Life is a game

You know in video games, how you start at level 1. Everything is really new and awkward and even the most pitiful enemy is a challenge. That's how we started at the beginning of the semester. You then spend almost half of the game figuring out all the little facets and tools that you have, and then  sometimes do the the same things for every character and teammate. Most of the time, you bumble around trying to figure out what in the world you are supposed to do. Then the magical thing happens, you figure everything out! You've become stronger, you understand how everything works and you've been doing really well thus far; and then you get destroyed. You go back to the books and you find out that the game has changed-- just to keep you on your toes.

That's how I feel about this start up. It's fun, it's hard, and it keeps me thinking. Matt, Mason, Kyle, Karla, we all thought we were figuring this stuff out. We were rock'n it; and then we presented. The thing that surprised us the most was that our questions, which we meant to be as welcoming mats; warm and inviting, ended up being a possible fire hazard that screams "exit now" on it.  We're working on extinguishing the fire, and in the mean time; we want to still welcome our target market with open arms. We are excited about the upcoming activity, and excited about the progress that we have enjoyed so far.

So the only way to go is forward.

Investment

   So you know when you have those "Ah-Ha!" moments. I had one this week. It's really one of those kinds that you have a lot of when you're little, like when you want to touch the oven and you're parents tell you "it's hot", but you touch it anyway just to discover this painful sensation called "hot".
 I learned that in order to be invested in a project, you must actually invest in said project. Sure, I've heard that about a billion and a half times, but I heard that a mission, marriage, college are all wonderful, but didn't really know what they were talking about until I discovered it for myself.

   Right now, I'm experimenting with two things; Wreaths by Hannah (name subject to change), and Zip Migration. All of these lessons are really hard to apply with Zip Migration, why? Do you know how hard it is to find people that aren't citizens of the US? It's actually not my favorite activity to walk up to people and ask, "are you a citizen?". I served a mission and walking up to people and talking to them about important topics is still the single most difficult thing I've ever had to do in my life.

  Wreaths though? That's easy, I'll facebook, talk to the women next to me at the grocery store, whatever, heck, I'll even go to hobby lobby and drop over fifty dollars in glittery feathers and bundles of straw to make a product that I can sell.

So that makes me ask myself; "Why do I feel infinitely more invested in something as meaningless as a wreath?"

Maybe I'm a narcissist, and am invested because wreaths is my idea. Perhaps I'm a terrible person that just wants the world to combust in sparkles burlap and grapevines, but I think that the bigger reason that I have a hard time injecting passion is because, I can't wrap my head around all of this migration/green card stuff; at least not yet.

Now it's time to apply that knowledge and get burned by another fire.

Emotions

Level 10 Passions. I think that there are many things that we have level 10 passions about, but one level 10 passion is on a different level than another. The raw emotion and need for the customers that Nathan has attracted to Adoption.com is probably a more driving level 10 passion than say, my love for Vibram Five Finger toe shoes. I would say that my desire for children is a level 10 passion, and it aligns with some desires to immigrate to this country.

 I interviewed someone, who has a strong Mexican background, thinking that she is a citizen, but is not and learned that because she was brought illegally into the country as a child, does not have a secure option to become a citizen of the US. Her condition is debilitating because she can not travel via airplane, which means that she will probably not travel very far, though she would like to. She's missed out on opportunities that she has earned, like competing in national competitions because she is an illegal alien. She wants to be a citizen, since she grew up here, but has no right to it. This is her Level 10 desire right now, and I bet it's just as high on her list as that woman who said that she had a hole in her heart that she's afraid might never be filled. Another friend mentioned that her mother just married a man from Africa, who is trying to immigrate. He has friends that have had to move away from their spouses because of citizen and green card issues.

Stubborn

I wouldn't say that I learned something about myself, but rater, was reminded of it. When I think I have the right answer, I am stubborn. Perhaps some find that to be an admirable trait, but I found it to halt the work that my team was working on. I think that sometimes that can be a stumbling block for some start up teams. An example from this week was who I thought the users were and who my team mates thought the users were. The lack of communication and the desire to implement each own's idea and vision of what the company should provide for services is making us chase our tails a bit. One moment we are catering to every single person that wants to come to this country, then we are only offering citizenship form help, then we move it to another segment and another. Our customer segment is about as fluid right now as the thoughts that inhabit each individual mind. It's hard to reach a goal that keeps moving.

I think that right now, we need to figure out the steps to the ultimate vision, though I think that the exercises that are helping us to see the steps to our goal in color and make them more tangible is helping in that process.