3D Printing in the World of Healthcare

3D Printing

Certain types of 3D printing have already been in existence for over 20 years. The basic concept behind 3D printing is that it is an additive manufacturing process that creates three dimensional objects using a digital file. In relation to subtractive processes which “remove undesired materials to achieve desired forms” (Brown, 2012), additive manufacturing “has to do with combining multiple elemental components, each of which is usually obtained through subtractive processes” (Brown, 2012).

The elemental components may be made up of different metals, plastics and composite materials. The elemental components take a powdered form that is first placed on a building platform. As the platform moves upward more layers are added and a laser beam is used to fuse the layers together, eventually producing a prototype (For Technology-Interested, 2015). These prototypes “let you discover performance issues and correct them before you invest in product documentation, tooling and manufacturing” (Functional Prototypes, 2015). They allow for changes to be made efficiently without the additional cost.

The design for the prototype is generated in a computer aided design file that uses either a 3D modeling program or a 3D scanner. The use of either one depends on whether a new object needs to be created or if an existing one is being copied. Regardless, the object design is put into a 3D modelling program and the software slices the object into horizontal layers that the printer will copy layer by layer (What is 3D printing?, 2015). There are several forms of 3D printing. Selective Laser Sintering and Fused Deposition Modelling use softening materials to make the layers and Stereolithography uses liquid layers.

Specifically, Selective Laser Sintering “requires very little additional tooling once an object is printed, meaning that objects don’t usually have to be sanded or otherwise altered once they come out of the SLS machine” (Palermo, 2013). Fused Deposition Modelling is the “the only professional 3D printing technology that uses production-grade thermoplastics, so parts are unrivaled in mechanical, thermal and chemical strength” (FDM Technology, 2015). Lastly, Stereolithography “employs a vat of liquid ultraviolet curable photopolymer resin and an ultraviolet laser to build the object’s layers one at a time” (What is 3D printing?, 2015).

An example of the more commonly used 3D printing process, Selective Laser Sintering, can be seen in the image below:

3D Printing in Healthcare

Three dimensional printing is changing the world of medicine. In the healthcare system 3D printing is being used to create end-use medical devices, a variety of implantations and to create realistic surgical models to practice on before operation (Groopman, 2014). It has also aided in the development of prosthetic parts and in cancer research as “printing cancer cells is a way of growing these cells on tissue in a lab to study, test drugs on and to eventually find a cure for” (Honigman, 2015). This is only the beginning as researchers are working on new ways 3D printing will improve the healthcare sector in the future.

As an example, in 2012 a 3 month old boy had “Tracheobronchomalacia: the tissue of one portion of his airway was so weak that it persistently collapsed. This made breathing very difficult, and it regularly blocked vital blood vessels nearby … triggering cardiac and pulmonary arrest” (Groopman, 2014). The doctors were able to use 3D printing to create a “splint—a small tube, made of the same biocompatible material that goes into sutures—that would fit snugly over the weakened section of airway and hold it open” (Groopman, 2014). The splint was flexible and lasted 3 years which gave it enough time for the cells to build over and dissolve it. As a result the boy was fine and grew up with no issues regarding the splint.

Benefits

The two main benefits of 3D printing in the healthcare industry are savings in cost and time. Starting with the medical product manufacturers, they are now able to deliver clinical trial products effectively and efficiently to the market. 3D printing enables them to evaluate products and make changes immediately, cutting down the time it would normally take to do so and the costs associated (Medical, 2015). Costs reduced include external failure costs and prevention costs because there are less operational procedures and training required.

Manufacturers can also make any medical device necessary, regardless of their size, which used to be a problem due to the intricate detail involved. As for surgical teams, 3D printing improved the way they treat patients. They can now develop alternatives for complex surgical procedures in order to predetermine the best possible outcome (Medical, 2015). In a sense, 3D printing is just in time delivery and one of the leanest examples of managing inventory because it reduces the stock on hand and can be made for delivery right away (Scott, 2015). Any alternatives not used can be kept on hand to use as models for future patients and personalized to their needs, similar to delayed differentiation.

