Last Lecture

Starting out in this class I thought that I was just going to learn about how to start a business.  What I didn’t realize was that I would be coached into really looking into myself and examining what was important to me and what I was willing to do about it.  To me, having my own business is about freedom; freedom to use my gifts and talents in a way that will involve and bless my family.  I realized this as I was taking the class.  Yes, it would be fun to have my own business, but I had to analyze what my end goals were and if this endeavor fit into those plans.

You are first going to need to decide what your goals are.  What would you like to accomplish, but more importantly, who do you want to become?  Seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost and seek to understand what you really want out of life.  Once you have decided what your end goal is, then decide if pursuing entrepreneurship would help you achieve that goal.  Clayton Christensen said, “The choice and successful pursuit of a profession is but one tool for achieving your purpose.” 

You will need to set up guardrails along the path that you take.  These guardrails, or rules, ensure that you stay true to yourself and you don’t compromise what is most important to you.  Take care in choosing your companions on your journey - people that will help you along as you strive to reach your goals.  It’s important to choose your companions wisely because you will become like them.  Make sure that they build you up, are honest and have integrity – and be sure that you are this kind of companion as well.  Create time and space to cultivate your family relationships.  Randy Haykin shared, “I always felt that if all success means is an unhappy family or divorce situation or kids that can’t relate to you, then what is the purpose of having gone through this?”  By staying within your guardrails, choosing your companions wisely and making time for your family, you will stay balanced on your trek to success.

Remember that as you continue on your journey, it won’t be in a straight line.  There will be many turns along the way and that’s why it’s so important to involve God in all of your life plans and decisions.  The Spirit can give you comfort when things get difficult and you wonder if you should keep going.  When you reach these forks in the road, you will be able to find guidance to help you continue in the right direction.  Sometimes you will make a mistake or may not get the results that you were expecting.  When this happens, don’t get discouraged. Randy Pasch stated in his last lecture, “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.”  You can use your failures to learn and come back stronger.

As you pursue your goals and even after you have reached many of them, don’t forget to give back.  God gives us great blessings along the way and these were never meant to be hoarded.  He wants us to share our gifts, talents, experience and financial resources to build others up, wherever we can.  Being able to give back to others will give us great fulfillment – it may even surpass the joy of reaching the goals we set out to accomplish in the first place.