Blog On Lifelong Learning

How about Mongolin ger stay with nomadic community in the green valley? The 5 years old kid was on a horseback, his older sister walking nearby on the river bank. The valley is lush green and hundreds of white sheep graze. The mother walked slowly and enjoyed the scene and fresh air. The father walked down with the nomadic family host to visit the neighborhood with horses. The mountains on the back side and Tuul River are floating in the front. There are no buildings or highways in the valley except for distant locations. Ger is Mongolian traditional accommodation made out of wooden frames and felt covers. It was used for centuries and convenient for not only nomads but guests from the United Kingdom. The yurt had a double bed with soft mattress and standard table and chairs. Covered with a traditional style blanket. Hand washing stand was near the entrance and flexible bench chairs were inside. Ger is called yurt sometimes. The location was only 100 km away from the capital

I was taking the entrepreneur course from the BYUI online and realized the entrepreneur class is more about thinking and reflecting on what is other entrepreneurs did. I realized we learn from other and some people think this is cat copy. But there are some differences. The world is not made out of nothing, Science approved the matters make things and not possible build something from emptiness. So, we learn from resources and build things on the principles. If I had a lecture like Randy Pausch did as his last lecture, I would share more optimistic things and regrets that never started earlier things. I will encourage students to try something new and start as early as possible. Learning as not merely reading or setting behind a desk in classroom. It is more about exploring, traveling, meeting new people and trying it out. Entrepreneurship is not running a business rather creating something new and keep working on until to build something and make it run. It should benefit not onl

In the bible Jesus healed 10 men with lepers. The unhealable ill of that time till death. But he cured them all. They all went happily but only one returned to Jesus and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thank. Jesus said where are other nine and he was disappointed. Why is gratitude important? Let’s think about it. Well could we reflect upon our lives as individuals. We will soon discover much to prompt our personal gratitude. Can we think about how grateful we are for our mother, father, teachers, and friends? All it starts from what they have done to your life. Thing of every detail and big and small things. Observe your feeling to come. How does it relate to entrepreneurship? The pursuit of opportunities is the essence of entrepreneurship. We define an opportunity as a future state that is both desirable and achievable. We also make a distinction among ideas, possibilities, and opportunities. The process of identifying and exploiting entrepreneurial opportun

All it starts from what we must do in this world. Do we have to be selfish and only try to do something for ourselves? How about helping others? Is that necessary? The history of the world shows many facts that when a nation helps each other and serve each other they prosper but when they greed and boast with their wealth the nation declines and causes contention. And then revenge and pointless competition leads to destruction. Many people have seen in their own life when they help more to others their business and life gets exciting and never ends the joy and happiness. But one who seeks only his need and ignore others never gets out from miserable life. So, rich or poor, we are to “do what we can” when others are in need. Jesus taught the people serving others mean serving your God. So, he did not point people do many meaningless rituals and offering animals and stuff to God, but instructed people to serve and help the others. There are many companies have failed and hurt

There are over 20 million millionaires in the USA. Yes, more that 20 million. If we do not measure the success with money but happy and satisfied life the number will go well over 100 million. But it does not mean they are poor and happy. Harvard made the longest survey ever on 724 people for 80 years. They studied the life of group of people from poor district of Boston and rich Harvard students. They studied their family, in come, health and environment for 75 years and many of them died during the research. But the family background did not affect the happiness but something else. So, what was the key finding? Thomas S. Monson said, “First, fill your mind with truth; second, fill your life with service; and third, fill your heart with love.” One thing to understand is quite important. Happiness and satisfaction and fulfillment are different things. The old saying “money will not buy happiness” is proved by our daily life. As I mentioned that we can count only in the USA over 2

Challenge to become something I wonder if all people avoid problems and challenges. Because I always felt reluctant facing any challenges and problems of life. But it does not mean I never dealt with it. It often came to me without choice. If I had a choice I would alway avoid them. I preferred to stay calm and have a peaceful life. That is my natural desire and later I understood that literature calls it “comfort zone” but in negative ways. Why is “comfort zone” bad? Second thought is that I want to be successful one. I assume everybody wants to be successful in their life. I am not just saying from financial independence. We all want to have a happy life, perfect family, stable income, maybe lots of capital and social fame. Who would deny that and prefer to live in poverty? The two thoughts are somehow related to each other. Young families, especially married students, face problems and challenges. We can make a long list of things including class, a part time job, taking care

What takes entrepreneurs to be a leader? Energy, charisma, passion, willingness or knowledge? Do they have to be a leader? In the “Message to Garcia” article says “The ability to execute is more valuable than education or talent, because it is far rarer”. The main message is the person who decides to accomplish an important task is dedicates himself fully. There are no questions or doubt. If you are the main part of the business, you have started think about it, are you the right person to accomplish this task. It is impossible to delegate the important task to someone capable of doing it whatever the persons background education or knowledge. Being entrepreneur takes courage and leadership character, which can be developed. Otherwise, he or she alone can’t accomplish much. Woody Allen said that 90% of life is “just showing up.” If so, the most important 10% of life is execution. Far too few people do either consistently. But if the ability to execute is so valuable, why is i

