Dylan's Blog

 "H e who receiveth all things with thankfulness  shall be made glorious" (Doctrine & Covenants 78:19) Why is gratitude so important? Jesus Christ in the Bible healed 10 lepers; all went their way but one. He turned to the Savior and "fell down on his face at this feet, giving him thanks". Christ said unto him: "thy faith hath made thee whole". All were healed, but one was made whole, what is the difference? Being made whole implies that there was a spiritual restoration of some sort, forgiveness, peace, or maybe even other diseases and injuries. In our lives as we practice gratitude we will receive more blessing for God. Not just spiritually but in all aspects like business, family,  hobbies, and learning. I have seen this in my life when I have felt that I lacked much, I playfully offered gratitude to God for what I have. I then saw many blessings and opportunities open up to me. While listening to the interview on Larry North I feel very motivated a...

What's a Business For? Why are virtue and integrity so vital to an economy? Virtue and integrity are important to an economy and capitalism because without them no one will win. Integrity protects longterm stability, companies can cut corners or lie but in the long run they will find they have corrupted their growth. It kills the trust that is needed for people to invest. Markets rely on trust, without it no one will want to invest as it feels more like a risky gamble. "Trust, too, is fragile.Like a piece of china, once cracked it is never quite the same." (Handy, 2002, Pg. 3) According to Charles Handy, what is the “real justification” for the existence of businesses? The real justification for business is create wealth and value for society as a whole, not to make the rich richer. The goods and services that business provide improve the quality of life of all those around. When a business is too money and profit oriented they become cold and people start to shy awa...

The challenge to become raises an important question: are we ever truly alone in striving to be our best selves? From a gospel perspective, the answer is no. Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught,  “Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.”  In other words, Jesus Christ does not simply ask us to do things; He challenges us to become something greater through Him. And as we strive to meet that challenge, we are never left on our own. The scriptures remind us that God gives “no commandment…save he shall prepare a way” (1 Nephi 3:7). Through His grace, strength, and guidance, we are enabled to change, grow, and ultimately become more like Him. This principle is powerful because it reframes the way we look at our lives. God is not interested in measuring us by a checklist of actions. He is shaping us into something better, and that process often requires more effort, patience, and trust than we expect. To become means transformation, and transformation is rarely easy. But when we com...

To be proactive is often misunderstood as simply doing what you should without being asked. While initiative is a piece of it, the meaning runs much deeper. William Ernest Henley’s  Invictus  captures the essence of proactivity: " Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance my head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears looms but the horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years finds and shall find me unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul. " (Henley, 1920) Henley expresses the heart of proactivity, no matter the circumstances, no matter the suffering, we retain the ability to choose our response. To be an entrepreneur means to recognize the severity of our circum...

What would living every moment of your life like it matters look like? Maybe it would mean avoiding social media and other mind-rotting distractions that drain our focus and energy. Maybe it’s a parent leaving work early to make it to their kid’s baseball game, knowing no paycheck can replace that moment. Or maybe it’s a student pushing through study sessions even when they feel burnt out, understanding that the effort they put in today will shape tomorrow’s opportunities. Living like it matters doesn’t mean being busy every second, it means being intentional with our time. In the talk  A Hero's Journey , Jeff Sanders shares a thought-provoking exercise, ask the role models in your life great questions. He notes that when you ask people over 60 what really matters at the end of life, they tend to say the same thing. It’s never about money, power, or fame. Those things fade. What remains are three questions. Have I contributed something meaningful? Was I a good person? Who did I lov...

 What does it mean to make your bed in the morning? It means to start your day with a small but important victory. This small task can change the course of your day. After all, the little things are important. Jesus Christ taught this when it was said that " by small and simple things great things are brought to pass" (Alma 37:6). He testified of this truth through His actions. The boy made his humble offering of five loaves and two small fish, something infinitely too small for the vast crowd of 5,000 people. The Lord took this meek offering and turned it into something grand, wherein they fed every last one.  What does this look like in my life? A humble tithe that doesn't compare to others, but it can bring the needed blessings in my life. As I perform this small task of pay my tithing, I am showing the Lord that I know that in His hands it can do so much more than in mine. Maybe the extra 15 minutes of studying is the difference between an A and an A-. You can never b...