Quote of the week: 
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
Ecclesiastes 

Measuring the Cost: Life Balance
This week we read two case studies that helped me examine the cost of putting carrier over family and sometimes not choosing family things over the responsibilities of work and career.  Sometimes real life gets in the way of everything being fun and perfect.  This week I learned that balance and communication can help get through most trials.

The Secret to Happiness, is that I'm already quite happy.
This week I learned that there is a difference between being happy, fulfilled and satisfied.  Most people are actually pretty happy, we are born that way, we work through problems and maintain a sense of happiness most of the time. Once we have achieved a basic standard of living, more things and more money doesn't really make us any happier. Sometimes we confuse enjoyment for satisfaction and we seek that enjoyment far too often and then our happiness can decrease.  I learned to find true satisfaction and fulfillment we must live a good life full of meaningful relationships and a search of things that are satisfying long term, not short term.

Formula for Success

by President Thomas S. Monson

 First – fill your mind with truth

“I’d like to suggest that when we search for truth, we search among those books and in those places where truth is most likely to be found”

 Second – fill you life with service

From the Book of Mormon we learn, “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).

 Third – fill your heart with love

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me and the love Jesus offers you.

Dream Big Dreams

Quote of the Week:
"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." 
"If you can dream it, you can do it."
Walt Disney

This weeks topic was to Dream Big Dreams,  it was fun to hear people who had the courage to follow their dreams and hear about their successes and failures.
I interviewed a man who was named one of the top 35 entrepreneurs under 35 in the state of Arizona.  I learned so much from our interview and have some great take-aways as a result.
 When I asked him if he would have done anything different, he had this to say.

 " I would've brought on a partner sooner. I think partnerships, if done properly, can be really powerful.  I'm really proud of how open and emotionally intelligent our workplace is.. I would've done more of that sooner. I would swing bigger and take bigger risks.. time flies and there's no room for being too conservative! I would have been much more careful about hiring. The cost is super high for making a bad hire. I wouldn't have taken on customers just because they had money. I would be choosier with customers. Some people's money is greener than others.

I would have niched sooner. The more niche you are, the better the profit margins."

  

I loved the honesty about the risks of hiring bad employees and also the honesty about working with customers who aren't worth the money you may make.

My favorite quote from this interview is this, "I would swing bigger and take bigger risks, time flies and there's no room for being too conservative."

Taylor Richards of Taylor boats said, "You don't know how regular of a person I really am, do not over underestimate yourself.  If you will involve the Lord, you can do the impossible, you can do the amazing.!"

Disciple Leadership

Quote of the Week:

"People want to make a difference. Be as cynical as you like, but deep inside every

seemingly lazy and distracted person is an individual with rare gifts who longs to be

called to an important mission. It’s just that somewhere in life, through overbearing

or overindulgent parents or disinterested teachers, tyrannical coaches or uncaring

bosses, the passion for a job well done has been extinguished."

Developing the right habits, attitudes and instincts.

• Accept the mission and get started
• Be curious
• Immediately sketch out a plan
• Don't be afraid to ask questions
• Enlist help when needed
• Report back and show your work
• Underpromise and overdeliver
• Expect to make small mistakes
• Put results before schmoozing
• Replace the voices in your head with positive action

Leadership with a small "L"

1. Lead by Example
2. Lead with Vision
3. Lead with Love

Frank Levinson says, "Hire people who are nice"  People who are generally nice are most likely also ethical people.

1. See your life as a calling
2. Become world class at something
3. Find a deep burning need you care about
4. Surround yourself with good people and good role models.

Over Coming Challenges

Quote Of The Week:

"I would say to the House as I said to those who have joined this Government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.”Winston Churchill

This week I learned a lot about "hanging on and hanging in" life is never going to go the way we hoped, and we need to be ready for challenges and be prepared with tools to overcome those challenges.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave an address at BYU entitled "However Long and Hard Road" and encouraged students not to become discouraged but to give it your all as you move through challenges and setbacks.  Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.  And our of small things proceedeth that which is great.
Victory, Victory at all costs was Winston Churchill's call to motivate his people when they faced the ruthless Nazi powers.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland also taught in a video message about what he would tell his younger self if he had the chance. He would say, "things are going to be ok".  There are good things to come.

Stones in the Road

·    You can choose to see problems as opportunities, as challenges spurring new ways of thinking and personal growth

·    Pushing against the obstacles on your hero’s journey will help build mental, physical and spiritual muscle

·    How you reach your goal, what you do before the end . . . so that at the end of your journey you not only achieve something great but also become something great

The Giant of Despair

·      Keep your goal in mind, focus on your purpose, not on the present darkness

·      Seek for help from your companions, chances are not everyone in your life will feel discourage at the seam time.

·      A connection to the transcendent puts temporary problems in their proper perspective, devote yourself to prayer.

·      When you are in the valley of darkness, go on believing in the light

Fighting the Dragon

·      When this great fight comes, you will succeed only if you have prepared in advance for the moment.