the bankers never changed, no matter how many loans Yunus made and were paid back.  He said he finally gave up on trying to change the minds of the bankers and just kept doing what he was doing. His persistence has led to the Grameen Bank lending money to 2.3 million poor borrowers in 39,000 villages of Bangladesh.  (Muhammad Yunus, “Microlending: Toward a Poverty-Free World”, BYU Studies Quarterly, 1999) Yunus’ dedication and love for the people really was changing their lives.  One little gesture of faith that their potential would be unleashed, and they would pay back the loans allowed Yunus to help these people.

Another aspect that I liked this week was from the video of Brother Gay. A few things he said:

• “Beyond making ends meet whether you have little or much of this world’s good, will never be a fundamental determining factor of personal peace and happiness but rather it is your attitude towards wealth that will be critical.”
• “Begin to make service your constant practice. Provide basic needs and rescue others.”
• “The only way we can legitimately prosper in business is if we strive to make our hearts and actions one with these divine instructions and humble enough to know His will and meek enough to follow.”

His talk was all about how we need to lift others along the way. The Savoir lifted those around Him and as disciples that follow Christ, we should do the same. It doesn’t matter how much we have, we can always serve and help others in need.

What’s a Business For?

1. Based on what you read in the first two pages (pages 3 and 4), why are virtue and integrity so vital to an economy?   As trust erodes, people will not want to “play the game” and will take their money and put it elsewhere. As they do, the creation of wealth for our country will be left up to the government.  Trust is fragile and trust in businesses and the people leading them is cracking. (Charles Handy, “What’s a Business For?”, Harvard Business Review, December 2002)
2. According to Charles Handy, what is the “real justification” for the existence of businesses?  The real justification for the existence of businesses is “The purpose of a business, in other words, is not to make a profit, full stop. It is to make a profit so that the business can do something more or better.  That “something” becomes the real justification for the business. Owners know this. Investors needn’t care.” (Charles Handy, “What’s a Business For?”, Harvard Business Review, December 2002) Businesses are there to do something more than just make a profit. That profit should be to help others who are in need.
3. What are two solutions proposed by Handy that you agree with? Why?

1.      Changing the language and the measures of a business needs to be addressed so that employees of a company are treated better and not as property of the company.

2.      Regard the corporation as a community whose members have legal rights. 

I think that these two solutions would benefit companies greatly. If the employees knew they were more than just the ones getting the work done, if they felt like they had more in the game of the company, I think they would work better and want to do better to build the company. They wouldn’t feel like they were working to build the CEO’s salary. 

Week 11--Measuring the Cost

This week’s lesson was very insightful.  What are you willing to give up to be successful in your business?  How do you balance your family, work, and church?  What is most important, money, family, power? These are some of the questions I thought about as I studied this week.  I really liked what Randy Komisar said about balancing your life and career. He said that it is essential to stay ethical and never put yourself in a position where you can’t say no.  (Randy Komisar, video “Balancing Your Life and Your Career Successfully”)  There will be trade-offs so that you can have balance, so knowing what those trade-offs will be and being okay with them will help you be successful.  Having balance in your life will bring true happiness.

I also liked that in the article, “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”, it talks about losing yourself in a Hero’s journey.  To live this journey, you must 1) overcome challenges, 2) lose yourself in a relationship, 3) lose yourself in thanks and generosity, and 4) lose yourself through a connection with God.  Of these four steps, the one I want to work more on now is developing a greater sense of gratitude. One of the ideas in the article is to keep a journal of the positive reflections from the day. Think about and notice the small things that made you happy that day. I think that as I do this, I will soon realize that I have much to be grateful for. Another part of learning to be grateful, which I think goes hand in hand with a journal of reflection, is suppressing Negative Chatter.  I know that negative chatter is so destructive, yet, I have struggles keeping it out of my mind. I am harder on me than I am on anyone else. “It turns out that having a positive attitude does make a difference and can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.” (“Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”, Acton Foundation, 2008) Positive thoughts go a long way in producing happiness.

