Staying True to Yourself

Starting a business can be tough, running a business can be demanding. People will lie to you, people will cheat you, and rotten things will occur throughout your business life. No matter the trials that you face, you need to stay true to you. Don't let your integrity falter. If you make excuses and allow your integrity to be compromised in even the slightest way, you are allowing it to fracture entirely. You will make small excuses now but those excuses will only get bigger until you have fallen to the evil of the rest of the world. I love what was said about Ezra Taft Benson when he served for President Eisenhower. His integrity never floundered. "Elder Ezra Taft Benson was an Apostle when President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed him to serve in his Cabinet as Secretary of Agriculture. For eight years the press routinely battered Secretary Benson for his policies. But over time, he won the respect of even his opponents. A reporter for the New York Times explained why:

"He acts like a man whose conscience is always clear–his testimony today will be the same next week...or a year from now. He doesn’t have to remember what he said to an opposition Senator at their last meeting. This is a built-in ulcer-saving device not always found in Washington” (New York Times Magazine, 11 April 1954).

We need more honest people in this world. Not only is integrity a major component of a great business person, but risk taking is also an aspect of business that must be experienced. Those who are willing to take risks are a lot more passionate and hard-working in their business. They are the ones who will push the business and get it where it needs to be because their "skin is in the game". All successful business owners have to learn the art of taking risks, it's part of the game. You still need to be wise in your risk-taking, and take calculated risks. I was reading online about taking risks in business and came across this list on 

How to take calculated risks that will be successful:

1. Understand the value of risk in business

2. Stop overanalyzing

3. Identify the risks

4. Anticipate mistakes

5. Determine what you can afford to lose

6. Develop a detailed plan

7. Take the jump!

I love how Mark Zuckerberg said it when he noted,
"The biggest risk is not taking any risk."