Together forever

What stood me out this week from all the articles I was able to read was the importance of planning and willpower to achieve whatever we have set for ourselves. It’s so important to always remember what we have set in order to stay in the path. That is the self-mastery principle taught by President N. Eldon Tanner. Also I will like to remember the importance of certain elements provided by Heavenly Father to stay in that path. And those elements are the members of my family, my wife and daughters.

This gives me such a profound, deep meaning to my temple and baptism covenants and tells me how important these priorities are in my life, my Lord and my family. I will always remember whatever I set to myself is first to please them all and later for me. I know that is what will bring me true happiness. The relationship I hold between them is eternal and at the end we are part of this one group with only one purpose: To live all together forever with everlasting happiness. So every goal I plan must always be present Heavenly Father and my family. If I fail to include any of them in my planning, then the goal is not a proper one.

"Faith without works is dead..."

This week, through the story “Spreading Happiness”, I was able to learn and confirm something I have always had in my mind: When you follow your passion there is nothing bitter or heavy to perform; everything is delightful and everyday a beautiful day to be lived.

Another that really hit me was something stated in the “Are Successful Entrepreneurs Born or Made?” article, which was how entrepreneurs saw money, something not in their top priorities. That goes against most of the people in the world believe, they tend to think entrepreneurs are all about money at any cost, but as it is declared in the text, “some even felt that excess riches were more a burden than a blessing”.

Finally, the key ingredients to become a successful entrepreneur presented in the mentioned article tell me a lot about the type of person I must be, a determined person with skills. But, in the end, I totally agree that character is the most important character to accomplish anything. Skill without character “is dead” just like faith without works. The most skillful people in the history will not make it at all if they do not have the resolution to act and proceed with purpose to achieve whatever they have set for themselves.

"...Fear thou not; for I am with thee"

I know in my book report I am supposed to leave my impressions regarding “The Ministry of Business” but I really want to keep track of this entrepreneurial journal and I must say, what an awesome book I just read! I will make sure I read it a lot of times in order to truly embrace all the principles taught in this masterpiece. Now having said that, I will proceed to answer these following questions:

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?  

R. I have the trust that my people, those who really love like my family and friends will help me to set me back to the road and even start again the persecution of my dreams.

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?  

R. I truly want to avoid any suffering caused by my actions to my wife and daughters. I would never forgive myself if because of my failure they have to undergo difficult situations.

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?

R. This is why I will follow my dreams anyway. Because I know the best things in life are behind this wall of fear. I know, I truly do. I want to be able to look back and say “it wasn’t that bad” and keep going and defeat whatever gets in my way. I need to make sure the Lord is on my side, so living the commandments to stay always worthy is the key element to achieve whatever I have set to myself. 

"...the nobility of the resources used"

This week I learned so many things. Sometimes, and I will say this in a very humble way, you think you know enough to be saved, like you had achieved certain level of maturity, but no, there is still so much more to get. I remember this saying from President Gordon B. Hincley, “a truly educated man never ceases to learn”. And this week I have seen this in my life once again. What an awesome book is “The Ministry of Business”. I love how this book shows how anyone can be successful in life just by keeping the commandments and following simple, specific but determinant steps. This relates to the next message I, “Making a Living a Life”; to go out and provide service to anyone in my path as a final step of becoming truly successful. And finally, the way we achieve this always has needed to be through clean, righteous means, which is what Sister Dew. Actually this reminds me what a soccer coach said, Marcelo Bielsa, "Do not let failure destroy your self-esteem. When you win, the message of admiration is so confusing, you are so stimulated by loving yourself and that deforms so much. And when you lose, the opposite happens. There is a morbid tendency to discredit you, to offend you, only because you lost. In any task  you can win or lose, the important thing is the nobility of the resources used”.