Attitude On Money (Stephen W. Gibson, "Attitude on Money", Jan. 2017)

1.       What is your attitude toward money?

You can’t support your family, help others, or build the kingdom of God without money.  We have been taught to be self-reliant and part of that reliance is planning for the future. Saving money for the future is ideal and a good way to use your money.  Money is neither good or evil, its what you do with the money that makes it that way.

2.       How can your view of money affect the way you live?

My view of money can affect the way I live very positively.  As I use my money to support my family, help others, get an education, I am using my money positively.  I feel that as I seek for opportunities to gain money, I need to remember not to neglect my family.  Family is more important than being rich.

3.       What rules are recommended for prospering?

There are six rules to follow if you want to prosper.

• Rule 1: Seek the Lord and Have hope in Him
• Rule 2: Keep the commandments, that includes the temporal ones, tithing and fast offerings.
• Rule 3: Think about money and plan how you can become self-reliant.
• Rule 4: Take advantage of chances for learning so you will not be ignorant of these matters.  Education, as President Hinckley has taught us, is the Key to Opportunity
• Rule 5: Learn the laws upon which the blessings of wealth are predicated.
• Rule 6: Do not send away the naked, the hungry, the thirsty, or the sick or those who are held captive.

I think that if we follow these six rules, we will use our money for good. We may not be the wealthiest person, but we will be happy.  Money can’t buy happiness, but if money is used correctly, we can be happy.

Week10--Dream Big Dreams

We were sent here to earth to strive to become. What are we striving to become? The answer to this question is different for every person.  For me, striving is reaching for something, working hard to attain the goal you have set for yourself.  It also means to keep going, keep progressing, even when you feel you are not moving or progressing.  So, what am I striving to become? Over the last few months I have been striving to be a student that succeeds, a better mother and wife that makes time for her family, a more loyal worker at my job that stops the gossip and is positive, and a better disciple of Christ.  

Some days I feel very overwhelmed and feel that I can’t accomplish everything, and my striving to become comes to a halt.  I often feel I have “two wolves” battling inside me and depending on the day, determines which wolf wins.  From the old Cherokee parable Jim Ritchie shared, “What you feed grows and what you starve dies.” (Jim Ritchie, “Your Emotional Fingerprint Video”) Taylor Richards said, "Do not over underestimate yourself.  You can do it.  You can accomplish the goals and the dreams that you set for yourself.  And if you involve the Lord you can do the impossible." (Taylor Richards, Think Big video) I need to learn not to be so hard on myself. To learn from my mistakes, have confidence, set goals and achieve them.  I also want to remember that if I involve the Lord, I can do anything.

Another thing I learned this week and want to remember is when it comes to choosing who we work with, choose people well, people who will no matter what have your back.  In my reading of A Hero’s Journey, it says, “Much of our long-term happiness comes from strong relationships, but such relationships require a deliberate investment of time and thought.” (Robert Sirico, Jeff Sandefer, “A Field Guide for the Hero’s Journey”, Acton Institute, 2012) Be smart in who you pick to work with you. People that build you up and support you, are kind, love what they do, and will have your back.  If you want to work with someone like this, you also need to be that kind of person.

Week 9--Disciple Leadership

How do we become great leaders?  How do we gain people's trust to let us lead them?  This week I learned that one of the important aspects of leadership is delegation.  I don't own a business, but I do run a household.  Delegating is hard for me. I want to make sure that if something needs to be done that it gets done correctly.  I give my children chores, but struggle with letting them do them fully on their own. Delegation in my calling is another place I have a hard time letting go.  I just figure I will do it all myself.  Through the readings this week, I learned that I need to let go of some of my control and let others learn through doing. 

"Tempting as this may be, it is impossible to build an effective organization without delegating important tasks to talented and capable people.  It's the only way to make a grand vision a reality." ("A Message to Garcia", Acton Foundation, 2008)  If I am going to start up my own company, I can't so everything alone. I will need to delegate so I had better learn now how to delegate to talented and capable people.

