My Hero's Journey

I hope that what you learn, and what you remember from this lecture, is this principle: no one made footprints in the sands of time by sitting on their bum (and who wants to leave those marks in the sands of time?), (paraphrasing Bob Moawad). Entrepreneurship is an opportunity to pursue a career tailor-made to your dreams. If it sounds too good to be true, just wait. You can get reach this goal through careful planning, daily mastery, sacrifice, hard work, and passion. It's not too good to be true, but for many, it's too hard to be true.  Robert Blake expressed this idea in this quote:  Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for? Or in other words, When you reach for the stars you may not quite get one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either. (Leo Burnett) A hand reaching up to grab the stars might be one of the most hopeful and awe-inspiring images that there is.  The idea that there is something out there that we can't...

Ever since my Introduction to Business class, I have been impressed by the business program here at BYU-I. There is a marvelous union of the spiritual and the material as we are taught how to prepare ourselves for our own businesses. When I was looking at the syllabus for this class, at the different papers we would be writing and the books we would be reading, I started to get excited for another great semester. And it has fulfilled all of my expectations. I feel like this business education is valuable for anyone to learn. I have recommended this class to all of my friends, whether they are business majors or not. These are some things that I have learned during the semester that I didn't know at the beginning (an abridged list, of course): 1. The powerful role of Divinity in our business lives. God truly cares about us and how we are influencing the world. 2. Money management strategies. From the "Ministry of Business" and "Launching Leaders," I learned...

This week I did a lot of learning about what is truly required in the mindset of an entrepreneur. Elder Gay offered some profound insights in his talk, using the word "pioneers" instead of "entrepreneurs." "True pioneers solve problems. ... Successful pioneers are inward focused and outward driven."  I like how this identified the jobs of a leader (or pioneer, or entrepreneur... what you will). Another important job is to lift up those who are working for and/or with you. "...Companies die because their managers focus on the economic activity of producing goods and services and forget that their organization’s true nature is that of a community of people." Charles Handy, Harvard Business Journal A couple weeks ago, a friend lent me his book "Business in the 21st Century," by Robert Kiyosaki. In this book, it dwelt on these principles quite a bit. The focus of the book was how to develop a successful business using network mar...

First, fill your mind with truth; second, fill your life with service; and third, fill your heart with love. --Monson I loved this quote! I'm going to put it on my wall. It summarizes what my goals are for my life in a short, simple sentence. Each section focuses on a different aspect of my life: intellect, service and the community, and relationships. If instead of simply "getting my education" I focus on "filling my mind with truth," it takes on a whole new perspective. My paradigm shifts and my goals change from simply going for good grades to pursuing talents and habits that will help me in my future career and family. But this is only part of the threefold formula. Last night I met a couple of girls who are nearing the end of their college experience. When I asked them for advice they both mentioned getting involved and finding balance. Right now my involvement is in dances, workshops, and societies. I think I need to find an opportunity for service to ...

Many times, I wonder or hear others wonder why a certain trial is happening. Why can't we be happy? I thought that this quote from Elder Oaks was very insightful. Our needed conversions are often achieved more readily by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquillity, as Elder Hales taught us so beautifully this morning. Father Lehi promised his son Jacob that God would “consecrate [his] afflictions for [his] gain” ( 2 Ne. 2:2 ). The Prophet Joseph was promised that “thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high” ( D&C 121:7–8 ). (General Conference, Oct. 2000)  It is nice to think of it that way. Trials aren't just to help us feel the opposition in all things; they are to help us become converted.  Continuing in his talk, Elder Oaks emphasizes the importance of not just acting, but becoming. What is essential is that our labors in the workplace of the Lord have caused us t...

These were some of the quotes that were meaningful to me from this week’s readings: “The temple as a quiet but consistent reminder in our midst of the centrality of Jesus Christ and of the immortality of the soul cannot but elevate the quality of our education and the depth and beauty of our associations.”--Bednar (emphasis added). It’s incredible that the temple can play such a significant role in our lives. Even our grades and our dating life are affected by our temple attendance. That leads me to this next quote from Elder Washborn: “I have come to better and more fully understand the protection available in the temple and through our covenants. I have come to better and more fully understand what it means to make an acceptable offering of temple worship. There is a difference between church-attending, tithe-paying members who occasionally rush into the temple to go through a session and those members who faithfully and consistently worship in the temple.” --Elder Washborn (quo...

I loved Elder Holland's talk. This time is truly a time of testing, but we can do it! I loved his thoughts, and I want to listen to this talk frequently as a pep-talk. I also enjoyed this quote from Pres. Monson: We are waging a war with sin, my brothers and sisters, but we need not despair. It is a war we can and will win. Our Father in Heaven has given us the tools we need in order to do so. He is at the helm. We have nothing to fear. He is the God of light. He is the God of hope. I testify that He loves us—each one. Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In order to be tested, we must sometimes face challenges and difficulties. At times there appears to be no light at the tunnel’s end—no dawn to break the night’s darkness. We feel surrounded by the pain of broken hearts, the disappointment of shattered dreams, and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea “Is there no ba...

This week I learned a lot of important lessons, although not all of them were from assignments in this class. In class, I was able to learn a lot about habits, and the importance that they have in our lives. Looking through my blog, I came across this quote: “First we make our habits, then our habits make us.” —Charles Noble. It goes along with a book I have been reading called “Feel the Fear… and Do It Anyway.” Susan Jeffers talks quite a bit about the importance of taking control of our lives and our thoughts, usually by repeating something over and over again until it becomes a habit. I think that the 7 Habits that Covey teaches are really important, but I hadn’t reviewed them in quite some time, so I’m getting his book from the library this week. I was also able to finish reading “Mastery”; but more on that in my book report… Other things I experienced this week was a call with entrepreneur Stephen Palmer. I got some great advice from him on how to move past the barriers that I hav...

