Intro to Entrepreneurship Week 4

This week included a lot of personal refection. What do I want to be? Who do I want to be? How do I want to live? How will I become all of these things? What am I afraid of that is stopping me? How do I overcome these fears?

I made a Personal Constitution. It is an evolving statement of my plans and how to get there. I am posting it here for accountability.

Personal Constitution

Other people see me as a much better person than I see myself. I’d like to feel like I deserve their accolades. Some of my “I am”s are that I am honest and have integrity. I am happy and joyful. I am successful and self-reliant. I am giving and serve others. I am an early riser. I am organized. I am a person who loves to exercise. I am a college graduate.

My short term goals are to graduate from college. I started in college over 25 years ago with a hapart the first semester and I went one more on a loan and had enough left over from the loan to take two night classes in a third semester. I have always wanted to go to school so when Pathway came along I could afford it and I could do it from home. My second short term goal kind of clashes with first. I will go to bed earlier. Some nights it just doesn’t happen. My third short term goal is to find a mentor. I have secret mentors that have no idea I watch them and want to learn from them.

My first long term goal is kind of different but I feel like it is very important. It is to always remember my I will nevers. I think that is imperative if we want to succeed that we have a line that we won’t cross and remind ourselves often of where and what those lines are. A second long term goal is to reach a point of self-reliance that there is enough residual income to support our family and future grandchildren and still be able to have enough to serve others. When you do not have the financial means to take care of yourself, you are not able to help others like you want to do. It’s kind of like the oxygen masks in the plane. You have to put yours on so you are capable of helping others put theirs on. My third long term goal is to become someone’s mentor. I want to be an example to others and to help pull others up the mountain.

There are several daily tasks that I’m lacking. In fact, I’m not good at doing any of these. I am going to strive to read my scriptures daily, say my personal prayers, put forth effort in my exercising at least 3 times a day, read daily in helpful/improvement books, and declutter a few minutes a day so that I can become organized.

I am going to fine tune this Personal Constitution when I get some time. It was a great motivator to think about what I want and how I’m going to get there. The Ministry of Business said to give someone a copy of your Personal Constitution but I’m going to post mine on my blog as my accountability. 

I also had to look at my fears. here are the answers to the reflection on them. 

Reflection Questions 

After you have completed the learning experience, record your observations to the following questions in your journal. 

1. If you pursue your calling with discipline, intentionality, and the help of fellow travelers, what are the chances that your worst case scenario will really happen? Most of the time our worst case scenario will never happen even if we aren't diligent about pursuing our callings. When we have discipline, intentionality, mentors and like minded partners there is an even better chance of everything turning out okay. 
2. As you look at your list of fears, what themes emerge? What is at the core of what you really fear? Financial ruin? The judgment or disapproval of others? Physical harm? Endangering the ones you love? Embarrassment? My fears have a theme of embarrassment. I also see disapproval of others too. 
3. What is the risk of taking no action – not following your calling? How do you plan to deal with fear when it pops up on your entrepreneurial journey? If I don't take any action I'm going to be stuck in the same rut I've been in for my whole life. I need some direction. When these fears pop up, I'm going to turn to my supporters who I hope are my family, partners in business and my mentors.