When I was interviewing my friend this week about a business she started up with her parents, she mentioned to me that one of the reasons she thinks her parent's restaurant isn't prospering is because they don't delegate.  They don't trust the employees to carry on if they aren't there, so they never leave.  This has been so draining on her parents. From this example, I see that not delegating can cause huge stresses that don't need to be present.

I want to learn how to lead with the small "L" leadership, by example, vision, and love. I think I can start learning this leadership in my home, which will extend to my business, by being a good example to my children, teaching them how to contribute to the family by doing chores and loving them and teaching them to love and support each other. (Kim B. Clark, "Leadership with a Small "L", Brigham Young University--Idaho Commencement, December 2007)

Week 8--Overcoming Challenges

What a powerful lesson this week.  What was the last thing you struggled with and what was your reaction to this struggle? Did you give up because it was too difficult? Did you persevere, allowing yourself to grow?  This lesson on overcoming challenges made me look deep inside myself.  How many times have I taken the easy way out of things? How many times have I given up because I was too embarrassed, too lazy, or too scared?  When was the last time I did finish something I set out to do?  Lately I have been wondering if finishing school is what I really want to do.  As I look at the classes I must take to finish my degree, it frightens me. I set a goal for myself over twenty-five years ago to get an education. My self-doubt kicks into high gear and I start to second guess myself.  Am I smart enough to accomplish this goal? Do I have what it takes to be dedicated to finishing?

“Excellence does not come easily or quickly—an excellent education does not. . . It is simply a truism that nothing very valuable can come without significant sacrifice and effort and patience on our part.

“You will face some delays and disappointments at this formative time in your life and feel that no one else in the history of mankind has ever had your problems or faced those difficulties.  And when some of those challenges come you will have the temptation common to us all to say, “This task is too hard.  The burden is too heavy.  The path is too long.” And so you decide to quit, simply to give up.

“But in life’s most crucial and telling tasks, my plea is to stick with it, to persevere, to hang in and hang on, and to reap your reward.

“I am asking you this morning not to give up “for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.” That “great work” is you—your life, your future, the very fulfillment of your dreams. That “great work” is what, with effort and patience and God’s help, you can become.” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “However Long and Hard the Road”, Brigham Young University Speeches, 1982-83)

This quote from Elder Holland put things into perspective for me. Yes, I am older. Yes, education is hard. But excellence doesn’t come easy. I have to work for those things I want. Do I really want to accomplish the goal I set twenty-five years ago? Yes! I need to remember that I will struggle, but God will be there to help me if I let Him.  I need to persevere through the tough classes and reap my reward of accomplishing my goal along with building my confidence that I can do hard things.

Week 7--Moving Forward With a Driving Passion

I found this week's learning very interesting.  Guy Kawasaki's gave some great advise about money and passion in his video, Passion vs. Money. He said that the goals we set should be about making the world a better place.  If your goals are set in this manner and you change the world, you will make money.  He said, "Money isn't all that it's cracked up to be."  With money comes more responsibilities. And just because we have money, doesn't mean we will be happy.  Finding our passion is what drives us.  It is what makes us get up in the morning to face the challenges of the day.  I liked being reminded that passion, doing what I enjoy, is more important than making more money doing something I dread.

I also learned about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey.  His goals are:

• Be Proactive
• Begin with the end in mind
• Put first things first
• Think win/win
• Seek first to understand, then to be understood
• Synergize
• Sharpen the saw

When we work on Covey's seven habits, we achieve private and public victories as we strive to better ourselves and improve our communication and relationships with others.  I feel that as I work on the habit of beginning with the end in mind, my life will have meaning.  I will have a direction to head and goals to achieve. I like how Covey says to visualize what people will say at your funeral, at your 50th wedding anniversary, ant at your retirement. What do you want them to be saying about you?  Using these visualizations, we should write a mission statement that focuses on "what you want to be (character), do (contributions and achievements) and on the values or principles upon which being and doing are based." (Stephen R. Covey, "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", http://www.summaries.com)  I am excited to take the time to visualize just exactly what I want my end to be and how I am going to get there. 

