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.