This recognizes another benefit of 3D printing and its ability to improve the quality of life for patients in the healthcare industry. Shahid N. Shah, chair of the HealthImpact Conference, states “3D printing allows personalization and customization to the extreme and there’s nothing that requires more customization or personalization than devices connected to or replacement parts of any human body” (Diana, 2014). Tailoring parts to the needs of any individual makes the process much more simple, fast and inexpensive.

Challenges

Although 3D printing saves money in the early stages of production it makes it more difficult to expand in the long run. In the likelihood of mass customization and production, both are possible in the medical field using 3D printing, however there are challenges accompanying each one. Only products with a single purpose can be customized which means limited materials can be produced commercially. Furthermore only unique products that can’t be manufactured through traditional methods can be mass produced, large products surpass the capabilities of a 3D printer. It can also be more costly to produce in high quantities, using 3D printing, so it is hard for manufacturers to achieve economies of scale (Halmes & Pierreu, 2015).

With the progress 3D printing has made in the past 20 years it can still pose as a risk “because people are still trying to figure out what exactly it means and how 3D printing works. Another risk to consider … is that the technology is catching up to the point where commercialized products can be scanned to 3-D print knock-off products, which could mean bad products reaching the market” (Pedersen, 2014). This challenges the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue to build well developed assessments of future product submissions. This also challenges the laws regarding intellectual property and questions the liability of manufacturers or services in the industry if a consumer makes a faulty product or part (Sherman, 2015).

Ethically, 3D printing contradicts the values of the healthcare system. It is used to better the quality of life for patients through lower costs, less time delays and innovative recovery devices but it imposes harm on those who use it. According to researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology “the emissions from desktop 3D printers are similar to burning a cigarette or cooking on a gas or electric stove” (Gilpin, 2014). The researchers were the first to test the emissions and also found that “while heating the plastic and printing small figures, the machines using PLA filament emitted 20 billion ultrafine particles per minute, and the ABS emitted up to 200 billion particles per minute. These particles can settle in the lungs or the bloodstream and pose health risk” (Gilpin, 2014). This may pose as a challenge to managers in finding solutions that prevent these health risks from effecting their employees.

Future of 3D Printing

Three dimensional printing is revolutionizing the healthcare industry and growing at a high rate. A study done by Visiongain, one of the fastest growing business intelligence providers, recorded that “in 2013, there was a $1.2 billion market for 3D printing in healthcare; by 2018 that will increase to over $4 billion” (Diana, 2014). It will advance to develop skin grafts, knee cartilage and small heart valves. This will be done through bioprinting which will use a blend of living cells known as bioink to print living tissues (Lee, 2014). The next step will be the printing of human organs including kidneys, pancreases and hearts which will have a huge impact on the industry by “reducing the lengthy transplant lists, improving the chances of recovery and possibly even controlling or curing chronic diseases, like diabetes (Lee, 2014).

One last step added to the operations of 3D printing may be to add in electronics. Markus Fromherz, Xerox’s chief innovation officer in healthcare explained “artificial knees could include sensors to measure the pressure and health of the knee, connected wirelessly to an app or provider software” (Doyle, 2013). Not only will 3D printing change the scope of operational capability it will also change the framework of operations. It is predicted that with its “flexibility to build a wide range of products, coupled with the fact that 3D printing can be done near the point of consumption, implies a serious change to supply chains and business models. Many steps in the supply chain can potentially be eliminated, including distribution, warehousing and retail” (Koff & Gustafson, 2015).

