What I have learned:

1. Be Proactive
2. Begin with the End in Mind
3. First things First
4. Think “Win-Win”
5. First seek to understand, then seek to be understood
6. Create Synergy
7. Sharpen the Saw

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that our ability to perform it has improved.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

What I have yet to learn, a few thoughts from mastery:

Good Horse, Bad Horse

In his book Zen mind, beginner's Mind, Zen master Shunryu Suzuki approaches the question of fast and slow learners in terms of horses. “In our scriptures, it is said that there are four kinds of horses; excellent ones, good ones, poor ones, and bad ones. The best horse will run slow and fast, right and left, at the drivers will, before it sees the shadow of the whip; the second best will run as well as the first one, just before the whip reaches its skin; the third one will run when it feels pain on its body; the fourth will run after the pain penetrates to the marrow of its bones. You can imagine how difficult it is for the fourth one to learn to run.

    When we hear this story, almost all of us want to be the best horse. If it is impossible to be the best one, we want to be the second best.” But this is a mistake, Master Suzuki says. When you learn too easily, you’re tempted not to work hard, not to penetrate to the marrow of  a practice.

    “If you study calligraphy, you will find that those who are not so clever usually become the best calligraphers. Those who are very clever with their hands often encounter great difficulty after they have reached a certain stage. This is also true in art, and  in life.” The best horse, according to Suzuki, may be the worst horse. And the worst horse can be the best, for if it perseveres, it will have learned whatever it is practicing all the way to the marrow of its bones.

    Suzuki’s parable of the four horses has haunted me ever since I first heard it. For one thing, it poses a clear challenge for the person with exceptional talent: to achieve his or her full potential, this person will have to work just as diligently as those with less innate ability.

(George Leonard, Mastery, p 66-67)

Thoughts from 23 October 2015

What I learned?

From the ‘The Entrepreneur and the Family’ by Steve Blank, that “If you’re starting a startup stay single” he joked. But he made the valuable point that “You must be able to balance your life with the startup. For example working with your family. Make sure that you include time for your family and your work.”

From ‘Three Lessons About What It Means to Be an Entrepreneur’ by Wences Casares. He said, “I’m stuck with being an Entrepreneur.” He outlined three things: 1) Entrepreneurship is a calling that chooses us--it is inescapable, 2) Time is our most valuable asset and 3) Entrepreneurs create the most value by doing the same thing for a very long time.    

What I have yet to learn?

From ‘Loyalty to God and Family’ by Jan Newman I learned a few important things. He mentioned the people who aren’t wise crunch down the important things to make room for other unimportant things. Always make time for these two things the Lord, your Family, and the third if you added one your Career.

A profound statement he learned from his calculus teacher, he said: “I want to give you a bit of advice, a lot of you in this room are going to make a lot of money in your careers, and you are probably think that is what the Lord wants you to do, he’s putting you in this situation where you can go out and make lots of money to help build the kingdom, but you are wrong. Do you know what the Lord needs from you? He needs you to do your home teaching.”  D&C 64:34 says,  “Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind.” The only thing that will matter in a 1000’s years is your service in the kingdom of God and your family. Lastly he said “Honesty and integrity will help you to stick out in the world.”

This points I note are things I have yet to learn because I want to make sure that I set my priorities and I can do that by placing God and my family first. Though I may already understand this topic it is one that is not yet learned because I must apply it everyday for the rest of my life.

                                                                           

                           

17 October 2015

This week was busy! I felt like I had to do lots of work so it's nice to be able to take a look at everything that I accomplished. When I took the quiz I noticed that there were a few questions that I struggled on, so I thought I would take another look at them.

What I learned:

When President Gordon B. Hinckley was introduced to the press as the President of the Church in 1995, what did he say his focus would be?

