Is Allison Really An Entrepreneur?

This week I did a book report on George Leonard's book, Mastery.  As I was looking back over the book and the things that I learned, I am really grateful for his focus on the journey of life.  I am someone who sometimes looks forward to events, or deadlines, or performances.  When I ran my one and only half marathon I realized I am a person who needs landmarks.  I willed myself to keep going to the corner, then up the hill, then to the red house, etc. etc. Especially when I was so exhausted. Not once did I consider quitting, but I don't think I enjoyed the journey as much as I might have had George come along sooner in my life.  I really liked the idea that most of our growth happens on the plateau.  It's true, even with kids, you see they are growing, but it happens so slow you don't notice until at the end of summer, you take a double look because dang, somebody grew and although you live with them you didn't see it day by day.  I think this book hel...

This week I think the thing that really grabbed me the most was a video of Jan Newman.  He talked about the importance of making sure we keep the priorities of our family and our faith in the forefront of our lives no matter what happens.  He said shortly after he started his company he was called to be a Bishop, then in a Stake Presidency.  He mentioned if you are too busy to fulfill a calling for the Lord something is wrong.  I really appreciated that perspective.  I interviewed a small business owner last year for one of my classes.  She owns, "The Bolt quilt shop" which is a small little business in a strip mall.  As soon as I walked in the door, I got excited, but during our interview I realized that business was her life.  She wasn't married or had children, she appeared to be in her late 60's and was a very kind, quiet woman.  As we talked I realized she was married to her business.  For the first time in my educational pursuits o...

Jeff Sandefer has written a book, and given a speech at BYUi about the Hero's Journey.  A few of the things he said really caught my attention.  He teaches at a school called the Acton School of Business and he said they guarantee their students three things, that they will learn how to learn, that they will learn how to make money, and that they will learn to make meaning.  I love that he said that most of the students are drawn to the school to learn to make money, and years after when they talk to them, they almost brush that aside as they discuss how to make meaning.  It strikes true to me, what he says about not waking up at 50 and finding you have wasted your life.  Or the sad observation that time spent with a young child's life is fleeting and doesn't come around again.  I loved how honest he was about his own losses and the personal failures he has been through and how it made me think of the quote, "no other success can compensate for failure in t...

This week I had two assignments that required serious introspection.  One of them inspired by the Launching Leaders series (James Richie) has to do with writing your own Personal Constitution.  Basically you take the time to establish what your core values are.  You determine what is most important to you and you build on your foundation of beliefs a document that talks about the kind of person you want to be.  You are supposed to use "I am..." in your statements.  You then work through the productivity pyramid as you plan long-term goals, short-term goals and daily tasks to help you become the person you really want to be.  I didn't have any problems determining what is most important to me, or what I value the most and who I want to become.  My biggest problem with this assignment was making "I am statements".  I have serious problems with this.  I have a hard time saying I am anything.  I try to do many things, good things, but I have...