Balance

Work-Life Balance

One of the persistent themes when exploring the entrepreneur and the life that that entails is finding a balance between business goals and family needs. There are some incredible pros to the entrepreneur’s life and also some potentially disastrous cons, especially when it comes to family life. The incredible pros include: freedom of time, potential personal economic security, and ability to follow your passion. The potentially disastrous cons can be: following business passion to the exclusion of family and friends, personal economic uncertainty, chasing the next big idea, and never finding satisfaction or fulfilment. These are very real and finding a balance that works for me individually requires some flexibility (it is a dynamic balance that can change through lifes stages) but also requires some inflexibility or strong commitment (when it comes to sticking to your priorities and principles).

Attitude on Money

In a talk titled, “Attitude on Money” Stephen W. Gibson explored the role money plays in our mortal lives and how it relates to the temporal as well as spiritual elements of our lives. Reading it was a good way to prompt reflection on how I felt about money.

 

• What is your attitude toward money? Whether you regard money as an end to a means or just a representation of work, reward, or time, it is clearly a measuring factor for all three. As that, money has no power or lure. It is just a tool.
• How can your view of money affect the way you live? Keeping a temporal perspective on money, what it represents, and its temporary nature is key to keeping it in a proper perspective. If I live my live guided by eternal perspectives and priorities, money and the pursuit of material possessions will always have a subservient role and priority.
• What rules are recommended for prospering? One of the most recurring themes from the Book of Mormon is “For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.” (2 Ne 4:4) Prosperity is a byproduct of a righteous life and so the goal should be to first, live a Christ-centered life and the temporal will be provided for. A secondary theme from the scriptures is the principle of industry and work. “And it came to pass that after I, the Lord God, had driven them out, that Adam began to till the earth, and to have dominion‍ over all the beasts of the field, and to eat his bread by the sweat of his brow, as I the Lord had commanded him. And Eve, also, his wife, did labor‍ with him.” (Moses 5:1) And in the Book of Mormon, “And I did cause that the women should spin, and toil, and work, and work all manner of fine linen, yea, and cloth of every kind, that we might clothe our nakedness; and thus we did prosper in the land—thus we did have continual peace in the land…” (Mosiah 10:5)

Those Who Went Before

Those Who Went Before

Mentors, trailblazers, leaders, role models, all titles for those who go before us and sometimes walk beside us or reach back to lift us up. As we’ve had the chance this week to interview an entrepreneur and hopefully learn from their struggles, triumphs, experiences, and wisdom gained, we have become better for it. What an almost insurmountable task it would be if we had to start from scratch with everything we did! I learned this at a pretty young age as I got my first real full-time job. It was as a structures mechanic for Rockwell, Intl. building the B1-B bomber. At age 18, I was amazed at the complexity of that machine. It was obvious that no one person in multiple lifetimes could come up with the science, workable design, technology, materials, tooling, and skills needed to build this plane. It was the result of centuries of men and women searching for knowledge and truth, experimenting, sharing their knowledge, and building on the knowledge of those who went before.

This week caused some reflection on what kind of link I am in this chain of human progress. Am I a strong link that learns from those who went before or do I reject their wisdom in favor of something else? Do I share my experiences in the hope that mankind (or at least those in my spheres of influence) can fast-track future progress? Am I a leader? Am I an example? Am I a mentor?

Picture above - My workstation at Rockwell Intl. B1-B Final assembly.
Image courtesy of - http://www.aviationspectator.com/files/images/B-1B-Lancer-120.jpg

Leadership

Leadership

This week hit home in a very big way. Two weeks ago as I was set apart as Bishop and many feelings, questions, and thoughts have come to my mind in the intervening days. I have thought about how the Lord has prepared me to lead our ward and yet to serve the ward and serve the Lord. As I read again, for maybe the fourth or fifth time, President Clark’s 2007 BYU-Idaho commencement address, it took on a very new and clear meaning for me this time. As I read, “The call to be a disciple-leader is a call to minister and to serve.  It is a call to lead as Christ leads.  It is leadership with a small “L”—the kind of leadership that builds and lifts and inspires through kindness and love and unselfish devotion to the Lord and His work.  It is the kind of leadership that we need at every level of every kind of organization in the world and in every ward and stake in the Church.” the words seemed to be directed to me and pertained to me in my new calling. As I’ve met with the auxiliary leaders I have a new-found sense of gratitude for their level of devotion and service and look to them as examples of how I should serve. I have had a sense that a big part of my service and leadership will be in following the example of the Savior and reaching out to the one. Over and over I have had the vision of finding one who is lost and bringing them back into the fold rejoicing just as in the parable of the ninety and nine. This week has brought me the blessing of a renewed desire to be a leader with a small “L” as described by President Clark.

Looking Back and Moving Forward

Looking Back and Moving Forward

This week’s blog title comes from a talk by President Thomas S. Monson titled, “Looking Back and Moving Forward” which he delivered just after being sustained as Prophet and President of the Church, “Members of the Church around the world convened yesterday in a solemn assembly. You raised your hands in a sustaining vote to approve the action which was taken in that meeting in the temple to which I have just referred. As your hands were raised toward heaven, my heart was touched. I felt your love and support, as well as your commitment to the Lord.” (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/04/looking-back-and-moving-forward?lang=eng) A week ago Sunday. I had a similar experience as I was sustained as Bishop of our ward. It is a very humbling experience as I questioned why and especially why now? When I met with the Stake President and he extended the calling, I was very conflicted when I thought about bending my will to the will of Heavenly Father. I felt how the Lord had led me to a career and position that provided the opportunity to get more education and complete a degree. Why was He now asking something of me that would put that goal in jeopardy? I had experienced miracles that had brought me to this point and did not nor do not yet fully understand the whys. But, as I saw the signatures of the First Presidency on the approval for the call, including President Monson’s, I knew how I would respond. I would trust in the Lord and have faith in His perfect knowledge. Especially his knowledge of me that even I do not know or understand.

Throughout the semester as we have delved into the entrepreneur’s journey, I have had and shared many moments of self-reflection. As this week’s course introduction stated, “The Entrepreneur Journey will not be easy. You will encounter many challenges and hardships along the way. These will be defining moments that will mold and shape you.” This is a very appropriate statement for young students. For me, it is an affirmation of my life experiences. So, this week I look back at my journey and with a renewed determination I look forward and move forward in this journey with a clear resolve to more earnestly seek to know the Lord’s will for me and sincere desires to do it.