Final Lecture Journal Entry

This week's journal entry is meant to share what I have learned from this course as though I was giving a "final lecture" to a group of students. Here it goes! What do you think of when you hear the word "entrepreneur"? One of my first thoughts has always been the freedom that entrepreneurs enjoy by being their own boss. My mind initially goes to small business owners. I rarely consider the idea of having large business growth. But being an entrepreneur can mean so many things. What always scared me about entrepreneurship was that I had to be creative, something that I am not. This class has taught me that hard work and dedication in any given field will show you where improvements can be made that can provide an opportunity for a new business to thrive. Another common thought about entrepreneurs is that they never stop working, which detracts from their family life. This may happen often, but it doesn't need to. It is important as a person considering starting a business to decide now what your priorities are and not to let the pressures of business overtake other important parts of your life. I am not sure I have the passion or drive to build a business that will grow and become something great, but maybe that's because I haven't found what I am passionate about yet. It is important not only to find a business idea with potential for growth, but also something you are interested in, otherwise it would be difficult to put the time and effort in that is required to start a business from nothing. Throughout this course, one thing I have enjoyed the most is reading about those people who made a large impact on the world without letting it go to their head, or at least who recognized their pride and made a change. These are people who not only have a lasting impact on the lives of their consumers, but knew that God intended for them to use their money to better the lives of others. The humility of these leaders is something I will not soon forget. Their attitudes and choices have made a large impact on my life, and I hope to live a life similar to theirs, no matter how much or little money I may earn in my lifetime.

Week 13 Journal Entry

I enjoyed reading President Monson's talk this week, "An Attitude of Gratitude". He mentions some of the people that we need to be remember to be grateful for. I love reading talks about gratitude, because it causes me to reflect on what I am grateful for. We also read about Randy Haykin this week and had to consider whether or not an entrepreneur life was something that was for us. I have thought about that a lot through this class, and I'm not sure it is right for me. When we learn about people who have these great ideas, I've thought, "I'm not really that creative. I don't know if that's something I could do." Today, I was reading Harvard Business Publishing's Core Curriculum on Entrepreneurship, and it talked about that very thing. Having a great idea doesn't necessarily just happen to some people and not others. Most of the time, it is when you are learning and growing in an industry (or in anything) that you find the ways things can be improved. I loved the advice to just keep learning and improving, and anyone can be an entrepreneur.