Manager’s Responsibility

Managers in the healthcare industry will need to ensure they are maintaining three aspects of their workplace in order to successfully fulfill their roles and responsibility. The three aspects to be aware of are:

• Time-to-market for products shrinks
• Open design is here to stay
• Internal barriers

The time-to-market will shrink due to the rapid prototyping cycles as a result of 3D printing. There is also no need for factory set up or tooling meaning that the competitive advantage of agility is an advantage no more. Managers will need to maintain an agile workplace to stay alive in the industry. The open design suggests that the consumer will have more say in the design of products and parts. What is most suited to them will matter more so consumer insight is key for managers to recall during the manufacturing process to stay ahead of competitors.

Lastly, internal barriers such as culture need to be managed going forward. Traditional manufacturing processes need to change to fit the needs of 3D printing in the healthcare supply chain as new entrants will have new methods in comparison to existing market holders. Internal barriers can prevent necessary change and it is up to the managers to identify and monitor these barriers (Koff & Gustafson, 2015).

Midterm Question

What three factors do managers in the healthcare industry need to be aware of in order to facilitate a successful workplace amidst the influence of 3D printing?

Works Cited

Brown, H. J. (2012, January 17). Additive Versus Subtractive Manufacturing. Retrieved from DMASS: http://www.dmass.net/2012/01/17/additive-versus-subtractive-manufacturing/

Diana, A. (2014, February 20). 3D Printing Reshapes Healthcare. Retrieved from Information Week: Healthcare: http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/mobile-and-wireless/3d-printing-reshapes-healthcare/d/d-id/1113893

Doyle, K. (2013, August 22). 3 Ways 3-D Printing Could Revolutionize Healthcare. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/xerox/2013/08/22/3-ways-3-d-printing-could-revolutionize-healthcare/

FDM Technology. (2015, March 10). Retrieved from Stratasys: http://www.stratasys.com/3d-printers/technologies/fdm-technology

For Technology-Interested. (2015, March 10). Retrieved from E-Manufacturing Solutions: http://www.eos.info/additive_manufacturing/for_technology_interested

Functional Prototypes. (2015, March 10). Retrieved from Hyphen: http://www.hyphenservices.com/rapid-prototyping/prototype-manufacturing/Pages/functional-prototypes.aspx

Gilpin, L. (2014, March 5). The Dark Side of 3D Printing: 10 Things to Watch. Retrieved from TechRepublic: http://www.techrepublic.com/article/the-dark-side-of-3d-printing-10-things-to-watch/

Groopman, J. (2014, November 24). Print Thyself. Retrieved from The New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/11/24/print-thyself

Halmes, M., & Pierreu, L. (2015, March 17). The Effects of 3D Printing. Retrieved from Additive Manufacturing: http://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/lu/Documents/manufacturing/lu-additive-manufacturing-3d-printing-31102014.pdf

Honigman, B. (2015). The 7 Biggest Innovations in Health Care Technology in 2014 . Retrieved from Referral MD: https://getreferralmd.com/2013/11/health-care-technology-innovations-2013-infographic/

Koff, W., & Gustafson, P. (2015, March 18). 3D Printing and the Future of Manufacturing . Retrieved from CSC Leading Manufacturing: http://assets1.csc.com/innovation/downloads/LEF_20123DPrinting.pdf

Lee, S. D. (2014, April 1). The Future of 3D Printing in Healthcare. Retrieved from HIT Consultant : http://hitconsultant.net/2014/04/01/the-future-of-3d-printing-in-healthcare/

Medical. (2015, March 16). Retrieved from Javelin: http://www.javelin-tech.com/3d-printer/industry/medical/

Palermo, E. (2013, August 13). What is Selective Laser Sintering? Retrieved from Live Science : http://www.livescience.com/38862-selective-laser-sintering.html

Pedersen, A. (2014, July 24). With Great Opportunity Comes Great Challenges in the 3-D Printing Space. Retrieved from Life Sciences Connect: http://lsconnect.thomsonreuters.com/great-opportunity-comes-great-challenges-3-d-printing-space/

Scott, D. (2015, March 16). Industry Success Spotlight. Retrieved from Javelin: http://www.javelin-tech.com/3d-printer/industry/medical/

Sherman, E. (2015, March 17). 3D Printing has a Bright Future with Dark Problems. Retrieved from Mashable: http://www.inc.com/erik-sherman/3d-printing-has-a-bright-future-with-dark-problems.html

What is 3D printing? (2015, March 10). Retrieved from 3DPrinting.com: http://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/

 

 

 

 

My first vine….

