W02 Reflection: Entrepreneurial Journal

This week was full of learning and growth. I have learned a lot about myself and who I want to become. 

I loved learning from Elder Lynn G Robbins about the grades for making a living and a life. Grade A's primary motivation is to love God and fellow men. That is where we should be when making a living and a life. We never want our primary motivation to fall to money, the love of money, or filthy lucre. If we put God and others first Heavenly Father will take care of us. 

My favorite part of this week's study was learning about the three circles created by Jim Collins. He taught that to be successful we need to find what we are good at, born to do, and what people will pay us to do. Most people, (including myself) have a hard time finding what we are born to do. He gave great advice to start a journal about yourself of when you are happiest or are in a flow state. When you are thriving in a situation it will give you the information needed to help you know what you are born to do. 

I also liked learning about Sharon Mays and her journey of becoming an entrepreneur. She talked about the importance of not being afraid to go after your dreams. You can talk about them all you want but until you start pursuing them, they will never become a reality. I loved how authentic and humble she was in saying that she is just an ordinary person and anyone can do this if you put your mind to it. She also taught me that it is important to pursue what you are passionate about. Your passions will fuel your business. 

I liked Frank Levinson’s take on the top ten things for a start-up business. These are listed below. 

1. A great partner

2. Sales

3. Confidence you will have 1000s of great ideas. 

4. Like surfing real waves… Do not try to make your own

5. A Supportive Family

6. The pride of a fat baby

7. Common Sense

8. Too Little Money

9. Put up a sign.

10. Comfortable cheap furniture. 

My favorite one out of these ten is number 8 “Too Little Money”. He used an example from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. He said they were so limited in money that they couldn’t afford real horses. They ended up using coconuts to make the sound of the horses galloping. This ended up being the best joke in the entire movie! When you have low funds, you are forced to get creative. Having this creativity forced on you can actually be one of the greatest parts of your business. This is where innovation is born! 

I am looking forward to continuing my learning of entrepreneurship. I hope to be able to put the things I’m learning into practice. As I reflect on these things it has given me hope that I can figure out who I am supposed to be and what is my life calling. I want to start a journal documenting my flow states and the moments I am thriving. I know this will help me know what I am born to do. 

This week I was able to talk to my father-in-law about his life and career in the health insurance industry. He was able to share all the jobs he had and how he was able to move up and gain tons of experience in his field. He is now working for a start-up health insurance company. He left Select Health and his comfort zone to try something new. Although it was a big risk he has been rewarded and has grown so much. This conversation was really helpful. It showed me that it is okay to take risks and that it is important to be a lifelong learner. You should always be progressing in your career and finding new ways to grow and learn.