A Journey of Gratitude

“We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues” (Monson, 1992) Gratitude is a sign of a great character. We can change our negative thoughts by pondering on all the things we are grateful for. If you need help with this virtue, start by writing down three things each day that you are grateful for. This is a habit to continue throughout your life. Gratitude will lift us to a higher level and prepare us for greater things.

Entrepreneurship

“The pursuit of opportunities is the essence of entrepreneurship. We define an opportunity as a future state that is both desirable and achievable. We also make a distinction among ideas, possibilities, and opportunities. The process of identifying and exploiting entrepreneurial opportunities begins with an idea that addresses some societal need. The entrepreneur must first check the idea for economic feasibility and, once satisfied that it is a realistic possibility, for the idea’s ‘fit’ with his or her situation and plans. Only then can the entrepreneur be reasonably confident that this is the right opportunity to pursue at this time” (Stevenson & Spence, 2009).

Creating a life plan, with a clear vision of where you want to be at the end of your life, will help you on the entrepreneur journey. “…if we are to make full use of our opportunities in life, we must know ourselves – in particular, our strengths and our weaknesses” (Stevenson & Spence, 2009) We must know what we are good at to choose a journey where we can make a difference in the world. It is not enough to become wealthy, we need to give back by lifting others in need.

This week we had a case study on Randy Haykin. He is a great example of living an entrepreneur’s life. Lifelong learning benefited Haykin’s career because it gave him new knowledge and experience that led him to new jobs and business adventures. He built upon his experience and gained more skills to help him advance in his career journey. Each career change not only gave him skills and experience, but also gave him self-confidence to continue risking what it takes to succeed. He added to his network and mentors as he moved to different businesses. He was able to draw on these relationships when he needed guidance or help with challenges. He was also able to partner with those who had strengths where he was weak, giving him the correct balance to build successful businesses.

Being a lifetime learner can help me as I continue to advance my skills and entrepreneur knowledge. I will develop the skill to observe patterns, problems, and solutions.  I can gain experience and skills and further develop the skills I already possess. I can build relationships with others who may be good mentors or partners in future endeavors. Haykin talked about knowing our strengths and our weaknesses, a good leader knows his limitations. When we know what our limitations are we can seek others who are strong in these areas. This will help us to build a balance environment in our business.

The risks of entrepreneurship seem worth it to me because I know that there is not growth without pain. If nothing changes, things will not get better. If we do not take risks our life and situations will remain the same. Growth and learning only come when there are challenges and hardships to overcome. I am sure that even though this was a difficult time for Haykin that he was able to learn things that helped him in latter start-ups. As an entrepreneur and leader, I want to develop more skills and expand my character to be successful in the things I pursue. I know that learning needs to be part of our life in all areas. I know that helping others along this journey is important and it is a give and take relationship. I want to keep focus on the big picture and set my goals to help me achieve the dream.

As this course ends, I want to express my gratitude for the learning I have achieved. I have stretched myself by writing these blog posts, I have gleaned much information on how to make the journey to be a successful entrepreneur and to travel on a “hero’s path”.  I am ready to continue my journey of learning and gathering skills to help me do something extraordinary. Come and join me on the journey of a lifetime.

Haykin, Randy. (August 5, 1998). “The Making of an Entrepreneur” in Harvard Business Review

Monson, T.S. (April 1992) “An Attitude of Gratitude”, lds.org/general-conference/1992/04/an-attitude-of-gratitude.

Stevenson, H.H. & Spence, S.M. (June 22, 2009). Boston, MA, Harvard Business School.