Entrepreneurial Journal Week 14: Conclusion

 

• If you had one final lecture to share with a group of students on what you have learned from this course, what would you share?

 When you are aligned with the gospel you can know who you are and what your motivations are; this brings happiness. It will also take work. Randy Pausch was so influential for me this semester. To summarize, he taught that we can’t change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the game, so dream. You have permission to dream, and you should enable the dreams of others. Gordon B. Hinckley also said about our motivations: be true (as in honest). He used a medical student who cheats through medical school as an example, we don’t want that student to operate on us.

Tom Kelley shared the three circles and the example of a man named Jim using a journal, not of occurrences but of when he was at his best aka happiest. This journal (two years in the making) lead him to his career and allowed Jim to understand the three circles: What are you good at, What are you born to do, What will people pay you to do. 

 I also loved N. Eldon Tanner when he said (concerning self mastery) Stay on the straight and narrow to reach your goal. You must be disciplined to keep your goals and stay on the path. I appreciate him mentioning how we must accept restrictions and limitations on our path to achievement. This is not a punishment, but the process to victory. 

 I love the idea of staying on the narrow path. It's narrow because there are restrictions. These limitations can be seen as an irritant (i.e. I don't get to engage in...) but for me, I see it as the only way to being successful in life. God sets the parameters for victory and I choose to follow and apply those or not. This self mastery applies to business too.I feel power in my covenants. I feel bold in my future goal setting. I feel like I was handed a map and shown the way to where I want to go. I feel I know how to proceed to be happy. 

• What would be your last bit of advice to someone wanting to begin the entrepreneur journey?

In all your business endeavors, implement faith which is an action word; do something to help build the kingdom. Again referencing Randy Pausch, he said we often feel like we run into a brick wall, that wall in intended to keep other people out, not you. You have to show how badly you want the dream. Jim Ritchie expands this idea with his good habits, number four says we should have an attitude of win-win: we want to ‘win’ but not at the expense of others.

Sharon Mays was also inspiring when she said something like this: Maybe you don't know enough yet but you can learn. Learn from mistakes, learn to make things happen. 

Amar Bhide taught a concept that is brand-new to me. In the article 'How Entrepreneurs Craft' he said, studying analytics too much can be harmful. If opportunity is investigated fully it may no longer exist. So take action.

The idea that opportunities are lost when we overthink and over research them hits home for me. I am an over-thinker. I am afraid of risks. I have multiple examples in my life of lost and missed opportunities because I took too much time to consider them and all their risks. If I am to be a true entrepreneur I must balance the analytical side with the action side. 

• What words of advice, direction, or caution would you give him or her if you had only one chance to give your own last lecture?

Love: Show God you love Him most. People need to be shown love too! Family deserves our investment. Use your resources well, and worry about people becoming better, this builds the kingdom. Robert C. Gay spoke on entrepreneurship and consecration. This was meant for me, if nothing else in this class. Some of the influential things he said (quoting President Monson): God left the world unfashioned for us to work, God challenges us to solve with raw materials so we can know the joy of creation. Elder Gay expanded my learning in this way too, the resources in our power (flocks, acres, wealth etc) do they have power over us? Do we have more of these good things than our faith can stand? Our assignment is to use these resources to build the kingdom. We're not to labor for money, but to serve. So our commercial ventures are all about providing basic needs and then to rescue others.

The entirety of Clayton M. Christensen's article was fabulous. I can't begin to paraphrase his teachings so I'll simply share one that was important to me: Doing deals doesn't yield deep rewards, that comes from building up people.  

 Jan Newman beautifully said, the Lord doesn't need you to make money. He needs you to do your home teaching. 

Elder Holland taught we have a responsibility to bless the poor, in fact Christ himself was disadvantaged and impoverished. Poverty is the most widespread challenge in mortality (both physical and spiritual). 

 I have a firm testimony of God as my loving Heavenly Father. I believe he wants what is best for me and he intends to use my abilities to further His kingdom. To do that, I must gift God my 'will'. It's all I truly have to offer Him. By so doing, I must rely on the fact that God didn't intend on me coming to Earth to make money or be solely successful in business. He wants us to build the kingdom. That can take many forms including making profits to share those profits or create employment opportunities etc. It begs the question, is my faith strong enough to understand what and how to rescue and provide basic needs with the resources I have? And if I do it well, I can expect more resources to then pass along and provide to others. I felt like I understood the point of money for the first time in my life when he said these things and shared those examples. 

