Attitudes & Priorities

So this week we talked about priorities and responded to a couple of mini case studies where we were asked to share how we would best handle it.  Each case study set the family against a career choice.  While I qualified my answers somewhat I believe that we should always put our family's needs first.  However I did qualify one scenario with the family also needing to understand and accommodate the work needs too.  We need to keep our family in the forefront of our mind when making large decisions but sometimes our job just requires us to place its needs first to endure we have a job tomorrow.  The other aspect we looked into was our attitude towards money.  I have never had a strong need for a lot of money.  I prefer memories to things and the thought of cleaning a large home has me dreaming of a small 500 square foot shack.  I like less because then I have more time for memories.  I am not sure if this attitude truly effects the way I live since I don't have a lot of money to begin with but I don't miss not having a lot of stuff so I guess it does.  I am not sure if this will lend to my prosperity but then if I view relationships and experiences as valuable then it means I am more prosperous the more I do, I guess.

Dreams

This week I completed a paper on an interview I had with a friend and entrepreneur.  My friend has had an incredibly successful career as a private investigator and real estate investor.  He is driven, talented and humble.  He is the first on to say he is not the smartest person in the room but brags he knows where to find the smartest people and work with them.  He was a pleasure to interview and had many of the same things to say that the course material this week shared.  Throughout this course several recurring themes have been brought up.  To be successful you need to have a dream, make a plan, press forward, working hard and always look to the Lord for guidance.  It was reassuring to hear my friend share many of those same ideas and thoughts.  Being successful is attainable you just have to be willing to put in the time and effort.

Leadership with a small "L"

This weeks lesson material focused on leadership.  There were many great articles and videos discussing how to be a great leader but the one that stood out tome the most was Elder Bednar's talk about being a small "L" leader.  It is so easy to be the kind of boss that barks orders and hands out praise and punishment in equal measure but Elder Bednar presented an much more Christ-like leadership style that I think, if used by business men in general, would lead to an industrial revolution.  The simple concept of leading by example.  The idea that you do not ask anyone to do something you yourself have not already done.  Sharing you time, talents, and resources to improve not only yourself but those around you.  It is such a foreign concept to the business environment and relegated to the religious circles that businesses miss out on the chance to change, maybe not the whole world but, the entire dynamic of their company and quite possible those companies they associate with.  How much better would not only the employees perform but those in decision making rolls if we were small "L" leaders.

In for the Long Haul

The lessons presented this week in a couple of classes have focused on staying the course or digging deeper.  Somehow this was an inspired course curriculum as half way through the week I was informed of my younger sisters death.  I lost all focus for a couple of days and had no interest in any outside work needs.  I simply did not care.  In the back of my head I knew I had obligations that needed my attention and it was that knowledge that I needed to dig in and get myself through it that kept me from completely shutting down.  I have done most of my work looking through water and needing to reread everything to make sure it made sense but I persevered.  I can not say I will be as good at it next week as we travel to and attend her funeral but for today as strange as it may sound my lesson material got me through to the end of this week.