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For this reflection, I am addressing "tenacity" and its importance. I'm finding it hard not to think of "Tenacious D" every time I hear tenacity, so I'll just include a picture and move on. Those of you who get the reference, you rock.
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To start out, the most important part about taking an online course is staying on top of assignments. To be successful, you have to plan ahead. Many of these assignments required a bit of effort and could not be completed in just one day. The behavior I have used the most to stay on top of my coursework this summer is effective planning. For the interviews, I had to brainstorm my questions and then create a plan to find people to interview. For the book reviews, I had to start reading way before the assignment was actually due. Both types of assignments required me to look ahead to see what was due when and to work backwards to determine the amount of time I needed to accomplish the assignment.
Another important behavior I have developed in this course thus far is the behavior of "putting yourself out there". Before taking this class, I was leery about posting my ideas and opinions on the Internet for others to see and judge. I've learned that entrepreneurs are constantly putting themselves out in front of people. Sometimes the response is great. Other times, not so much. Although I haven't received any negativity from my ENT3003 classmates, even the action of posting blogs has allowed me to become more comfortable with the idea of criticism. Not everyone is going to agree with everything you do and once you realize that, you can channel that negativity into a positive response. This class has helped me use constructive criticism and judgments (good and bad) to better myself and my ideas. When you are tenacious, failure, rejection and negative responses only fuel you to do better.
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Tenacity encompasses an attitude of determination, and with any course, material gets tougher as time progresses. The first time I felt a bit overwhelmed was during week 3 when we had to choose the venture concept used for the majority of our future assignments. I didn't necessarily feel like "giving up" in this situation, but I was certainly psyching myself out by focusing too much on the big picture. I've always been a very determined person so I don't give up easily, but sometimes seeing the whole picture can be intimidating. In this situation, I told myself to just brainstorm a bunch of ideas and that one of them had to stick. Sometimes the hardest part is just overthinking an idea to the point that you cannot think about it anymore. This course has definitely helped me develop a mindset akin to that of Nike. Tasks aren't that difficult when you put your mind to it and "just do it".
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Three tips I would offer to next semester's students would be:
1) Read the assignments ahead of time and PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!
2) Start thinking about your passions and interests on the first day, and brainstorm some venture concepts that actually mean something to you. You'll have a much easier time writing about something close to your heart than a random topic you chose last minute.
3) Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Take advantage of situations that make you feel uncomfortable (ie. interviewing a stranger). This will help you grow as a person.
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I hope you have found this post to be helpful and take my tips into consideration. Best of luck, future ENT3003 students!
Nice post Carolyn! You made some very valid points. Starting with thinking about something you are passionate about. This is so true! You don't want to get stuck with a dumb idea you picked last minute. As far as writing a blog, I had never had one prior to this class. This is the first time I have published my thoughts for others to see, as well. And actually, I don't hate it. I like seeing how other people did their assignments and interpreted them. It's a helpful tool for when you feel like you don't know where to start. This class definitely pushes you outside of your comfort zone and helps you to think like a true entrepreneur.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn,
ReplyDeleteYou have great advice to future students that take this class. We both had very similar tips! I completely agree with how much work this course is and how it is very easy to fall behind. I can definitely relate to being busy since I am studying abroad and interning in London this summer. I do know that this course will make us better entrepreneurs but the interviews are the thing I wanted to give up on as well. Overall, I completely agree with everything and you did a great job!