This was found in the talk by Elder James E. Faust. He said "At the first press conference when President Gordon B. Hinckley was introduced to the press as the President of the Church in 1995, he was asked what his focus would be. He answered: “Carry on. Yes. Our theme will be to carry on the great work which has been furthered by our predecessors.” ⁷ This is a great theme for all of us. We need to carry on and endure to the end."

Combined with the theme this week of mastery I thought that of how important this principle is the need to master a subject or skill and carry on.

Another question I had was: Which of the following is not a skill that was mentioned to be a successful entrepreneur?

This was found in the article "Are Successful Entrepreneurs Born or Made?" The list of skills were:

• "The ability to find good salespeople and manage a sales force.”
•  “Having a firm grasp of which numbers are important.”
• “Knowing how to put together an assembly line or service delivery process.”
• Being able to communicate clearly.”
• “Listening and questioning customers.”
• “Being a problem solver; thinking."
• “Being curious enough to uncover and unravel the strategies of competitors. 

According to President Faust, "____________ is usually earned by persevering and not becoming discouraged when we encounter challenges."

The answer to this was success. 



What I have yet to learn:

I wasn't able to answer this question:

In the interviews conducted with people over the age of 60 in a Hero's journey, they all came to a conclusion that only a few things will matter. Which of the following was not one of the questions mentioned?

Just a few thoughts...

It's been a busy week this week. I gained some great insights from making my own personal constitution and enjoyed writing my book report on the subject. I also found that I could overcome my fears just by considering the worst of them and making a plan on what I would do if we in that situation. Talking a little bit more about my personal constitution I found that setting up a role module and noticing where I am in relation to that may seem like a daunting task. However I found that just by writing "I am" statements is a great motivator. I found that setting both long term, short term and daily goals can be so much easier when I set my values and what matters most in my life. 

I admired this quote by President Thomas S Monson:

"Vision without effort is daydreaming; effort without vision is drudgery; but vision, coupled with effort, will obtain the prize."

Here are few notes I took as I studied the lessons this week.

From: How Will You Measure Your Life by By Clayton M. Christensen.

First, how can I be sure that I’ll be happy in my career? Second, how can I be sure that my relationships with my spouse and my family become an enduring source of happiness? Third, how can I be sure I’ll stay out of jail?

“Doing deals doesn’t yield the deep rewards that come from building up people.” How Will You Measure Your Life by By Clayton M. Christensen.

The choice and successful pursuit of a profession

is but one tool for achieving your purpose. But with

-

without a purpose, life can become hollow

“If you study the root causes of business disasters,

over and over you’ll find this predisposition toward

endeavors that offer immediate gratification. If you

look at personal lives through that lens, you’ll see

the same stunning and sobering pattern: people al

-

locating fewer and fewer resources to the things they

would have once said mattered most”

Tom Kelley “Do What You Love”

What are you good at? What are you born to do? What will people pay you to do? Who will you work with?

Think about this intersection?

Jim Collins told his story of finding what he was “born” to do. Working at HP he wasn’t happy so he started keeping a journal and then found that he should go into systems thinking.

Jeff Hawkins “Effective Choices, Not longer days.”

You can be effective without working hard, make one decision every day that is better than its competitor. Any company can do better by making better decisions, not necessary working really, really hard.

Sharon Mays “How can one Woman’s individuality cause the fast food industry to turn a new leaf?”

“either do it or stop talking about it”

“It takes that belief in yourself and your business.”

“The only thing that can stop you is you.” “Find your dream and give it life, you never know where it is going to take you.”

Jim Richie “Take Control of Your Life -Launching Leaders - Lesson 3

Network, Network, Network.

3 Principles for succes

1. The Tri-quation
2. The productivity pyramid
3. A personal constitution

The Tri-quation

Self esteem, productivity, event control

The productivity pyramid

Foundation: Governing Values, Long Term Goals, Short Term Goals, Daily Tasks.

Personal Constitution

Written Description of you

-I am format

Describe the values that make up the ideal you

Prioritize your values. Example, Integrity and financial independance.