"Bread and Water"--John 4:14, 6:35 Providing Affordable Fresh Bread to the College Student's Door Industry Knowledge I know how to make bread: white or wheat, cinnamon rolls, soup bowls, pizzas, etc. I'm going to learn how to make gluten-free bread (tricky, right?) so that my friends with gluten problems can also eat it! Personal Networking:  Uncle (he's a baker), small food-business owners: one from my hometown (chocolate store owner), a friend here (has started a couple of online businesses). Day-to-Day Operations Receive orders, process orders, deliver orders. Bake bread. Organize baking times with delivery times for optimal freshness. All this while attending school and maybe having a real part-time job! Raising Money Word of mouth advertisement, (and a booth at the BYU-I Crossroads?). Set up a PayPal account for payments. Africa Week:  From the sales of the last week of every month, all profits go towards the Let Them LOL project for clean wat...

I had the opportunity this week to learn about Warm Fuzzy Cards and make my own Personal Board of Advisers. From the owner of Warm Fuzzy Cards--Erica-- I learned a lot. I learned to be innovative and take correction. But, as someone said on the discussion board, not only take corrections, but make sure that they are still in line with my vision. I shouldn’t take away what makes me unique just because someone else didn’t like it. Erica used feedback to select the best of her cards and start her business, but they were her cards that she had designed unique to her vision, and that is what made her successful. I also enjoyed deciding who to put on my board of advisers. I have always just gone to God or my parents, and it is cool to think of using other people and their perspectives to help me make my decisions. Because I would be using this board for important decisions, it was hard for me to pick out my advisers. The first few came quickly, they were people I admired and who were clos...

The best part of this week’s assignments for me was the Personal Constitution. My first thought was, “Oh my goodness, another self-examining paper? Why?!” I have done a lot of them throughout high school and during my initial college experience. But once I finished it, it was as if my universe was organized into a few pages of computer paper. This paper had my priorities, my plans, my goals, and my daily tasks. I felt overwhelmed looking at everything I would need to do every day and week, but I was also anxious to start. To my great shame, I haven’t printed it off yet. The plan is that once I do, I will post it on my wall, and use it as a daily and weekly planning reference. One thing I failed to put into my constitution was the importance of my physical health. But as I thought about it, I realized that in order to be a “reliable follower of Christ” I will need to be able to act in any situation He puts me in. So part of that attribute is keeping myself healthy and fit, so that I can...

I loved the readings for this week. They emphasized the importance of integrity and setting standards for your business.  Sis. Sheri Dew said the following:  ...What DVDs do you watch and web sites do you visit when you’re alone? Are you honest and moral in the dark of night as well as broad daylight? Are you true to those who have trusted you with their love and confidence? Are you living worthy of the kind of man or woman you hope to marry, and of the children whom our Father will entrust to your care? --Sheri Dew. True Blue, Through and Through. BYU-I. 2004 This echoes a saying from head basket ball coach--John Wooden: "The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” To be a successful business person, you must have integrity. Jan Newman said that no matter what, when you are dishonest in business you will be found out. ( https://vimeo.com/27917536 )  Although this integrity may not be very well known in the "real" world, it is d...

So this week I felt like my brain was being stretched. First I came up with my bucket list which was pretty daunting. But I like the goals I have there, and I feel like if I can accomplish them I will have lived a very exciting life where I challenged myself. Of course, if nothing else, I want to be a successful wife, mother, and disciple of Christ… and I’m really excited to go after these other goals as well! I also faced a lot of realities. If I want these goals I need to begin somewhere, and a lot of the articles mentioned friends, mentors, and people who help you get connected to your dream. “Making connections,” “networking,” or even just “making friends” can be stressful for me, but I know that it will be a great benefit to my life. So this week I joined a couple of on-campus societies that will help me develop business skills and mindsets as well as introduce me to people that can help me and whom I can help in return. I really enjoy reading and listening to the stories of othe...

After the readings of this week, and really understanding what it is I will be doing in this class, I am very excited! I have always been a dreamer. When I was sixteen or so, my mom had me write a BHAG. A Big, Hairy, Audacious Dream. At the time my dream was different, but it taught me the principle of dreaming big. Now, my dream is to become a Music Therapist with my own practice. That is why I am studying Entrepreneurship and Music.      This week, I learned from Elder Bednar that learning is essential. But it is important to learn with faith and diligence. That is how we can become faithful and competent students. The main argument he made was that our sacrifice and our consecration to the Lord can help us have the spiritual strength to become great Disciple Leaders. He said, "We are all familiar with many other stories about farmers who offered their best grain, best produce, or finest animals to the bishop as their tithing. And only their best was good enough ...

Living Life as an Entrepreneurial Hero Make no small plans, for they have no power to stir the blood. —Daniel Burnham It’s not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live. —Marcus Aurelius Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. —M. Scott Peck First we make our habits, then our habits make us. —Charles Noble The credit belongs to the man in the arena . . . who if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place will never be with those cold and timid souls who have never tasted victory or defeat. —Teddy Roosevelt We are like chameleons, we take our hue and the color of our moral character, from those who are around us. —John Locke Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for? —Robert Browning Blake