Family and friends play a large role in the development of entrepreneurs. There has been plenty of research on the subject of family relationships and how people decide to become entrepreneurs. For me, my mother, Carol Gilbert, was one of the earliest influences on me to become an entrepreneur. Even though she has passed on, her lessons help me on a fundamental level.

My mother grew up the daughter of a farmer/rancher. Her mother taught her to be careful with the resources on hand. Like any farmer, they had to make, repair, or do without items until they could afford them. She also learned to budget money and to figure out how to have resources when you needed them.

When she married my father, she became a military wife. This meant that we would move every few years and lived many interesting places. She felt that we should see the places we lived and learn about the history while we were there. But, she didn't come on this philosophy by accident.

The military moves you were they want you and there is often very little choice in the matter. This means that you might encounter a culture or environment that you have never seen before. You might not speak the language or know what food is available. And the money and resources will be completely unfamiliar. Many military wives get depressed and upset with this situation. But the most successful look for the opportunities in every situation. Once Mom learned this lesson, she called it "Blooming where you are planted."

Blooming where you are planted has two main ideas. They both come down to choice.

First, you can't always choose what your surroundings will be like, but you can choose how you will react to them. You can always find something positive to do. There is always something to be learned and experienced. When we lived in Germany, we went to factories to see crystal, nutcrackers, and even stuffed animals. We traveled to other countries and sampled the things we found there. To pay for our travels, we went to flea markets and sold handmade items. We made the most of what the environment had to offer. And later in high school, when we would study historical sites, I could say I had actually been to many of them.

Second, life may throw a curve at you that you can't anticipate, but you still do have a choice in how you act. Mom battled diabetes for 54 years. At times she was bedridden or in severe pain. She had a leg and fingers amputated, 3 kidney transplants, and eventually went blind. Many times a day she would be poked with needles. Yet, she read hundreds of books and built an impressive library. She crocheted blankets while going through hours of dialysis. She played the piano and sang until she was unable. And even when her eyesight was gone, she dictated a book she wanted to write. She made the most of the time she had and lived a full, rich life despite the pain.

Too often we see folks who curse their lives and give in to being a victim. Entrepreneurs don't allow themselves this privilege. They bloom where they are planted. They lean toward the sun, seeking the proper nutrients, and storing up resources for the lean times. If things aren't working out the way they anticipated, they go out and make things happen. Entrepreneurs don't fail. They just have expensive learning experiences.

Carol Gilbert was my first entrepreneurial example. I've learned to see the world differently because of her influence. If you can learn to see the world as a place filled with opportunities, then you too can bloom where you are planted.

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