I have plans to get past the statistics of my financial circumstances and to love people better with what I can do to reach out and rescue. Muhammad Yunus said this (to paraphrase) People are trained to see things in the world a certain way. Our job is to look beyond, see a bigger picture. I understand deeper. And I look forward to implementing these ideas with better planning on my part.

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 13

     This week my favorite readings came from Thomas S. Monson. Years ago he spoke about an Attitude of Gratitude. I recall this was an impactful talk back then, but this time around it hit me differently. I am now a mother, a wife, and have several more decades of life under my belt. I favored the words Pres. Monson used to describe gratitude towards fathers. 

I miss my dad. He passed 2.5 years ago at this point. The years numb the pain, but that doesn’t mean it gets easier. Easy implies there are few difficulties, or no effort, it can even be defined as free from problems and worries (thanks Google). For the hurt and loss to be numbed simply reduces the feeling’s power. Hope has room to grow because of time...it creates space I guess. 

But I digress, gratitude for fathers: Fathers (involved, committed, and supportive fathers - like my dad and like my husband) sacrifice for the comfort of their children. They toil daily to provide. His thoughts are always concerned for the well-being of his family. Fathers have a tremendous work ethic. These sentiments struck me in a different way this week. Not because some one exceptional event happened, no. I believe it has more to do with noticing the daily.

I see the daily grind, the drudgery and routine that has manifested itself in the community. My street alone has been hit with emotional fatigue: the unexpected and tragic loss of Kiki and David…the empty house across my front yard. And the news of forecasted divorce next door. Will that also lead to an empty house? My husband’s invariable daily toil to provide, preside and protect. We’re tired but tenacious. We persevere and cling to gratitude and reliance on the Savior. 

There were so many other things I learned this week, but it feels almost trivial when I think about adding to these thoughts. So I’ll humbly leave the thoughts here and not expand. 

Entrepreneural Journal Week 12

     Charles Handy wrote an article titled “What’s a Business for”. I found most of the business jargon out of my league, but from what I could glean his article was about the downfall that the love of money can create for a society. To expound, he says based on the numerous scandals that the American market encounters, the market could could suffer. Economy requires rules that can be trusted. For example, if big name businesses are known for economic scandal, they won’t be trusted by the public and money won’t be exchanged for goods and services. Money from the people is what drives the growth of society’s wealth. Truly it takes money to make money.

Tying in what Larry Brilliant said in this week’s reading, we need to work as a community [to grow wealth] we’re all in this together! Put down the things that divided people, in this case it’s greed and pride that lead to an unreliable market. This is why integrity and virtue are so vital to the economy. For the community as a whole to survive on all basic human needs, we need to have an honest and trustworthy market to grow our wealth in. 

 

    We often treat business like it is a simple money making equation. However, it is a creative process that involves generating wealth so we can than do something better with it. Elder Holland said this same thing by quoting an all-time favorite Hymn, “Because I have been given much I too must give.” 

    

    Elder Robert C. Gay said this, “Our assignment is to use these resources in our families, quorums, or to build the kingdom, further missionary effort, genealogical and temple work, raise children as fruitful servants unto the Lord, to bless others that they may be fruitful.” Like Handy proposed, “It seems only fair that dividends be paid to those who contribute their skills as well as to those who have contributed their money.” I’ll wrap this theme up by saying it this way, we receive so we can give. 

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 11

 My attitude on money is that it is a tool; a tool to reach goals, and exchange work for items or services. I find money to be one of the most important tools available to us, not because the paper is all that impressive, but money symbolically represents freedom of choice. 

God’s plan of happiness hinges on agency, the ability to choose. When we have little money, or our debt to income ratio is unbalanced, then our choices are very limited. Although I don’t think God intends for us to ‘rich’ like the world sees it. I do think God’s plan includes everybody having enough, and that would mean a better distribution of wealth on a world level…I don’t see that happening until Christ comes again. In fact, to paraphrase one of the most poignant statements in ‘Attitude on Money’ by Stephen W. Gibson: The kind of person we are is revealed when we are in possession of excess money.  Speaking generally, so many of us are in great need of refinement and charity. 

