Measuring the Cost

Balance for Success

An entrepreneur has many roles to fulfill. Business owner, parent, spouse, community member, and church member are just a few. Learning to balance your efforts for each area of responsibility is necessary to finding fulfillment in life. Plan and schedule regular family time when you are not distracted by work responsibilities. Involving your family in the business is important. Let your spouse and children know what you are doing and how they can help. Communication is very important to be successful with balancing your responsibilities.

President Thomas S. Monson, in an article in the 1996 Ensign, gives a three-part formula for success. He states, “… we have the responsibility to be prepared, to be productive, to be, to be faithful, and to be fruitful as well. What we need, as we journey along through this period known as mortality, is a compass to chart our course, a map to guide our footsteps, and a pattern whereby we might mold and shape our very lives. May I share with you a formula that in my judgement will help you and help me to journey well through mortality…” (Monson, 1996, Paragraph 5). His formula includes: 1) fill your mind with truth; 2) fill your life with service; 3) fill your heart with love.

As we seek for and find truth and serve others with love we will not only be successful in this mortal journey, but also in the eternal world.

Attitude on Money

One article we read this week talked about how we all have filters in our minds that determine how we see things. These filters come from our parents’ beliefs and opinions and from our own experiences. Filters help determine what we believe. As we mature we decide if the filters our parents passed on are true. Stephen w. Gibson wrote: “Our conclusions about how we view things may be different than the way our parents have taught us or what we have observed in our youth. That in and of itself, doesn’t make it bad or good. However I believe we can all better understand life and the different ways each of us see things in life, if we all remember that we all see things through filters.” (Gibson, 2017, paragraph 9) I think it is very important to look at our filters and compare them to eternal principles. We need to be ever vigilant in following true principles. Money, itself is not evil, but a person can choose to use it in evil or bad ways.

Here are a few of my thoughts about money:

What is your attitude toward money?

My attitude toward money is that it is necessary for survival in this life. When we have more money than we need for our own support we can bless other people’s lives. If we are always living paycheck to paycheck, we are not able to “feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and care for the sick.” (See Matthew 25:37-39.)

How can your view of money affect the way you live?

My view of money will affect the way I live because it is part of my filters of life. If I see money as a necessary evil, I will not seek to gain more and then I will not be able to bless others in need. If I see money as a means of blessing other people I will want to work hard and pursue earning more to be in a position to help others.

What rules are recommended for prospering?

The rules for prospering according to Handy are:

1. Seek the Lord and have hope in him.
2. Keep the commandments, that includes the temporal ones, tithing and fast offerings.
3. THink about money and plan how you can become self-reliant.
4. Take advantage of chances for learning so you will not be ignorant of these matters. 
5. Learn the laws upon which the blessings of wealth are predicated.
6. Do not send away the naked, the hungry, the thirsty or the sick or those who are held captive.

Monson, Thomas S., 1996, “Formula for Success”, Ensign, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Gibson, Stephen W., 2017, “Attitude on Money”, Unknown publisher.