My Essential Question

 How do some entrepreneurs develop their companies into multi-million dollar corporations, and how can I implement these skills to any future business ideas?

Why did you select this as your essential question? 

         This question will give me insight into the minds of the successful entrepreneurs around the world.  This is a question all aspiring business owner should ask himself or herself.  To become successful proprietors must learn how others have already become successful and try to apply it to the way they will run their own business. Searching this question will not only show you the good habits of entrepreneurs, but also the faults of some.  Knowing what has not worked can be just as important as knowing what has worked because it shows you what needs to be done in order to make your business work out.  This question will help guide me in my endeavors in entrepreneurial interests for the future.

What excites you most about finding the answer to this essential question?

         I am excited about answering this question because successful business owners are often successful because of the traits they have and use in everyday situations.  In answering this I will not only learn traits for running a business, but I might learn about habits that would be good to develop for everyday situations.  The question helps push me to develop good habits for any career but also in school and in life.  I like this question because it is broad enough so that anybody with interests in business can mold it into their own.  Although it is broad, it is not so broad that it is impossible to answer specifically.  Answering this question is extremely beneficial to anyone who is willing to research the entrepreneurs who have built empires with good habits and smart decision-making.

  Do you feel that this question accurately reflects a desire/need that you have to find out more about this topic?

         This question will help me decide what needs to be done in order to be successful.  In answering this question I can figure out what habits I need to develop and which ones I need to try to get rid of.  Preparing to go into college and into life, learning the reasons some people can be so successful will help me make proper decisions.  I need to use the traits I find in the answer of this question to help me in later on in life.  The question interests me because it involves entrepreneurial experiences.  The entrepreneurs that I will be investigating are people that have found a combination of traits and characteristics that work for them and have lead them to success.

Lapdog Retreat

While in a lapdog retreat I learned that I am systematic and considerate.  This means I trust in my own decisions and do things the way I think should be done.  Although I am open to other peoples suggestions I can find it hard to truly listen.  I do find it easy to trust others though.  I learned that to be able to really listen I need to think about what they say from the other person's point-of-view.  The best part about lapdog for me was the exercise about communication where a lot of people try to fit on one little circle.

I think that the 21 day challenge, by Shawn Archer, is a great way to keep yourself positive.  I would write down three positive things a day to keep myself positive all the time.  Archer talks about how true happiness comes from everyday situations not from future success.  The best way to become successful is to find happiness in what you do now so your work ethic will continue to be good, allowing you to be more successful in the future.

Introduction

My name is Stanton and I am a senior from northeast Georgia.  My interests include Hanging out with friends, kayaking and relaxing at home.  I hope this blog can be informative to others as well as me.

Financial Issues

It seems that that in today’s world, all of the stories in the news are about the financial problems and debt in the world.  I feel the roots of all financial issues are bad investments, whether it is loans, credit, cars, etc.  A large problem with consumers is that they try to live above their means.  The best way to get out of debt and live the way you would like is to save, invest wisely, and to only spend what you have.  When people begin to spend more than they have is when they begin to go into debt and have to work for the next paycheck, just to spend it trying to pull your self out of debt.  Making smart decisions by buying things upfront in cash can save you thousands.  If you are in a situation that you need a loan then you should always make sue you will be able to pay the bill every month and always know how much it will cost with the interest added on.  The reason for all of these poor decisions being made is the mentality of needing to look wealthier than you are.  The reason people aren’t making enough money to live the way they would like is themselves. Dave Ramsey spoke about this citing that 80 percent of millionaires today are first generation wealthy. To the contrary of popular belief, this proves that there are still many opportunities to succeed in the U.S. today.

All entrepreneurs must face a great deal of financial difficulty.  Starting any business is extremely risky and can put you in major debt.  But I believe that with hard work and dedication anything can be done, so I believe I will be able to make it through making a business with as little debt as possible and any that I do attain I will attempt to pay off in as little time possible.  When determining your career pathway, people should find what they love and make it work for them. To quote Confucius, “Chose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

My college picks!

After filling out a survey on collegeboard.com, I have found that there are two schools I would like to attend for my field of study.  My choices are between North Georgia College and State University and University of Hawaii at Manoa.  I have only chosen two because these are the only two schools that  offer the field of study I would like to enter, as well as being a convenient location for me to train for kayaking.  I could kayak at both of these colleges because at North Georgia I could continue my training in Gainesville, and if I went to school at Hawaii I would be able to paddle for the Hawaii Canoe and Kayak Team.

My Mission Statement

My mission is to use every day as a learning experience to make me better as a student, athlete and as a person. 

Labor day!

Glad it's labor day! No hard work for 24 hours!

First post

just spent my weekend swimming with friends, coaching and homework