My life is affected by my view of money as a tool. I’m practically obsessed with saving and having extra. I’m cognizant that I don’t care if I have more than another person-that means nothing to me. I care about having as much money as I think I need. I don’t want to have everything, I just want to be in control of my situations as a way to control my anxiety and lack of trust of people and world situations. 

Gibson suggests rules for prospering. He says:

Rule 1. Seek the Lord and have hope in him

Rule 2. Keep the commandments, that includes the temporal ones, tithing and fast offerings.

Rule 3. Think about money and plan how you can become self-reliant.

Rule 4. Take advantage of chances for learning so you will not be ignorant of these matters. Education, as President Hinckley has taught us, is the Key to Opportunity.

Rule 5. Learn the laws upon which the blessings of wealth are predicated.

Rule 6. Do not send away the naked, the hungry, the thirsty or the sick or those who are held captive.

To summarize, to prosper we must put God first. He shows us how to balance our needs next to another person’s needs. He gives us commandments that will guide us and show us how to be happy both temporally and eternally. Be thoughtful. Use money in a thought out and planned way. Be wise. Use opportunities to learn so we can more fully use our agency in this life. 

Gibson also shared this link, which I intend to read later. I’ll post it here so I don’t forget

https://www.the-academy.org/rules

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 10

 This weeks readings were focused on motivation and emotional responses to big dreams. Taylor Richards simply stated it this way, involve the Lord in your plans and don’t underestimate yourself. You can accomplish your goals. 

I’m a self saboteur. I’m pretty sure I’ve already mentioned that about myself. I tend to make choices that prevent my own accomplishments. I guess I’m afraid to know what I’m actually capable of. However,  Kathy Huber said something that really made sense to me. She mentioned in Action Hero, that entrepreneurs can take hardships and make something better out of it. We need to take setbacks and make something positive come out of it. Additionally, she said to use passion and joy and creativity to produce a product or service. I’m keenly aware of my shortcomings including my need to self sabotage, but even those hurdles I create for myself could lead to an innovative new path. 

Speaking of creativity, a strength I know I possess (even if this skill and talent hibernates at times in my life), Marissa Mayer presented this idea of the Google 20% time rule. 20% of an employees time is allowed for personal pursuits and projects. This lead to more than 2x the expected output from their employees, meaning it was a successful use of time assets. I love this idea of building with passion and momentum in a work setting. I think it speaks to the creative side of human beings. And I believe that there is an eternal principle in creating. Just look at God’s plan of happiness; the number of creations for our happiness and good came from a loving Father in Heaven. He is a creator. So part of our divine inheritance is to also be creators. Marissa Mayer’s point relates to the gospel too, the 20% rule in a company actually symbolized trust between employees and employers; trust to create and explore. God trusts us and we should trust Him. The plan of happiness requires a great deal of commitment and sacrifice but that doesn’t mean we can’t innovate while we are here. That innovation should serve and better the people around us too. 

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 9

 Most of my thoughts are still swirling around buying in on that franchise, same as my nephew Daniel. California has made it near impossible to do so…for example the annual cost of an LLC or the required electrician’s license or 4+ years working under one…Gross pay was about $40k a month in the state of AZ with a couple of employees…it makes me ask myself what the motivating factor is in this business venture.

I’m going to keep my motivations in mind as I consider the readings from this week. I like lists! I love when writing is organized by principles or bullet points while explaining a concept. So readings this week was great. President Kim B. Clark said these three principles make up a leader: Lead by example, with vision, and love. If I were to climb that preverbal brick wall (California) to buy into this franchise (Trimlight), how does that make me a leader? What are my motivations? Will owning and operating this business allow Christ’s influence to flow into the world (thoughts by Elder Bednar). 

Well, to process these thoughts even further I have to know why I like Trimlight. Part of my interest is fear; fear is not a part of being a good leader but I can’t deny I feel fear. With the LA fires this January the state is talking about a 30-100% increase in fire insurance. As a family of 7 on one income, I’m worried how we will survive even more financial burden. 