Week 6--So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur

So I want to be an entrepreneur? Well, that decision is still yet to be made, but I am learning valuable things that would help me if I do decide that being an entrepreneur is for me.

This week I loved that self-mastery was taught. "If you want to be successful or outstanding in any field of endeavor, it is important that you determine while young to be a great boy, (girl) and not wait to be a man (woman) to be a great man (woman); and then have the courage and strength and determination to discipline yourself, apply self-control and self-mastery" (N. Eldon Tanner, "Success Is Gauged by Self-Mastery", General Conference, April 1975)  I was recently told that I start a lot of things but never finish anything. This statement was hard to hear, it stung a little bit. I'm not sure I agree with it 100%, but there probably is some truth to it.  I thought about that comment this week as I read about self-mastery and wondered if maybe one reason I don't finish things is because maybe I am not disciplined, I don't apply myself, and haven't attained self-mastery. What am I passionate about?  What do I want to accomplish in my life? This is something I want to figure out. I am looking forward to spending some time over the next few weeks really thinking about which course I would like to take. A course that I can master because I am excited about it. 

Another thing I learned this week was that anyone can be an entrepreneur. You don't have to have a degree in business, although it does help. In the article, "So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur?"(Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence, "So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur", 2008) there are three suggestions given that would be helpful and should be considered if starting up your own business. Those three things are:

1. In-depth knowledge of the competitive structure of an industry and a network of contacts within that industry.
2. The skills to run the daily operations of a small, rapidly growing company.
3. The ability to raise money.

One thing I have been concerned about is how to balance a family with an entrepreneur career. I was grateful to hear that Steve Blank sets strict family schedules to make sure they have time together. He commented on making sure you don't let your start up take over your life. I liked how he would make sure he was home for dinner, spend time with the kids, and then once they were in bed he would work some more. His family is a high priority so he makes it work. I guess that is the key, your highest priority will have the most time spent on it. If your family is your highest priority, you will make time for them. 

Week 5--Mastery: Skills, Character, or Luck

There was so much great information this week. I learned so much.
What does it take to be an entrepreneur? Building a great business isn't about skill alone.  According to the junk dealer, in the article, "From Grizzled Veterans of the Entrepreneurial Wars: Are successful entrepreneurs born or made?" he says, "Character trumps skill. Perseverance is far more important than skill or talent.  You have to have a mindset that never gives up, no matter how tough it gets.  A little talent and a lot of hard work are the foundation for learning any skill, and are far more important in the long run." There is work to be done before the skill can be learned. Skills like listening, communicating, and solving problems, are important, but if you don't have a good character, who will want to do business with you?

Another thing I liked this week is the thought, "Success is usually earned by persevering and not becoming discouraged when we encounter challenges. . . Perseverance is demonstrated by those who keep going when the going gets tough, who don't give up even when others say, " It can't be done." (James E. Faust, "Perseverance", General Conference, April 2005).  This thought is one that stuck a cord with me. Do I give up because things are too hard or because I am not interested in them anymore? Do I let even the thought of something hard keep me away from even trying? These are thoughts that have come to my head this week. I know I have turned away from certain things, just because I thought it was too hard and I didn't feel I could do it. I hope, though, that after reading this article I will see those hard opportunities as ways to grow and not shy away from them in the future.

One last thing I learned this week was from the "A Hero's Journey" video we watched. I am a little older than most students in college. I have had triumphs and regrets, lessons learned and not learned. I liked the questions that were posed to people over 60, those questions being:

1. Have I contributed something meaningful
2. Am I a good person
3. Who did I love and who loved me.

These questions allow for deep reflection. I want to be a good person, who loves others, and helps bring meaning into my life and the life of those around me. So what can I do now to achieve this? I can start by figuring out my special gifts that will help others, be a person of character, and make time for those that I love.  

Week 4--A Life Well Lived--How Will You Measure Your Life?

