This week in my studies in entrepreneurship, I watched a speech given at Brigham Young University - Idaho on entrepreneurship. I am not sure who the speaker is, what his background was, or when the speech was given. However, it is titled “A Hero’s Journey” and I found some interesting perspectives on his experience with being an entrepreneur, as well as experiences of others that he has known that he shared. Here are some of my key takeaways:

• Although we might not feel like we have what it takes and we might not be sure where to go to become entrepreneurs, you have what it takes.
• Faith in God should be as essential in your professional pursuits as it is in the rest of your life.
• Consider what you can contribute. Ask people what you do better than anyone else in the world. This can help you find your God given gifts.
• The input of others can be very helpful in considering where our path can take us. What kind of path do we want to create?
• An entrepreneurial journey should be founded with “guard rails” that constitute your morals. You should determine and define things that you will never do so that if temptation comes, you have already made the right decision long ago. Do not let the success of entrepreneurship allow you to go down the wrong path.
• It’s not about you, it’s all about you.

This is an interesting phrase that seems to go directly against itself. The speaker explains it this way: it is not about your happiness or any other selfish motive. However, it is all about what you give and contribute to the world. It is all about the change that will take place within you as you seek to provide and give without considering yourself or what you can get out of the process.

• The speaker discusses the difference between and examples of the fool’s journey and the hero’s journey. A fool will wait for the path to show up so they can take it. The hero will place the steppingstones in front of them that lead to where they want to go.
• He also discusses acknowledging people and other blessings in your life and showing gratitude for them. I think this can go a long way. It reminds me of how God is involved in our lives each day, though he can not physically be with us in this life. However, as we look for the work of His hands, we will see the many miracles he is working on each day. We are more likely to expect good things to happen to us. I believe that with this sense of optimism we will achieve positive things.
• Become rich not by earning vast amounts of money, but by spending less than you make. As you do so, you will build a strong financial base while not wasting your time on things that don’t matter. Spend time where it counts.
• I really like a quote from Lord Acton, the Victorian scholar of freedom that he shared: “A wise person does at once, what a fool does at last.” I think this goes to show the value of setting priorities well. It also speaks to the point of not waiting to do the right thing. He goes on to point out that both people in this quote do the same exact thing, but they achieve different results because of how and when they went about doing it. If you don’t start now, then when will you?
• He concludes by quoting the scripture in Matthew: “Well done, my good and faithful servant”. Which path will we choose? The path that leads to what we want in the moment, or the path that puts us where is best, which is the path God would have us on?