Week 14: Final Blog

For my final blog, I'll be answering some questions about my experiences and thoughts from the entire semester.  

• If you had one final lecture to share with a group of students on what you have learned from this course, what would you share?

This course was like the course Cynthia 300.  I thought we'd be learning about business techniques but was pleasantly surprised to find that most of the study was about me as a person.  We went into having personal integrity and honesty, what our core values were, applying safety boundaries that we would never cross, going through scenarios that we can prepare for.  It encouraged a healthy overall life balance between our relationships with God, self, family, and others.  We studied beautiful books, videos, and talks about all things virtuous, lovely, and praiseworthy.  The process of mastery, habits of success, words from great minds through time...it was all wonderful.

• What would be your last bit of advice to someone wanting to begin the entrepreneur journey?
• What words of advice, direction, or caution would you give him or her if you had only one chance to give your own last lecture?

Make sure you have a clear "Why" to the way you're spending your time and attention.  Make a plan to handle the worst case scenarios and take the steps to make sure they don't happen.  Make sure your priorities stay in line with your values.  Live in integrity with God and yourself, and your entrepreneurial experience will be beautiful.  Keep site on your eternal goals and give your best.  Keep God as your #1 business partner.  

Week 13: A Journey of Gratitude

The only talk I felt was about gratitude this week was president Monson's talk, Attitude of Gratitude, which was beautiful, but the rest of the study materiel was great anyway.   

Here are a few things I liked: 

First from the video titled, Avoid the Wrong Job-  Don't take a job just to move forward to get to another job, pain outweighs the pros.  Career or job is not necessarily a long term decision now days. Specialization is not always the way sometimes you'll want to be a generalist.  Have fun with different projects and wide variety of knowledge and experiences.  Be ready for opportunities as they arise.

Next was from a case study about Randy Haykin. (I posted this in the class discussion feed about what was most meaningful about the case study).

1. Balance:  You lose balance when you forget the little things.  During times of high stress and time demands, it's helpful to understand that you don't need huge amounts of time or energy to have special connections and experiences with those you love, keeping your relationships alive and well.   I need to remember that paying attention to the little things can help each loved one, including ourselves, feel cared for and  important.    I like that Haykin talked about setting limitations being crucial.  He reminds to pace yourself or you'll eventually crash and burn.  I also liked the idea of finding people with different strengths to balance your perspectives and alleviate frustration points.  Others can fill in the areas you are weak, the Savior being the best one to "yoke" yourself with and make you whole. 

2.  Living Your Values: Match your day to day actions with your values.  Wow this one is powerful.  It's so easy to live life in the area of urgent but necessary, or even urgent and not necessary.  It is important to evaluate your life often to make sure the things you're spending your time on are those things that matter most to you.  

3.   Fun: Leaders have charisma and an element of playfulness.   The idea that people like to see other people having fun struck me.  I see this in the natural day to day life with children.  Children naturally find fun and excitement in the smallest of things.  Seeing those we love having fun, brings us joy.  I can see how a workplace environment or leader that encourages others to naturally have fun in what they are doing, would be enjoyable and successful.

Week 12: Becoming a Changemaker

Wow, like always, the study assignments this week were phenomenal and inspiring.  First Lets look at the article by Charles Handy titled, "What's a Business For?"

• Why are virtue and integrity so vital to an economy?

I like how the first couple pages of the article explains that rules and laws depend on truth and trust, and that questionable personal ethics is an "American disease".  Thought I don't believe this to be only an "American" disease, I do see it as a disease.  It puts the person, business, and society at large at dis-ease, fostering a spirit of distrust and suspicion to others.  I see the cycle of pride and greed that comes when people are dishonest to get ahead of others, instead of taking care of those around us/our neighbors.

• According to Charles Handy, what is the “real justification” for the existence of businesses?

"to make a profit so that the business can do something more or better" people working together in a virtuous and honest company can do a lot more good than a person alone.  