“Follow your bliss, follow your blisters, and go forth and serve.” Jeffery Thompson, What is your calling in life,  June 1, 2010.

I took the liberty to watch again the talk by Jeffery Thompson ‘What is your calling in life’ I was inspired by this quote and explanation that he gave “Follow your bliss, follow your blisters, and go forth and serve.” I made the captioned picture above so I could share it with my friend on social media. They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I figure I have already posted the word requirement for this assignment with just the one picture. J

This teaches a simple yet true principle that hard work is necessary. This understanding really lead into the topics discussed this week. The formula for success called the ‘Formula and Happiness’ by Jim Richie left a very powerful impression on the importance of this.

What I learned:

Plan to Happiness:

1.     Get up early.

2.     Work hard.

3.     Get your education.

4.     Find oil.

5.     Make your mark.

6.     Prepare to serve / give back.

Regarding this plan Richie pointed out that you could “conquer the world with these principles,” and that was in regard to the three-step plan from the oil tycoon J Paul Getty. Get up early, work hard, and find oil. He then adds three additional points he gained through missionary service from David B Haight. Get your education, make your mark, and prepare to serve /give back.

Richie describes finding oil as a “product, idea, or service that multiples their skill set in such a manner that it truly becomes their oil of success.”

Jim Richie leaves is promise that if we follow and apply these steps they will work for each of us. He shares his inspiring story, and it leaves me with the hope that I could also apply these things.

What I have not yet learned:

There still remains in me doubt and skepticism.  I’ll work it out as I apply these principles in and day out. I’ll leave with one last thought on integrity from the talk by Sheri L. Dew, she shares this story of President Joseph F. Smith. In the recent shooting in Oregon, the man asked the college students their religion and then killed them if they responded that they were Christians. A few comments have been put up what would you do if you were in that situation. I think I’ll take some wisdom from President Smith here as follows:

An incident in the life of President Joseph F. Smith bears out this point. In the fall of 1857, the nineteen-year-old Joseph F. was returning from his mission in Hawaii, and in California he joined a wagon train. It was a volatile time for the Saints. Johnston’s Army was marching towards Utah, and many had bitter feelings towards the Church. One evening several hoodlums rode into camp, cursing and threatening to hurt every Mormon they could find. Most in the wagon train ran and hid in the brush. But Joseph F. thought to himself: “Shall I run from these fellows? Why should I fear them?” With that, he walked up to one of the intruders who, with pistol in hand, demanded, “Are you a Mormon?” Joseph F. Smith responded, “Yes siree; dyed in the wool; true blue, through and through.” At that, the hoodlum grasped his hand and said, “Well you are the [blankety-blank] pleasantest man I ever met! Shake hands, young fellow. I am glad to see a man that stands up for his convictions” (See Gospel Doctrine, 518).

And so the gospel stands with me, “Yes siree, dyed in the wool; true blue, through and through.”

There was a man who spent many years studying the foremost issues of his time.

One day, one of his teachers turned to him and said, “What are you going to do

with your life?” The man was stunned for he loved this teacher and admired him.

He had never felt such pressure from his teacher before. Stammering, this man

replied, “I don’t know. Finish my studies and get a good job, I suppose.”

“Get a good job,” his teacher repeated. “This is a phrase I have often heard. It is the single worst choice of your generation. Happiness is unlikely to come to the mind whose goal is to ‘get a good job.’”

“Son,” this wise teacher asked, “would you be interested in some specific advice from an old man who wished he had your youth and energy?”

“Of course, Doctor.”

“Look around you. Take a fresh, hard, and uncompromising look at life as you see it. Ask this question, ‘What needs to be done?’ When you have an answer, and it may take some time to get it, then go and do what needs to be done. Do it better than anyone else does it and the world will beat down your door for your help. Then you will not need ‘a good job’; and you will have more than a career. You will have a mission.”

The teacher was noted scientist and inventor R. Buckminster Fuller. The student was J. Zink.