What happened to January?

I looked a the calendar today and was floored to realize that it was January 26th!  January is typically a slow month but I have had so much going on with school and work that this month has literally flown by.  I have decided that the more strongly I pursue my educational endeavors, the crazier my life seems to get.  I suppose that this is my own version of a refiner's fire.  I need to prove to myself just how badly I want this education and I need to get used to the crazy in my life if I ever want to start my own business!

Through all the craziness of the week, there were some things that have been helpful.  Here are a few things I learned from this week's materials:

"Why Are Ethics Important?"  Frank Levinson

The thoughts he presented are easily summed up in one simple phrase, "Never compromise on ethics."  There is always a right way and a wrong way to do things.  As I look back on my time with my current employer, I'm amazed at how many times I have seen questionable ethics at play.  They are never really blatant wrong doings, but more like simple compromises.  It is possible to see how those simple compromises can lead to outright unethical behavior.  I have promised myself that I will never compromise my integrity or personal ethics to advance my career or my business.  

"Action Hero Ken Zolot"

It was really interesting to listen to this interview with Ken, a successful entrepreneur and educator.  The information he shared that I found to be most useful was the list of questions that a successful entrepreneur should ask concerning a new business endeavor.  

• Who cares?
• Why do they care?
• Who are these people?
• What are they going through in their lives?
• What is the real problem you are solving?

As I have contemplated the idea of starting my own business, I am often left wondering where to start.  I feel like this list of questions is a great starting point as I try go decide the direction to take.  This list definitely coincides with information I recently heard on a business podcast called, "Business Boutique."  It was explained that today's average customer doesn't care why you're in business, they want to know what problem you are going to solve for them with your product.  This confirms that I definitely need to create a product a service that will help my customer's lives.

"The Formula and Happiness" Jim Ritchie

This six part formula that Jim presents is so simple that it doesn't seem like it would produce results, but I know otherwise.  Here are the six simple steps:

1. Get up early.
2. Work hard.
3. Get your education.
4. Find oil.
5. Make your mark.
6. Prepare to serve and give back. 

I have worked on parts of this list at different times in my life and can definitely tell that working those steps can lead to success.  Right now I am working on getting my education.  I wish I would have completed this step when I was younger, but it is never too late to learn.  My husband and I are currently working on making our mark so that we can prepare to serve and give back when the opportunities present themselves.  

This week has taught me more about time management than I ever thought possible.  After returning from my work trip, I found myself with a late start to my weekly school tasks.  I have found myself waking up early and staying up late this week to get it all done.  It's been difficult but worth it, even if I didn't realize what the date was today!  I am enjoying my classes and being able to immediately apply what I've learned into my current job.  I am definitely looking forward to learning more!