This week I read an article by Clayton M. Christensen titled, "How Will You Measure Your Life?" All quotes are from Clayton Christensen. Here are a few points I want to remember. Christensen asks his students three questions at the end of each semester to help guide them in their life decisions.

1. How can I be sure that I'll be happy in my career?
2. How can I be sure that my relationships with my spouse and my family become an enduring source of happiness?
3. How can I be sure I'll stay out of jail? (live a life of integrity)

I thought I would share what I learned from each question.
1. "Management is the most noble of professions if it's practiced well.  No other occupation offers as many ways to help others learn and grow, take responsibility and be recognized for achievement, and contribute to the success of a team. . . Doing deals doesn't yield the deep rewards that come from building up people."  I learned that business isn't always about business. You have to understand and love the people you are working with. Build them up. A compliment goes a long way. How can you make their lives better? See the potential they have inside and help bring that potential out in them.
2. Christensen said that many in his graduating class "come to reunions unhappy, divorced, and alienated from their children." He goes on to say that this is so because "They didn't keep the purpose of their lives front and center as they decided how to spend their time, talents, and energy. . .they have given little thought to the purpose of their lives."  I learned that you need to know your purpose in life. If you don't, you will go through life aimlessly, not knowing what you want. Take time to figure out who you are and what you want to achieve in life. I also liked how family is very important and that business didn't get in the way of family.
3. How do you live a life with integrity? "It's easier to hold to your principles 100% of the time than it is to hold to them 98% of the time.  If you give in to "just this once," based on a marginal cost analysis, as some of my former classmates have done, you'll regret where you end up. You've got to define for yourself what you stand for and draw the line in a safe place."  I think having integrity is the single most important attribute one can have. Having integrity means people can trust you. They know you will do what you say you will. Having integrity will keep you out of jail.

I really liked that this week a lot that was talked about was finding what makes you happy, finding purpose in our life, and focusing on family relationships.  Too many people have their priorities mixed up and family is last on the list. My family means so much to me. I wouldn't want my successes in other areas to drown them out. This is something that I want to make sure I remember. 

Week 3 –Honesty and Business Ethics

Integrity. President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “Men and women of integrity understand intrinsically that theirs is the precious right to hold their heads in the sunlight of truth, unashamed before anyone” (Standing for Something, 29).  “You and I live in a world filled with pressure—pressure to accomplish, pressure to get ahead, pressure to conform, pressure to be popular.  And so on.  None of us are perfect.  We all have flaws.  How then, under repeated pressure, may we avoid allowing small cracks in our integrity to form so that we can do what we came her to do? How can we stay true blue—to ourselves, to others, and to our Father and His Son?” (Shari L. Dew, True Blue, Through and Through)

As I have read about integrity this week, I have come to realize integrity doesn’t just involve being honest with others. It is also being honest with yourself.  “True to yourself. . . True to others. . . And true to God” (Shari L. Dew, True Blue, Through and Through). This week I went to work thinking about my integrity and really trying to watch the things I said and did. What do people say about me? Do they consider me to have integrity? Do I do what I say I will do? Do I talk bad about other coworkers? There was one situation this week where I had integrity and was true to myself.  I know I am not perfect in my integrity, and it is something I am working on, but I was in this situation. Having integrity is a constant process and will take time to perfect it.  We are always needing to choose each day whether we want to be true in our integrity or not.  “I know of no easy formula for success.  Persist, persist, PERSIST; work, work, WORK—is what counts in the battle of life” (Teachings of HJG, p. 36).    

I want to work each day on my integrity so that when I am in business, those tough decisions, won’t be so tough.