• What are two solutions proposed by Handy that you agree with? Why?

1. I really like the idea of treating an organization as a community of people and putting safeguards to make sure the businesses have high accountability and loyalty to their employees as human beings, not just revenue generators.
  
2.  I also love the holistic look that comes from less time expected at work.  Less time working for a paycheck leaves more time for family affairs, individual interests, and rest, instead of the "long-hours culture".  I believe this makes for healthier happier families, and a more well rounded, creative, and satisfied people all around.

 Next I'll talk about Elder Robert C. Gay's talk "Entrepreneurship & Consecration" which was super powerful!  Some of the thoughts that hit me:

• God gives to man the challenge of raw materials...that man might know the joys and the glories of creation. (He left the electricity in the cloud, the oil in the earth, the cities unbuilt...)
• True pioneers solve problems, and rise to bless others by...finishing he undone work [of] God. Pioneers always break the traditional patterns, thought, and deeds to create new beginnings.  (We're doing this as we are homeschooling, Ryan's trying out working from home...not the traditional pattern).
• If we just do what our resource and talents and what others suggest we do...were going to miss the mark very badly.
• look inside for answers on how and where to invest their time, talents and energies. "step outside what is the logical voice of the world and hearken to the voice within"
• Cure for poverty: bring tithes unto the storehouse that there may be meat...prove me now if I will not open the windows of heaven...
• The world does not factor in the power and mind of Heaven into business.
• "it is not what you have, but who you are, and who you are is not what you say, but what you do."
• What the Lord would call success is quite different than what the world...therefore it is highly unlikely that the world's model will yield what the Lord expects of us from our business entrepreneurship.  
• But the laborer for Zion shall labor for Zion.  And if they labor for money, they shall perish
• Shetobreyono: "In the days of service, all things were founded, in the days of special privilege, they deteriorated, and in the days of vanity they are destroyed."
• Allow the voice of God to have place in matters of business.
• Lord told Martin Harris if he could get his heart right he would be able to bless him with a blessing greater than the treasures of the earth.
• When you begin to make service to meet others needs your constant practice, you are beginning a program that will make you successful in your chosen field and your needs will begin automatically to take care of themselves.
• Business: To PROVIDE FOR BASIC NEEDS and to RESCUE OTHERS
• Before we can receive the full hand of His assistance in our labor, the Lord will prove us to see if we're not only willing, but able servants.  To see if we will remember the purpose for which we have received His resources.
• You are prepared from the foundations of the world to lift this world....This is about real people and real lives.  Don't look to yourselves in all that you do...
• The whole purpose of business is SERVICE & RESCUE.  

Wow, I wonder what all I have been prepared for.  In a recent blessing the lord told me that the choices and things I'm choosing to do now will bless myself and my children and family in the future.  I guess I'm on the right track.  I do feel the desire to bless the world around me but have really been protecting my time and focus on being a mother and focused on my family and home.  I feel that we're not strong enough yet to focus anywhere else.  I know my biggest job and role is to teach and bless my family but I wonder if there is something more...I wonder if there is a way, with my family, to serve others and it WILL bless my family and help us be stronger.

I have been thinking a lot about Entrepreneurship and why I am so interested in learning about it even thought I have no ideas or thoughts of what I specifically can and should even look into doing with it.  How can I serve others with all my weaknesses.  I'm not very organized in time or space...My home life feels pretty hectic and disheveled most of the time.  I really liked the thoughts about not trusting in/turning to look to myself in all I do.  To my flesh I am weak and quick to forget... The arm of flesh is weak.  The Lord is my strength, with him I can do all things.  Now to have a heart and mind open and willing to act on the promptings of the Lord.  I want to be able to consecrate myself fully to his service and the rescue of others.  Right now I am rescuing our children from the mediocre expectations of public schooling.  I want them to be self motivated, inspired, greatness & learning loving, God fearing, confident, spiritual leaders in this world.