Group Blog Posting Assignment

Here are the weeks for the Group Assignments:
Each group is to provide a topic conversation for the week that should be posted on this day.
Both Carlie and I have given you an example of what is expected for this assignment. Feel free to be creative and have fun with this assignment.

January 31: MWF Group 1
February 7: TH Group 1, MWF Group 2
February 14: TH Group 2
February 22: MWF Group 3
February 28: TH Group 3
March 7: MWF Group 4, TH Group 4
March 14: MWF Group 5
March 21 TH Group 5
March 28: MWF Group 6
April 4: TH Group 6
April 11: MWF Group 7
April 18 TH Group 7
April 25: MWF Group 8

Choice

Choices define who we are. Everyday we make decisions that influence our actions and, eventually, our destiny. Do we dream big or do we squander our unique gifts and talents? Do we choose to be proactive in working on our goals and dreams, or let life dictate how we dream and live? Are we like a can of shaken soda pop that will explode because of outside influences?

This is a clip from one of my favorite movies. In this movie "The Iron Giant" was programmed to defend himself from external influences by using violence. Sometimes, his programming would take over and he would lose control; however, we can overcome our 'programming' if we choose to do so.

We all get to choose how we respond to life. We all get to choose what things we let fall in our circle of influence and circle of concern.

Socrates once said, "Know thyself." Shakespeare, "To thine own self be true."

Why do you think that taking the time to know ourselves might influence our choices?

How can realizing that we have control of our own lives help us achieve our dreams?

How can this principle be used in your life?

Synergy

Watch the video clip on the Covey Community about Mauritius. What do you think about their culture? Do you know of other places in the world that have intense diversity and peacefully coexist? Janita, who works for the Covey Group, is from Mauritius and is quick to point out that although it's not perfect, the diversity there makes the country what it is.

America is supposed to be the great melting pot of the world. I don't know that that is the best metaphor. In a melting pot, everything bleeds together and it's hard to distinguish one ingredient from another. To me, a lot of the beauty of diversity is the distinguishable differences. What is the better metaphor, the melting pot or the fruit salad (or some other metaphor altogether)?

I am currently taking a class from a professor from Russia. She's worked on teams with people from all over the world. In her experience, at first, people from different countries and backgrounds can often disagree vehemently on issues because of their differences. She noted that after three months, most of the groups worked together well and that no one could remember who came from where anymore; they put aside their differences and created that "third alternative" that Dr. Covey talks about. Have you had an experience like this? Do you think in some situations the diversity runs so deep that synergy simply isn't possible? Or do we just get stuck in our own mindsets and refuse to try hard enough?

Goals

Yesterday in class we were talking about goals whether or not they should have a time limit on them. Covey seemed to say yes and no to that matter. To challenge ourselves we to give ourselves time frame to which we need to accomplish that goal. yet remember there are outside influence on us that hinder our ability to do it. Be proactive in the goal do all you can all the time. Yet take goal (mission statement) and review be flexible enough to change it but hard enough to keep it a challenge. Like picking out the knife you don't want one that is so hard that you sharpen or that it is so brittle that will brake on the first use. On the flip side you don't want one that is so soft that it won't keep the sharp edge and bend easily. The happy medium is what you want and that different for every person. For me Rockwell 58 or 59 is what I like strong yet easily sharpened and not brittle. The key I think is to keep it up maintain the goal, review it, sharpen it, if necessary change it.
Jake Pratt

TBOLITNFL (The private victory)

This story of the "TBOLITNFL" is an amazing story of winning the private victory. TBOLITNFL stands for "The Best Offensive Lineman in The National Football League." The story is about a man named Duece Lutui. Duece Lutui plays professional football for the Arizona Cardinals, but last year he lost it and was creating his own personal destruction, then he finds someone who helps him and now he is one of the best offensive lineman in the league. Read this wonderful story to find how he overcame the private victory. http://www.tbolitnfl.com/p/duece-lutui-story.html

Jerika Barnes

Hi my name is Jerika Barnes. I am from Cedar City, Utah. I'm the youngest of 4 kids, and my parents are both business and accounting graduates. Both of my parents have been very successful in their careers in the business field, so I guess I'm hoping to do the same and follow in their footsteps. This is my first year up here at Utah State, however I did a year at Southern Utah University, where my dad is a professor in the business program. It was a great school, but Utah State is so much better. :) I am hoping to go to the Ukraine this Summer and teach children English, and I love a good laugh with some friends, school, music, and volleyball. I am taking this class to see if business is really the major I want to pursue, and so far I am loving it.

Jaren Thorne

Hi my name is Jaren Thorne. i'm from Draper, Utah. I am a freshman here at USU. I am doing my gen eds this first year before i serve my LDS mission. i have a twin sister who also attends Utah State. i have one older sister too. i love to play basketball and i love music. diet dr pepper is my favorite drink.