It is easy to say “Yes, you can” but it is hard to act. Lots of times the question will raise “Why it is happening to me” or “how can I do this”. Sister Holland quoted from a book The Politics of Experience, R. D. Laing said, “What we think is less than what we know: What we know is less than what we love: What we love is so much less than what there is, and to this . . . extent, we are much less than what we are” (R.D. Laing in Love, p. 19). Without being smug, we’ve known that since the dawn of the Restoration. Surely that ought to be our own exciting challenge toward becoming—of growing, seeing, feeling, touching, smelling, hearing, believing. No time for a Harlequin Romance or a long lower lip with that kind of view. Look at the word “exciting challenge”. How come the challenge is exciting? Elder Holland said “We speak about excellence a great deal at BYU these days, and, by definition, excellence does not come easily or quickly—an excellent education does not, a successful

Everything starts from the first step. The Seven Habits starts with the principle called Be Proactive. I call it principle and think this is the first and important habit among those 7 habits. Because this is the fundamental of all other habits. With this first step I will be able to learn and develop other habits. When I was reading the book, I noticed many people are re-active and move by others influence. For example, children clean the home by parents’ request, students do class work by teachers request and employees move by managers request. There are few people are born proactive and lead people. But good news is being proactive is a skill can be learned and developed. Steven Covey taught in his book being proactive means to actively choose what our response will be in any situation rather than to react blindly. When I was reading the book first time being proactive means living by his or her plan rather other people's plan merely. But when I was reading the summery o

So You Want to Be an Entrepreneur? I heard the phrase "Winning oneself" many times but never considered deeply about it. Plato said: “The first and best victory is to conquer self; to be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile.” And da Vinci once said: “You will never have a greater or lesser dominion than that over yourself.” Then he goes on to say that “the height of a man’s success is gauged by his self-mastery; the depth of his failure by his self-abandonment. So, what does it mean? How does it relate to the title of this blog “So You Want to Be an entrepreneur?” I found myself naturally lazy and avoid risk and comfort zone seeker. I prefer easy life and no pressure. After talking to some friends and relatives I am not alone. The most people avoid risk and prefer “easy money” or easy life if possible. But everybody works and take care their life. One way of being entrepreneur seems nice such as having no boss, doing whatever you want and foll

How important is motivation? Is it first or second? Jim Rohn once said “Motivation is not going at first. If you motivate an idiot, you will get a motivated idiot”. So, what goes first and how do we get ourself to where we want? Like success. Things just don’t go itself. We are living in the world of cause and effect. Every action and thought leads consequences. James Faust shared his experience of gaining several skills that helped him throughout his life from full time mission. And they were: 1. How to organize and use time wisely 2. The importance of hard work—that you reap what you sow 3. Leadership skills 4. People skills 5. The value of gospel study 6. Respect for authority 7. The importance of prayer 8. Humility and dependence on the Lord It reminded me how did I get my life skill from my mission field as well. I realized how low-profile type of person I was and felt ok among the environment before my mission. My communication skill, empathy, listening skill, emot

I had some take away from the article “How will you measure your life” Harvard Business Review. It is always difficult to someone what to do, especially to your family members, boss and investors etc. Many smart people don’t tell others what to do, instead inspire them. Clayton M Christensen shared the story of how he influenced “Intel” chairman Andrew Grow about insisting him produce “Celeron” CPU for the market. It was not good approach to advice directly what to do. But he was talking about the model and how it helped Nucor and other companies. Basically, he was not telling him what to think rather how to think. From my perspective it was about helping him to make a right decision with conflicted communication technique. Sametime I think why it is that way. Why it is not simply telling directly what is the best way? Clayton M. Christensen understands the complicated world including the rank of people, professional communication, business culture and many other things. He co

In the business world we see often dishonest and unethical occurrences. Some people say "Sorry, nothing personal, it is just business" and trying to express it white lie. Is really business having to have a certain number of dishonest actions? When people want to explain it from different perspectives and own understandings it creates endless argument. If here is no ultimate guidance or center of the principles it will be always contention. That is why there is a law given. It is more like natural law of science. Elder Lynn G. Robbins said in the beginning of the world Adam and Eve did not have much to get tempted to sin. He was saying they had nobody to boast, gossip or complain about. Generally, pride comes from comparing oneself to others and try to seek to show off. According to my observation we don't have to necessarily to get better than others but try to keep up with Jones already brings us the bad side. Seeking materials is already leading us to sinful life

If the soviet regime did not collapse in 1990, I would not have an opportunity to own a passport to travel. My dream of traveling around the world could have been impossible dream. It was not worth to think about it, just like today's North Korea. Now, I am so lucky that I can dream to travel around the world. Also, now I think life is journey. My journey is not about destination rather the traveling itself. And I need help all the time to find my way. In 2010, when I was walking in the Manhattan, New York, I was lost in the street. I was trying to figure out my way on the map, suddenly an African American lady approached me and said "do you need a help?" I said "no, thank you". But she said, "no, you look like lost and need a help" and she asked where am I wanted to go. I hesitantly told her my address looking for, and she pointed me the direction. Just like this I have many times asked a direction from strangers and friends during my trip in foreig

In my early childhood I learned things without any points or meaning. Simply I was picking up the skills and habits from my envirenment. I had to go to school without any choice. Nothing wrong with that but many of the subjects and teachings were based on socialist theory besides general education since Mongolia was a soviet country. So, everything was more like under dectature. But in 1990 the soviet regime collapsed and democracy started. It may sounds good but many things went to chaos. I decided not to study in high school. I thought I can figure out my life without school. Big mistake. However, I chose to be a volunteer leader in the scouting. The scouting organization had various training courses for the scouts and adults. Because I was very much interested in the scouting, I took all the training courses for patrol leaders, scout leaders, 3 Wood Badge cource or leader trainer course. It turned out my way of obtaining education. Eventhough I did not like learning the math and s