Family and Entrepreneurship

I’ve become increasingly concerned about business and family life.  This week’s curricula, to include the lecture videos, shed some light on the balance needed to make sure that the entrepreneurial lifestyle doesn’t take priority above family and God.  Despite my qualms with my current job in the military, it does provide plenty of family time.  Living in Europe, every month has a long weekend which we’ve thoroughly enjoyed.  Plus 30 days paid vacation and off on all federal holidays is hard to beat.  Is this enough of a reason to continue in a job that seems less satisfying and potentially holding you back from certain life goals? I’ve asked myself this question often.  The military has afforded me opportunities that I would never have had otherwise.

I worry that my pursuit of owning a veterinary practice will require considerable time and attention away from my family.  Is it better to sacrifice personal pursuits for more family time?  I think I’ve learned from this course, that priorities and boundaries must be set.  I was happy to hear one lecturer state that family meal time was protected.  No matter what was going on at work, the family was together at these times.  The other freedom that comes with business ownership is the freedom to involve your family.  If time away from the business is not financially feasible, it will become the “family” business and may have to be the gathering place.  The entrepreneurial adventure appears challenging, but as long as my family is by my side, it will be rewarding through the good and bad.  

The Hero's Journey

I’ve been thinking a lot about Jeff Sandefer’s lecture, “The Hero’s Journey.”  I wonder how I’m doing on this journey or if I’m fulling on “the hero’s journey.”  Thinking back on the decisions that I’ve made that have lead me to this point in my life, it’s been quite the journey so far and I’ve seen the Lord’s hand in it all.  I don’t think I’ve taken the easy road and I think that’s what has made the journey so rewarding thus far.

I have one loving grandfather that I’ve known in this life and I have great respect and love for him.  Every time I see him, he reminds me of the envy that he feels of my decision to become a veterinarian.  He wishes that someone in his past would have pushed him in that direction.  I don’t know how much of a regret this is for him, but I have never thought of him as a failure.  He’s a hero in my eyes.  His personal influence and encouragement has positively affected my life.  Some days I feel like I could have been happy as a diesel mechanic as he was, but it seems my calling in life ended up being his dream.  I hope that it brings him some joy living vicariously through me.  His most meaningful contribution in life was fathering a loving daughter of God.  Without this loving daughter of God, I would never had found the courage to succeed in life or understood my eternal potential.  I attribute all my success to them and all those that have sacrificed on my behalf.  I pray that my sacrifices will, in turn, bless the lives of others to an even greater extent.

Do What You Love

I really appreciated the thought provoking assignments this week.  For this journal entry, I want to concentrate on the short video clip, “Do What You Love” by Tom Kelley.  The whole time I was watching him create the Venn diagram, I couldn’t help but feel out of place in my current job.  Am I doing what I’m good at?  Am I doing what I was born to do? Am I doing what others will pay me for?  Am I choosing who I work with?  Is my current job in the military helping me to answer “yes” to all these questions?  Unfortunately, the answer seems to be “no”.  Charise can attest to the fact that I come home the happiest when I’ve spent the day in the clinic, or more specifically in the surgery suite.  More often than not, I’ve spent the day in a chair behind a computer wondering what happened to my dreams.  The military has allowed me to say “yes” occasionally to the questions above.

I’m concerned that, the more time I spend behind my desk, the more I start to forget what I love to do.  I want to be excited to go to work every day, but currently that seems like a rarity.  Don’t get me wrong, the military has been a great stepping stone in my life, but I feel it’s purpose is coming to a close.  This course has made me very excited about what the future may bring, and that excitement doesn’t include the military.  Of course, I’ve been known to change my mind on this topic…reserves??

            

The Formula and a Mentor

The more I thought about James Ritchie's Formula for success and happiness, and mentors, the more I thought about my Dad.  He comes from a hard-working blue collar farming family, that labored hard to put food on the table of a large family.  I believe farm work equals rising early and working hard.  If I chose a mentor that had mastered getting up early and working hard, my dad would be an easy choice.  It seems that these two portions of the formula are essential to accomplish the rest.  I always remember my father rising early and working hard at his day job and, more importantly, fulfilling and magnifying his calling at church.  Because of this, he is well respected and trusted in society and the church community.

Besides my father’s example, missionary work solidified these successful habits for me.  Missionary work equals rising early and hard work.  The better I did in these areas, the happier and more successful I was as a missionary.  The same goes for gaining an education.  Without these two formula traits, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the high reaching educational goals I sought.

I’m excited to continue the journey.  I still find myself lubricating my service with oil, marking up a positive life path, and preparing myself to give back.  I feel very happy and successful now, but I’m intrigued to find out what happinesses and successes will come my way as I pursue my dreams.