The Last Step in The Formula

I have really enjoyed the reading and videos in this course and this week was no different. The lessons centered on honesty and business ethics. I really liked the video we watched called “Risks in Business”, which was part of a lecture by Jan Newman. In it he basically said that dishonesty in business always comes out. I believe what he said and that it applies to all dishonesty. At some point or another, it will come to the surface.

Probably what struck me the most from the reading/videos this week was learning about The Formula; but more specifically, the last step. James Ritchie composed six steps (3 of which came from David B. Haight) that he refers to as the “guaranteed six step formula for happiness”. Each step made sense to me and were some that I had heard before. The exception was the last step, which is to get prepared to be of service. Ritchie followed each step in his formula and was successful enough to retire at the age of 35. He and his wife spent the next 11 years devoting their lives to service in different capacities. They came out of retirement after that for 5 years to work for Franklin Quest but after that and through the present time they have continued to serve. Ritchie’s devotion to his fellowmen is inspiring. My husband and I plan to serve a mission after we retire and our children are grown, but that is only service we have really discussed. After learning about the formula and hearing the examples from Ritchie’s life I know that my husband and I will be able to give back in many other ways.