Last Lecture...

Here we are friends, at the end of this semester and the end of another great corse… It is bitter sweet. This not an ending but simply a beginning, there are no true endings in the grand scheme of eternity as long as we do our part. This semester has been quite a ride, I am quite excited to report I am still kicking. Life can offer some interesting obstacles but the Lord will always offer the tools to get through, if we chose to use them. This class has been a tool through these past few months. 

Don’t stop the documentation:

I now stand on the brink of a new adventure and a new set of obstacles. The question remains, will I take the tools of this class and apply them, or allow them to go to waste? As I share the lessons of this semester I feel I am making the first efforts of application. Journalling is key to application, not only does it help you remember but it also helps keep you accountable to the lessons and goals. So first bit of advice in the entrepreneur’s journey is to document every step. 

The Past is important: 

Experiences: 

Everything really does happen for a reason! Next nugget of learning comes from the past, take every experience as a chance to learn and grow and move forward into the future. For those seeking their mission (myself included) great power comes from self reflection and from looking those past experiences. Every experience has lesson that can build our future. Look at Nephi and the boat, do you think he used his building skills he acquired with the boat to later build a city?!?! You bet her did… Everything happens for a reason… 

Live your dream: 

Along with learning from the past is looking for your dreams and checking them off along the way. A few blogs ago I referred back to the “Last Lecture” and how the speaker felt he achieved so many of his dreams. In that blog I applied my own advise to self reflect I say many of my dreams and how they have fallen into place. I am living a dreamers life and I only hope to never stop! A dreamers life is a hard life, but it is a life without regrets. 

The Nitty Gritty Truth: 

Hard times will come: 

Sometimes it is going to just plain stink… Never ever think this journey is an easy one, those thoughts will lead to your demise. Everything that is of worth in this world comes with a price and with a little bit of elbow grease. In the book of Alma the Lord did not take away the burdens of the enslaved Nephites, but when they turned to him they did find their burdens to be lightened. Same applies to life and to business. There will be hard times and there will be struggles but with prayer and faith we will find ourselves yoked with the Lord and our burden made light. “Then if thought shalt endure it well, God shall exhaust thee on high.” Remember this “shall be but a small moment.” (D&C 121:7-9)

Be ready to work and sacrifice:  

In the movie Transformers there is the repeated family quote “No sacrifice, no victory.” Same applies here. Remember that the best things are the things we have worked hardest for. I will never forget the lessons of hard work I learned as my family built our barn. It took long time because we had to level the ground first. We spent hours everyday digging at the hard Colorado granite. Even once the area was flattered we still had to build the structure. The end result brought valuable lessons in hard work, shelter for our animals, building knowledge, and much blood, sweat, and tears. In your journey of entrepreneurship you will work hard and you will struggle. Sacrifice must be made but in the end it will be “for your good.” 

Take the Leap: 

Faith to move forward: 

Here is where I struggle… I fear moving forward… I know fear is not a good thing but it can be powerful. I fear many things in starting my own educational based business. I fear staring, I fear not being successful, I fear what others think. I fear many things but this course has reminded me that I must needs have faith in order to progress and move forward. I need to have faith and trust the Lord and ACT on the prompting he has given me. As the Brazilian people would say, Tudo via certo, everything will work out. I just need to get moving, we all do! We must have faith, though it be small, to move forward and ACT! 

Friends in high places: 

We cannot do it alone! That is hard for me too! However, this course reminded me the vital need to have mentors and others around to help in your vision. None of us is alone in this experience of life and there are many just waiting for us to up to them and allow them to join in the journey. That takes faith a little trust but there is value in bringing others in. Find friends among those you serve as well because in the famous words of high school musical, “we’re all in this together.”

Who comes first? 

“When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives.” Ezra Taft Benson 

This quote is what I want to end with because it is the pinnacle of everything. When we put God first everything falls where it needs to. We are here to learn, grow, and become like him. When we put him first and his commandments we will reap the blessings as go along the journey! If there is anything I want everyone to always know it is that Heavenly Father loves us and when we give him our will and incorporate him in all we do, even business, everything will fall right where it needs to be. Never stop fighting and never stop moving forward, never stop becoming! 

Nearing the end...

I am sad to say that it is near the end of this course. I have loved the lessons along the way and I feel that I have become a better person along the way. Even though the course is coming to an end I hope that this blog will continue as continue on my own journey to fulfill the dreams I have for a better world. This week was another good week full of more interesting lessons.

Once again I find myself blown away by how the weeks learning partner with real life events. I loved that we pulled from the talk by President Thomas Monson about having a life full of gratitude. This week has been a great reminder of my need to be grateful for my experiences, the places I've been, and the people I have met along the way.

This week I went back for a visit to Orlando, Florida. It was a bitter sweet return and I hate to admit but there were some tears. I love that place and the people there. I felt such heart break having to leave once again. I went to the temple while I was there and sat outside for a time and counseled with my Heavenly Father. I had some grumpy un-grateful thoughts of wondering if life would be easier if we didn't have so many experiences and so many wonderful people. Maybe then our hearts wouldn't feel so torn apart. I then quickly received the words from my Heavenly Father that I needed. Some included the need to be grateful for every experience and person I have had the privilege to meet. Then I felt further thoughts of how we need these experiences to grow and understand how to return home to our Heavenly Father. We also need to have a broken heart and contrite spirit as part of our conversion. These feelings of being torn in so many places by some many wonderful people is a sign that we are allowing our heart to be broken. When we decide to take the Lord with us on our journeys and give him those broken hearts. He promises to make them whole and use them to further his great kingdom.

Those were some thoughts I had as I thought about this course and the need to have people and reason for business. These feelings will probably continue but when we involve the Lord we are made great tools.

I also found great meaning in the video about avoiding the wrong carrier. I really loved his questions for those he interviews about what their life story is. I also found great comfort in his advise to not do things for others and to build your resume. Instead do things that you love and that build you!

Some great stuff!