Balancing Life

Creating a life of balance is a struggle because it is so easy to get caught up in one thing whether it is work, a new hobby, etc. When it comes to balancing life, it is really about setting priorities. We only have so many hours in a day. We have to decide what we do with each of those hours and minutes. At the top of my priorities is family, church, work, school, and fitness. If I balance my life, I should schedule these priorities first, and then fill in the spaces with other less priority items. Having a balanced life works together, because my relationships can affect how well I work or focus. It is important to remember that balancing my life will lead to more satisfaction.

Satisfaction also comes from overcoming challenges and trials. These are opportunities to learn and grow, and when they are over and we come out victorious, it brings an immense amount of satisfaction. I have learned to look forward to the next challenge, because it is an opportunity to grow. I may hesitate at first, because I know it will be hard, but I also know that I will be improved at the end. I think it can be said that good entrepreneurs have a well-balanced life and are capable of working through challenges.

Dream Big

Thinking about my dreams, what I want to accomplish in life, gives me energy and excitement that drives me towards accomplishment. Having an end goal in sight keeps us going, even when it gets hard sometimes. Dreams should not be vague, specific dreams keep it real and exciting. Saying that I want to be successful and have a family, is good and all, but doesn't get me through the hard times. Focusing on the right goals that are clear, and acting on it, will get me there.
Isn't it strange how the first steps are the hardest? But after you take them, it is easier to keep going after that? Getting up out of bed, going running, getting up out of a chair, etc. For me, getting that initial start gets me rolling, but it takes some convincing at first. I always feel like I accomplished something and feel good afterwards. The key is deciding upon something and then DOING it!

Loyalty and Leadership

Above all, I believe being an entrepreneur to me means being true to myself and being true to what I believe. Loyalty is, of course, a great character trait to have. What we are loyal to may also tell us what we really see as important in our lives. If I am loyal to God, people will know it, because I will live the way he wants me to live. I will be devoted to honoring him, pleasing him, and sacrifice things for him. The same can be said for our families, spouses, friends, and even our jobs. When we become loyal to the wrong things is where we can get in trouble. Petty things like TV, material things, etc. are examples of where my loyalty should NOT lie.
In order to be a leader, I need to convince people to be loyal to me, but not that they would be devoted to me. They would be devoting their time and energy towards the company, and I hope towards good values. Leadership is an important role, because people will be looking up to me as an example. Not that I want the attention, but I do want to be a good example and show people there is a better way to do things.

Overcoming Challenges

Challenges are... well, a challenge! If challenges were easy, then how would anyone ever learn. Challenges are opportunities for growth throughout life. At the beginning of life, there are many challenges we face, and they are placed right in front of us. We have to overcome them to progress, like learning to communicate (talk), learning to walk before running, and so on. Later in life, we seek after challenges like learning and competing in a sport, furthering our education, starting our own business, and so on. One reason I want to become an Entrepreneur is because I know it will be a challenge. It will be a challenge that I will be excited about, and I hope to learn as much as I can.
Challenges take effort to overcome, and sometimes I am tempted to not put forth the required effort, or to give up on a challenge. I liked Jeffrey R. Holland's advice to keep going, that good things will come. Life should be about embracing challenges instead of trying to avoid them. I hope when the time comes, that I will have the strength of character to embrace and endure those challenges that will help me grow and rise to the next level.

Moving Forward

It is important that I am always striving to move forward. There will be setbacks and lags, but as long as my general direction is headed towards progress, then I will feel successful in the end. My progress can only be initiated and controlled by myself. Within me is the characteristics I need to develop and strengthen to progress. Characteristics that I would like to hone in are: integrity, courage, virtue. I would like to be someone can say is capable of following through with a job and that is is done well. What I find exciting in life is the opportunity to become better and stronger in all aspects of life. This is only done when effort is port forth towards these goals.
I realize that I am only in the beginning stages of my career, and I still have much to learn. I see others who have advanced in their careers and are closer to retirement. Their experience has been amazing and rewarding although it may not have been easy. Ease is appealing, but does not yield much growth. I know that in order to be where those experienced veterans are, it will take overcoming hard things and being willing to accept challenges. I don't want to be one of those who retire with not much to show for it.