Fanning the Ember of an Idea

Inspiration

mkate — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:16:48 +0000

To get something you never had,

you have to do something you never did

I need to print this out and post it in as many places as I can. I have a lot of big plans for the next few months and I sometimes worry that I won’t be able to make this happen. I know I will need this reminder to keep up my motivation.

Mary Kate

Striving to Be A Six Bolt Person

mkate — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 10:01:50 +0000

“Are you a 6 bolt person or a 3 bolt person?” This is the question that Mr. Reed, my freshman English teacher, asked my class. He went on to explain that a 6 bolt person is someone who does something completely whether or not anyone notices. Whereas a 3 bolt person is someone who does only what is necessary.

According to Mr. Reed, this phenomenon was first noticed when the U.S. began relying more and more on assembly lines, particularly for cars. Assembly line workers were required to put 6 bolts on a car wheel but it only really needed 3. The extra 3 bolts were included as an additional safety precaution. Once some workers realized this, they began only installing 4 or 5 bolts because the other 1 or 2 bolts “didn’t really matter.” Most of the time, no one ever noticed that all 6 bolts were not installed. But after awhile, the workers figured that they would save even more time by only installing 3or 4 bolts and then 2 or 3 bolts. As they continued to cut corners, customers started to notice that the quality of the product had decreased and they lost their faith in it. As a result, customers began to flock to other car manufacturers who were perceived as having higher standards.

When Mr. Reed first shared this story with my class, it really resonated with me and it continues to resonate. I strive to be a 6 bolt person; someone who does what is right whether it is noticed or not. It has been my experience that someone will notice when I least expect it. Therefore, it is better for me to be caught “doing the right thing” rather than have to scramble to figure out what the right thing might be.

Mary Kate

Getting Started

mkate — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:57:07 +0000

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.

Walt Disney

This quote keeps coming up in various places and I can’t help but think it is a pretty strong message: “GET STARTED ALREADY!”

This is exactly what Omar and I need to do– Get Started!

We have a great idea, have some ideas on how to get started but are in that ‘deer-in-the-headlights’ place paralyzed in fear. Time is barreling down on us and we aren’t quite sure which way is the best way to move.

I am going to post this quote in a prominent place so that I can be reminded of it on a regular basis.

Moving forward, I am planning on posting more on this site– we actually have a lot going on behind the scenes and I would like to share our steps towards creating our first business.

Mary Kate

Jumping Right In

mkate — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 03:49:39 +0000

This will be my main personal blog. I will continue to monitor Baby, Toddler and Beyond and may even post over there. However, this is going to be the place I post most often. I want to get back into posting regularly. So there will be another update soon!

Mary Kate