Week 2

The focus this week was on creating a life with meaning. Living a life with intent. Purposely choosing to do those things that would bring you joy now and in the future.  So what did I learn this week? From Randy Pausch's last lecture that was given at Carnegie Mellon, I learned that brick walls are given to us for a reason. Pausch said, "Remember brick walls let us show our dedication.  They are there to separate us from the people who don't really want to achieve their childhood dreams.  Don't bail.  The best of the gold's at the bottom of barrels of crap." (Randy Pausch's Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams)  I look back at some of my childhood dreams, some are fulfilled, some are not. I can't help but wonder why I didn't fulfill all my dreams. One dream I didn't fulfill was that of being a high school math teacher. I even started my college experience with that degree in mind. But as the math classes got harder, my confidence in attaining this goal dwindled. I ran hard into that brick wall, got knocked down, and never got back up. I wish I would have had this lesson taught to me back then. Now twenty-two years later my goal of attaining a Bachelors degree has gotten me back up, charging that wall again. This time I am doing things a little differently so I can make it over that wall. Remembering that I can do hard things will help me attain this childhood goal of getting a degree.

I think dreaming is very important. Dreaming helps you start the process of being able to see what is possible. If we didn't have dreams to invent, to write, to be a teacher, to be a mom, to be the best pianist or basketball player, where would we be? Our lives would be dull. We wouldn't have the passion or drive to achieve things that would bring us happiness. I believe dreams do that. Dreams allow us to look towards something.  If it is something attainable we will work to achieve it.

I believe Randy was able to achieve so many childhood goals because he didn't quit trying, he learned the fundamentals, he learned to take advise-good or bad--from others knowing that advise would be beneficial. He learned about being enthusiastic. But I think the biggest reason Randy was able to achieve so many childhood dreams was because he allowed himself to dream. He thought about what he wanted to accomplish at a young age and then set out to achieve as many as he could. He tried to tackle all his dreams, but in the end some were just not attainable, like playing in the NFL.

I really enjoyed the time I had to think about my stars and steppingstones and my bucket list and what I want in the future. Goals that will help me become the person I want to be. I may not be the best business woman out there and that is okay with me. One of my goals is to be the best mom and grandma I can be. As I read "What is Your Calling in Life? by Jeffery A. Thompson, there is a quote in there that made me realize that as a mother, I am doing more than enough. I don't have to be a business women to feel accomplished. Thompson posed the question "After our missions are over and we are no longer full-time servants of God, how can we keep a sense of purpose?"His mission President's wife answered saying, "When I do the laundry, I am building the kingdom of God.  When I scrub the floors, I am serving the Lord. When I tidy the clutter, I'm an instrument in His hands.  I do a lot of mundane jobs, but if my eye is single to God and I'm trying to serve my family, then I feel as much purpose in my work as a missionary can." This just reminded me that I do have purpose as a mother, even if sometimes the world says I don't.

I am excited to see what the following weeks in this class will bring.

September 22, 2018

If I am being completely honest, I am a little nervous and not sure I want to start up my own business. I feel I have started this journey as a business management student not fully understanding what business entails. But knowing this, I am willing to put my best foot forward to learn and better myself. I may not ever be a business woman, but I will be a better person for taking this class.  I am excited for the opportunity to become a more diligent student.

This week I have learned from Elder Bednar that schooling isn't just something to get through. I feel that with my previous college experience I had the thoughts of,  "just get through it". This time around, I am challenging myself to learn, ponder, and understand the concepts instead of just rushing to get the work done.

Lessons Learned:
"To put it simply, living a life of meaning is about living life with intent.  It's about deeply, honestly knowing ourselves.  And it's about developing the wisdom to appreciate that this brief spark of consciousness of ours is an enormous, rare privilege--one in which we're capable of extraordinary things." (afee Action Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence, What is the Introduction to Entrepreneurship Course?)  Even if I don't choose to go into business, I can still learn something from this class that will help me develop more in my mental capabilities. I am excited to see how this course will help me in living my life with intent.

Lessons Not Yet Learned:
Jeff Sandefer poses the question, "What does it mean to live life as an entrepreneurial hero?" His answer, "It means to live life as an adventure. . . It means digging deeply for your special talents and gifts, and discovering how to use them in ways that bring you great joy, enrich your life, and serve others." (Living Life as an Entrepreneurial Hero, Jeff Sandefer) There is a lot more to business than meets the eye, and I need to learn those lessons.