Perhaps, I am an emotional and passionate individual. At times it is easy for me to get caught up in the problems of the world and get a bit depressed. I feel that my aching desire to solve the problems and create, innovate, and solve problems at times can be a draining process. It the talk "Stand True and Faithful" by President Hinkley he quotes Shakespeare stating:

This had a lot of meaning to me. Who are you? Who am I? We each of a Light within us given to us by a loving father in heaven who is pleading to us to come unto Him so that we, in turn, may better understand ourselves. We are all children of the greatest Entrepreneur of all time, the innovator and organizer of resources and materials to make the very worlds we are existing on and around. We are the sons and daughters of the almighty God. So what does it mean to be true to this? In one phrase it may just mean live up to that heritage. How can you live up to it? Create. Organize. Love. Build. Innovate. Expand. Be an entrepreneur. 

The Mastery Of Me

In life we have to decide who we are going to be? Are we going to be who we are? Or are we going to master the hardest challenge/puzzle of all and take control of ourselves and become something more?  I have been engaged in quite a bit of self reflection ranging anywhere from personal debt to grades. I have been trying to understand the things that are hurting my chances for success and recognizing what/where I can change to better myself. There is a scene that haunts me daily and that is of being old dying with regrets.




So what are some of the things that I am going to do to not become the hopeless old man who has done nothing with his life? I think it requires what Stephen Covey teaches as a paradigm shift! If someone continues doing the same things but hope for different results is this not a form of madness? We must master ourselves and align ourselves with things that are truly important. While many might be asking social viral questions such as "What does the fox say?"



I hope to be asking a different question altogether: "What am I doing now to stay in permanent beta?"

Who am I?

 WHO AM I?


                         
I was inspired by the homework assignment from the video that challenged us to ask of the people who know us best this question :What do I do better than anyone else that you know? Here are my results:

Kortney Anderson (My Wife):  "You immediately think of possible solutions and bring in different angels to every decision... And you are better at being the cutest."

Launi Anderson (Mother): "What I've seen you do better than anyone else is make friends with absolute strangers... in minutes... sometimes seconds. It's a huge talent."

Rhen Anderson (Brother): "You, my friend, are a W.O.O. type of guy. In a good way, you "win others over."

Jillian Badger (Sister):  "When you have a strong conviction in something, you stand up for it even if no one else will."

Jacob Rosenthal (Brother In Law): "You are passionate about stuff and it often spreads to those around you."

Brian Nelson (Brother In Law): "I would say your positive attitude. The glass is always half full."

 Preston Slaughter (Friend): "Hands down story telling!"

Emily Sellars (Friend) : "You are the ultimate 'big bro'. You have the ability to speak to people, give advice, or address issues and really reach someone. (hope this makes sense.) You're smart, and take what you've learned or experience and use that as a method to help someone or give advice. Also, you demeanor is very calming, and comforting. Plus you're a total goof and love ya for it!"

Jared Stout (Friend): " I'd say you're very much a do it yourself kinda guy. If something needs to be fixed, you learn how to fix it. Most people I think would just hire someone or would give up, but when you put your mind to something you learn how to do it and then you get it done."

Create

Creation

I have thought a lot about the concept of "permanent beta." I have tried to quantify what exactly that requires an individual to do or become to acquire this state of being. Upon thinking about this I thought to myself "what prevent me from being in this state of being now?" 





The list that I came up with includes:


Vision
Vision is something that keeps individuals from staying within permanent beta because the world is ever changing at it can be very hard to know how to change with it. Vision requires imagination and the ability to envision a new world before it is created. Napoleon Hill taught "Whatever the mind of man can conceive it can achieve." One of the problems for business owners and entrepreneurs is that they become comfortable in their success or current position. Permanent Beta requires a bigger picture I would assume. I think this is a challenge because as the world changes the Niches change and your vision most definitely will need to mold and develop. Whatever your vision is you must continually grow that vision.



Working Smarter Vs.Harder

There is no doubt that hard work is very important and I will never down play this attribute. However, I think there is an aspect of working smarter rather than harder at times. I think there are plenty of people who work hard but I would not consider them being in permanent beta. I think an entrepreneur cannot resist change. 






The next thing I feel that would be needed is:

Passion




Though your melody may change your passion cannot. If you are doing something that you are passionate about than you will continue regardless of what masterpiece you are currently on. Without passion you are a slave who gets a pay check. You and I will need passion if we are to continually develop ourselves and our businesses.

There are many attributes but these are a few of the ones I have specifically been considering later that I feel are needed.

Your Dollars are Dirty?!?

Years ago, while on a stake visit, President Kimball interviewed a brother who was a grocer by trade.  I quote President Kimball,

“What do you sell in this store?’ . . . ‘Groceries and miscellaneous merchandise.’  ‘Your competitors sell other things including forbidden things, do they not?’  I asked.  ‘Yes, but we have felt it was not right. . . We lost trade, of course.  People leave our store and go to the other store and buy many dollar’s worth of groceries where they can get a few cans of beer or some wine, but we do not sell it.’  And I could not refrain from saying, ‘God bless you, my faithful brother. . . . Your dollars are clean.’”  (Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide 1984, p. 84)

 This story really strikes me as something I want to ponder more in my life. This idea of whether or not the money I have acquired is clean or dirty. We are raised and asked the question in LDS culture to answer the following interview question "Are you honest in your dealing with your fellow men?" The more I have pondered this story and in regards to some of the "ethical" questions I may have not cared so much about before I have realized that it does matter and it matters to me how I earn my money. I have never been dishonest in business knowingly. I truly feel this is a metaphor that all business majors and business individuals should consider.

Permanent Beta

Perhaps, it is because I am reading "The Start-Up of You" but I have been very intrigued by the concept of permanent beta. I think as an aspiring Entrepreneur this thought process of being in permanent beta is genius. In theory it is brilliant and I want to apply each and every moment. I want to be the most teachable person who learns from every experience and learns how to capitalize and turn coal into a diamond. Then I began to think more about this and thought to myself "Well DUH who wouldn't?" Maybe...Just Maybe... Permanent Beta is something that is very difficult to do. I believe this is something Entrepreneurs constantly have to work at. If it were easy I think the same people would always be on top and everyone would do it. I think it is human nature to become content and complacent. I think this is a skill just like patience that we might demonstrate from time to time but need to work at each and everyday to master.