The Business of Me

 2/22/21 “People in their late teens and early twenties often have a misconception about life. They believe that their greatest challenges will come from unforeseen events and external circumstances. This turns out to be untrue. The greatest challenges always come from within.” (Acton Business School, A Message to Garcia: Will You Deliver It?, Austin Texas, USA, 2008)                Now, being in my late 20s I can say this statement is true. I was always trying to prepare for unknown challenges while simultaneously being my own greatest obstacle. As we have heard a few times throughout the Intro to Entrepreneurship course, the only thing that can stop us from achieving greatness is ourselves. There are many things that must be overcome on the entrepreneur journey, both external and internal, but as the Acton booklet states, “The greatest challenges always come from within.”      ...

 2/16/2021 “The only limitations you have are those you set on yourselves. All of the tools and texts are here, right at your hand. But sometimes we cannot recognize the real purpose and significance of the moment which is ours to experience. ”(Patricia T. Holland, However Long and Hard the Road , Brigham Young University January 18, 1983) On that same day, with his wife, Elder Holland stated, “..nothing very valuable can come without significant sacrifice and effort and patience on our part. ” That may overwhelm us. That may make us feel like giving up but Elder Holland pleads, “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.” God is rooting for us. God is rooting for me. I know that when things become hard Jesus will be there to succor if only, I turn to him. I ...

  Shall the youth of Zion falter In defending truth and right? While the enemy assaileth, Shall we shrink or shun the fight? No! True to the faith that our parents have cherished, True to the truth for which martyrs have perished, To God’s command, Soul, heart, and hand, Faithful and true we will ever stand. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Saints Hymn, “True to the Faith” Text and music:   Evan Stephens, 1854–1930 )  2/10/2021 In one of the talks we read for Business 110 this week, “Stand True and Faithful” by President Gordan B. Hinkley, he quoted the above hymn. This hymn has a special place in my heart, as does the meaning behind it. As a youth I was able to participate in a large cultural celebration where we sang this song. The spirit was strong and there was such power as hundreds of youths sang this song together. That moment will be with me forever and I know that I was singing a testimony of my life. Faithful and true I will ever stand...

                           “Character is determined by the extent to which we can                                               master ourselves toward good ends. ”      (Elder N. Eldon Tanner, Success is Gauged by Self Mastery, April 1975 General Conference) 2/5/2021      Elder Tanner states that there are two important elements to self-mastery, the first moral standards and the second willpower.  When we exercise our willpower to always choose the right, we will be set on the path back to our Heaven Father. Mastery over ourselves is the only way to success.      Part of gaining self-mastery is striving to gain knowledge. Acton’s School of Business’ booklet “So You Want to be an Entrepreneur” declares that there are th...

1/30/2021  President James E. Faust in his April 2005 conference talk titled Perserverance said "One of the important things I learned was that if I faithfully persevered in my Church callings, the Lord would open up the way and guide me to other opportunities and blessings, even beyond my dreams." I have witnessed this in my own life. Oddly enough, it seems each time there is a large trial in my life I am serving in Young Women's. A calling like this creates a close knit group with the other women you are serving with and in my case helped me to get to know the young women that would later become one of the biggest blessings in my life. During both of these trials I was in a great need of babysitters and those young women stepped up to the plate gracefully. When the trials came up it may have seemed easier to ask to be released but by persevering I was able to serve them while being blessed in turn.  Another truth President Faust expresses is "Sucess is usually earn...

 1/23/21     In a Harvard Business Review Clayton M. Christensen said, "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." He was talking about the first of his three life questions. "How can I be sure that I’ll be happy in my career?" To be happy in your career, good management needs to be involved whether you are in that role or not. If you are not appreciated and encouraged in your position you should look for another because that will make for a miserable career. Being unhappy in your career can and most likely will trinkle into the rest of your life.      Christensen's next questio n is, "How can I be sure that my relationships with my spouse and my family become an enduring source of happiness?" He later goes on to say you can do so by keeping the purpose of...

 1/20/21 "We tend to define integrity as honesty. And without question, it includes that. But telling the truth is just the beginning of integrity.(Sheri L. Dew, True Blue, Through and Through, Brigham Young University-Idaho, March 16, 2004)" This week in Business 110 we are learning about honesty and business ethics. We have the opportunity to watch Elder Lynn G. Robbins address titled "Making a Living and a Life." He often refers to President Ezra Taft Benson's talk "Beware of Pride." Pride is the thing that pits us against one and other. When we are focused on trying to better or have more than someone we are not focusing on what God has in store for us. Elder Robbins states that money is not inherently evil. Many good things can be done with money. It is the love of money that we must avoid. Working to earn money because we love it, crave it, want more of it, it just serving a false god. It is worshipping an idol and is satan's big distraction....