Another interest is in my children being provided an option for work in the future. If Trimlight was successful longterm we could provide jobs and potentially careers for one, some, or all my children. Plus we have several nieces and nephews who live here, they might could use a job. As for the product, I know Jim Ritchie and Jim Collins talked about a good leader needs passion for the product. I don’t know how passionate I am about Trimlight as a brand, but I do know I’ve always loved light. I think light is one of the most obvious and beautiful symbols in the gospel. It brings understanding, clarity, safety, and so much more. Trimlight isn’t really just a way to make money, it’s a huge benefit to providing safety. It can be used for homes to brighten the surrounding areas, it can be used on commercial buildings to guide or lead people to them. Or picture a school building out here in the mountain country, Trimlight would allow the building to stand out, keep the dark shadows literally and symbolically at bay. Nefarious works take place in dark shadows. Safe places need to stay safe places. 

This thought process seems to relate to Jim Ritchie’s higher ground. A good leader takes others with them to higher ground. We can raise the standard of how we treat people and where safe places are in this world. That can be done through any venture we engage in, even a company like Trimlight.

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 8

 I said in my class discussion board, resistance is one of my most difficult challenges. It has an affect on everything I think and do. I’m less sure of my decisions. I’m not convinced if my thoughts are swayed by social media or influenced by my real feelings. I second-guess most things.

 Near the beginning of this semester’s class we learned about a brick wall by Randy Pausch. That brick wall represents resistance. Randy said it was meant to keep everybody else out so the few could fight their way over the brick wall to achieve their dreams. Resistance is my weakness. When I run into a brick wall I’m convinced it was there to keep me out;  I even justify it by assuming that brick wall was placed there by God to keep me out and redirect me. Is it possible divine intervention is redirecting my path? Sure, possible and sometimes plausible but not always.

 Instead when things get tough and I feel abandoned or restrained I believe then is the time one should take a preverbal deep breath, count to ten, and persevere with optimism. I’m not yet sure how that is to be done. I do know the readings suggest there is help.

Help comes in many ways. Progress and optimism require support. President Monson said several great things in our reading assignment. He said when an individual experiences resistance (he described it as careless, selfishness, offended, wounded, critical, and transgressor) it is the job of the disciple to life, cheer, and calm.  To quote him, 

“We join in uttering the biblical plea “Is there no balm in Gilead?” We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. If you find yourself in such a situation, I plead with you to turn to our Heavenly Father in faith. He will lift you and guide you. He will not always take your afflictions from you, but He will comfort and lead you with love through whatever storm you face.”

Taylor Richards said it this way: Never quit. Kept doing right things (like Nephi) always involve the Lord. He opens doors for you. And don’t underestimate yourself. It is with the Lord we can do amazing things.  So if each of us works to be a supporter, an uplifter, and a positive influence for others, our own brick walls seem shorter. Our family, friends, spouse etc can be there to help us over that wall just like we are their to help them over theirs. And more importantly, so is the Lord. My favorite scripture comes from the Old Testament: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct they paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 7

 Stephen R. Covey has, at this point I’d call it an infamous book about the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. To paraphrase Jim Ritchie from Launching Leaders, when someone that knowledgeable condenses effectiveness and success into (only) 7 habits, we should listen and study!

From all seven habits, the most meaningful to me was the first. Be Proactive. I would love to believe myself proactive one day. Currently I am not - or at least according to my paradigm I do not see myself as proactive. 

**Side note, Covey defines paradigms as how we see and understand the world. This understanding is directly tied to our character. This is because of the way we view events and ourselves, it’s a road map to how we act. 

Anyway, I do not see myself as proactive, especially when Covey describes that characteristic as a self-starter and a decision maker. I have mini panic attacks daily because of the multiple decisions that are required of me from my children. 

Any decision from “what food will the toddler eat today? How can I pick the right choice without wasting food when he says yes to everything I offer?” To intense pressure to lead with “Mom, [insert sibling’s name] keeps [insert disagreeable choice]!” 

I am not proactive. I feel trapped in a corner over EVERY uncomfortable decision. I panic easily and anxiety riddles my body at every turn. So out of all the habits, I long to employ the habit of ‘Be Proactive’. 

Interesting to note, Covey says once we have mastered the first of his stated 3 habits, we graduate from being dependent, to independent. However, it is only through mastering the last habits 4-6 that you move from independent to interdependent. This state of working hand in hand with people is when we are the most effective. I’d say it seems to coincide with the gospel teachings of charity and the law of consecration. 

