Week 03 thoughts

I've always had this mindset that entrepreneurs are business people who are innovative, savvy, and visionary - something that was not me! People are my interest; I have no knowledge or experience with business! I took this Intro to Entrepreneurship class because I felt a prompting to do so. In the process, I am being led to examine my beliefs about myself, what I can and cannot do, and the self-imposed limits that I have because "I can't -..." (not enough money, time, I'm too old, don't know how to)

Again, at the start of the week with the lessons, I felt a little negative and overwhelmed. By the end of the week, I have faith and trust in the Lord's plan for me. Even if I don't open a business, it's ok. If I do that's ok too. There is something to be said about going through this process because the Lord has asked me to, and trusting the growth that will come because I am willing and going through the process. 

As I think of my dog groomer, a small business owner who works in a small room off of her laundry room, I am reminded that she is an entrepreneur! She is a normal person, like me. She has a skill that is marketable and useful. She fills a need in the community. She has a family with kids and a mortgage to pay. She is not particularly innovative, savvy, or visionary! I mean she had a small vision of opening her own small business, and through hard work has done that! If she can do a small business, surely I can too!

From the assignments and reading I really like the talk by Jim Ritchie and the Formula for Success:

He gives three points from J Paul Getty, then 3 points from David B Haight, and combines them into one. I will list them here, with the full quote about getting an education, since I've had several people recently tell me that getting an education isn't necessary.


"...J. Paul Getty concludes this three-part formula with one that at first read, I thought was so funny. He said get up early, work hard and three, find oil. At first blush, one can scoff at the simplistic rule of success until he thinks about the counsel. When we wake up to the fact that every successful person has discovered their oil, a product, an idea, or a service that multiplies their talent or skill set in such a manner that it truly becomes their oil of success. You could probably conquer the world with just those three principles alone. Get up early, work hard, and find your oil. As very few in your path will match such a work ethic and vision. But when you add the David B. Haight three-step action plan, you almost guarantee your future to be bright. What did he tell me that so impacted the life of myself, my family, my church, my community, and my successful entrepreneurial career?

One, he said, get your education. Get trained. Get all the education you can get. Pretty standard and straightforward. Good counsel. Number two make your mark. Use your education and training to be good at something. Maybe even great at something, maybe even the best at something. You need to outproduce your competition and be terrific at something. Again, great counsel.

But now comes the piece of counsel that you didn't get from the J. Paul Getty’s of life or from most career counselors, but is reserved to come from someone who has a much more eternal perspective as to your future. He very slowly and with power, looked me in the eye and said, Jim get prepared to serve. He was saying that no matter your faith or your perspective, that the real joy will come into your life when you have discovered your oil, use it to make your life a success story. And then with that power and success, discover the joy of giving back in the form of service and other charitable behavior.

Now let’s merge these two formulas into one. One’s still the same: get up early. Two the same: work hard. Three get your education, get trained. Four so you can find your oil. Five, so you can make your mark. Six so you can get prepared to serve or give back."


1- get up early

2- work hard

3- get your education, get trained

4- find your oil - a product, an idea, or a service that multiplies your talent or skill 

5- make your mark

6- serve or give back

I love this formula for success! I'm currently working on 1-3. As I seek, ponder, and pray about it, I have faith that the Lord will help find my "oil"! And then I can worry about 5-6.


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