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 6

 I’m not a 100 percent-er. N. Eldon Tanner once spoke on self mastery and used this term to represent someone who is 100% in a chosen thing 100% of the time. Although I am committed to my covenants, my husband, and my family I am not a 100 percent-er as a general statement. Let me explain further: George Leonard the author of a book called Mastery described three distinct learning patterns from his students of aikido. These patterns he then determined, represent us in all of our paths of living. There is the hacker, the obsessive, and the dabbler. I’ll quickly describe what each learning pattern means and how it applies to me.

The hacker: once understanding the technique or skill of a thing, the hacker plateaus and is comfortable with stagnation. 

The obsessive: committed to fast, perfect results. The obsessive over does things and pushes too hard, they do not comprehend occasion for development and create a roller coaster life with deep falls. 

The dabbler: loves the dream and idea of newness, but fervor declines quickly and they move on to the next dream or subject to engage in that opportunity. The dabbler doesn’t actually want to change, but rides the rush of adventure. 

When I say I’m not a 100 percent-er, I think I have all three of these learning patterns that were described by Leonard. I often dabble or hack and occasionally obsess into my life plans. I expect to do 50% of a thing and somebody else to meet me half way (they do the other 50%). For example, I’ll rinse all the dishes in the sink, but won’t proceed to put them in the dish washer. The dopamine has stopped, so I stop the task! I need somebody else to do the other 50%, in this example, put the rinsed dishes into the machine to be sanitized. 

Being this way leaves a lot of room for improvement. However, on the positive, I believe being a ‘meet half-way’ persona makes me emotionally flexible, more agreeable, less contentious, open mindset and more. 

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 5

 A hero’s Journey. No author name for the speaker was given. He spoke for 22 minutes about destiny and changing the world through entrepreneurship. He wove a tale that began where most of us begin: self doubt. He said we often think ‘do I have what it takes to succeed’. He proceeds to share some insights on how to move past the initial self doubt we humans experience. We should hold on to our desire to change the world. And we need to stop worrying about the wrong things. We were challenged to ask 10+ people who we consider to be role models. Interview them about their triumphs, regrets, lessons they wished they had learned and applied sooner etc. The speaker than shared what those interview commonalities were.

So what really matters in life? I love how the common themes from the experienced role models (people over 60 years of age had enough life experience to share life lessons worth listening to) were summed up in three questions:

1. Have I contributed something meaningful?
2. Am I a good person?
3. Who did I love and who loved me?

These themes are a simplified yet profound road map to good living. It provides purpose and direction that is worth study and execution. If we are to do something meaningful with our lives it needs to make a contribution to us, to the world, in a positive way. This means we need to focus on a passion and it needs to use our special gifts, yet we need to remember this is a business class, it also has to tie into making a living. 

For example, I just love this quote he says: “…people would pay a great deal to watch Michael Jordan play basketball, but not a red cent to watch him play baseball.” I probably love this because I’m a child of the 90s and it makes sense to me.  We need to have focus. We need to stick to a calling that fits our special gifts if it is to be meaningful.

Additionally, I love this thought from the speaker: concerning our meaningful contribution. He said a calling must serve others but it also must matter to us. Ask yourself, what problem do you feel you were put on this earth to solve? I still don’t know what this means for me. I’ll need to ask my role models some questions first I guess. 

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 4

 It’s been another great week for learning. This semester’s class emphasizes focus on who we are as individuals and how that applies to business. Tom Kelly shared some thoughts that were most poignant for me. He began by quoting Francis Ford Coppola “Do what you love. You’ll be better at it.”

 He then shared Jim Collins ideas about three circles: What are you good at, What are you born to do, What will people pay you to do. Let me expound; Tom Kelly emphasized this idea that the first circle (what are you good at) lives the curse of confidence. Just because you are good at something does not mean you are meant to do it. You might be the fastest typist in your class he says, but that shouldn’t be the reason you become a data entry professional. There are people who are born to do some things. You’ll know it, not because you’re the best at it, but because it makes you happiest when doing that function. Using our typist analogy again, this means that if you’re the fastest typist you know, and you are in a state of flow (fully immersed in the activity) feeling passion and fulfillment while typing, then you are born to be a typist. Last, you need to do something that others will pay you to do. You might be the best typist and in the zone when you do it, but if nobody will pay you to do that job you’ll need to move on.   

Jim Collins was referenced for using a journal as well, not of occurrences but of when he was at his best; when he was in the zone and feeling fulfilled. This was his journal of being ‘in a state of flow’. This journal (two years in the making) lead him to his career. When did he feel at his best, happiest? When he was teaching and when he was working on systems. He did that for a time, until he eventually moved on to another calling.

Here are a couple of important points to me from this 5 minute video we watched in class. 

1. I should make better observations of when I feel fulfilled. I found a notebook and started writing in it last night. 
2. Jim discovered what made him happy and he turned it into a paying job. But equally important to me is that he didn’t feel trapped in that ‘calling’. He did that, felt fulfilled, but moved on and did something else too! I often feel trapped by the ‘one idea’. I love so many, many things-a little bit. I don’t love one idea or one thing a lot. So this brings me hope that I can find my calling and my calling can change over and over again. 

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 3

This has been my favorite week of study so far. Most of the study made sense to me, the worst being Frank Levinson. His talk kept using abbreviations that I didn’t know! So I was constantly pausing and looking it up in a new tab. How grateful I am for Google. This much casual access to the internet’s accumulated ideas was not available to me the first time I was at school. Just to name a couple examples of my searches: 

Define PO in business (purchase order) and Define VC in business (venture capital).

To speak more highly of Frank Levinson, I want to point out a couple of his must haves for a start up. One ideas was to have cheap furniture. He said spend everything you can on great people and great equipment. Customers will even ben influenced to spend more money on your product if they see you ‘need it’. Another idea he had that stuck with me was no pride. He went on to emphasize the importance of leaving pride behind as you work on a start up company. For example, when a customer trashes you or your product, use that information to fix it. Learn from that opinion and more forward in a positive way. 

I have to mention how impactful Lynn G. Robbins address was for me. He used Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’ in several examples of good business and good living go hand in hand. He said, “The motives that drive people are the hinges upon which major outcomes swing”. He then used Ebenezer Scrooge as an example of a ruthless businessman, when his motives were money and pride. But throughout the story, he experiences a change of heart. His motives changed and he became a charitable and more honest human being that affected the well being of his employees, his community, and himself. 

Lastly and equally as impactful for me was Sister Dew’s talk on integrity. To summarize a thought she had: Do you care if the professor is fair? Do you care if your banker is honest? Wouldn’t you like to know your surgeon didn’t cheat his way through residency? Do you care your date/spouse tells you truth about their life, past, feelings etc? I do care. And I care how other’s view my integrity. I strive to be honest, and kind, and to do what I said I would do. I recognize my imperfections in this endeavor, but I strive and work towards integrity just the same. 

Entrepreneurial Journal Week 2

 Randy Pausch achieved so many of his childhood dreams. It makes a person wonder why and how. Thinking about his last lecture I’ve pulled some thoughts about his personality and want to make note of some attributes that he suggests make achieving goals a reality. 

Randy was tenacious. He believed a person should never give up. He lived a full life of fun and happiness, no matter the circumstance. He believed in the analogy you can’t choose the cards you’re dealt but how you play your hand matters. He believed in hard work, I mean to say dreams are more than just thoughts, dreams are achieved by luck but luck takes work. He said of luck it’s the place where preparation meets opportunity. 

Randy also mentions several times this analogy of a brick wall. He said we run into a brick wall on our way to fulfilling dreams. That brick wall is meant to keep others out and for us to show how badly we want to achieve our dreams. 

I also found his thoughts about not fulfilling a dream inspiring. He said he learned more from not achieving the national football league dream. He also shared “at some point you just realize there are some things you are not going to do, so maybe you just want to stand close to the people.” I find this a marvelous quote as it relates to my own failed or lost dreams. 

I think dreaming is hope in its’ infancy and I believe it is crucial to mortality. Hope and goals (or dreams) is what makes getting out of bed worth doing. It provides purpose and drive and motivation to be happy. Randy thought that dreaming bridges cultures and makes the world a better place. I agree with him. Being hopeful and working hard towards good things really does make the world a better place. The key is to help and support others along the way. 

In my younger years I used to dream of being a professional ballroom dancer. I have no natural athletic ability, I never stuck with any dancing lessons, I simply wanted the talent and ability to naturally and magically come to me. So I don’t think this dream will ever come to fruition. However, I know that this desire grew when I was a senior in college; grew to the point I actually acted on it. I signed up for a basic ballroom dance class, loved everything I learned and later signed up for a fun-natured, one-day competition for novice dancers. It was thrilling! It was the closest I’ll ever be to that dream being fulfilled, and it was enough to make me happy.