I am a little behind the times, my professor Bob Basil had us test out vine. Here is a little taste of how great I am with technology (that is sarcasm at its finest). Enjoy.

https://vine.co/v/OK2aABDajAp

It can only get better from here.

Storify

Just a little about yours truly, with some cool pictures and stuff.

//storify.com/CANDUSSO05/what-s-up-with-my-blog/embed?border=false

What is a credit union?

While sitting in class a few weeks ago my teacher admitted he didn’t know what a credit union was. This surprised me since he constantly used Vancity Credit Union’s advertisements as examples for class exercises. But then he asked the class if they knew what a credit union was and no one raised their hand. This surprised me even more since some of them did banking with a credit union. So of course as someone who works at a credit union I was inspired to blog about it. The following is a short break down of what exactly a credit union is.

In order to have an account with a credit union one needs two pieces of identification, their social insurance number and a credit bureau inquiry must be completed. Why the credit bureau inquiry? Essentially, the credit union needs to measure the risk associated with each new member to ensure they are protecting their existing members. Through credit bureau inquiries a credit union can decipher credit history and habits. Based on the information provided they decide whether to open the account or not as well as what kind of account. Just because someone has bad credit doesn’t mean there isn’t a story behind it and the credit union can help them build their credit back up again.

A five dollar deposit for member shares is required which allows members to vote in the annual general meeting. Each vote influences the make-up of the board of directors who in turn influence the rates on treasury for investments and loans received by the members. The idea is that “members benefit from higher returns on savings, lower rates on loans and fewer fees on average” because “credit unions pool their members’ savings deposits and shares to finance their own loan portfolios rather than rely on outside capital” (What is a Credit Union?, 2014). In addition, all zero-risk member deposits are guaranteed through the Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation (CUDIC).

Credit Unions are also a “not-for-profit institution. Since credit unions operate as non-profits, they can offer higher interest rates on savings accounts and CDs, and lower interest rates on loan products and credit cards” (Colley, 2014). Since credit unions are not for profit they are considered more “member-focused institutions. A credit union is a cooperative, which means it is owned and operated by its members, as opposed to being owned by its stockholders like a bank” (Colley, 2014). Credit unions tend to be more personalized. However, at the end of the day it is all about the human connection in which trust is built from. You can develop those relationships anywhere you bank it is just a matter of having the opportunity to do so.

Works Cited

Colley, A. (2014, December 15). Credit Unions vs. Banks – Differences, Pros & Cons. Retrieved from Money Crashers: http://www.moneycrashers.com/why-credit-unions-are-better-than-banks/

What is a Credit Union? (2014, December 15). Retrieved from World Counsel of Credit Unions: http://www.woccu.org/about/creditunion

Whatsup Financially?

Before I started working at the credit union I really knew nothing about banking. Fast forward to today and I am so thankful I have this job for so many reasons. One being that I understand my finances more which allows me to make smart decisions. As easy of a concept as it sounds, a large number of young adults and/or youths don’t understand basic banking concepts. Basic concepts such as pre-authorized debits and credit cards. In fact a study done by MasterCard revealed “22% of 18 to 24 year olds and 40% of 25 to 34 year olds once owned a checking account, but no longer do” (Sumangali, 2011). They continue to show that “45% of 18 to 24 year olds and 46% of 25 to 34 year olds said they would prefer a prepaid debit card account to a checking account” (Sumangali, 2011).

The issue is that young adults and youth are not taught about banking in high school, therefore when they enter the real world they don’t know where to start. Having no idea, they also don’t know what questions to ask. Banks and credit unions have the responsibility to teach their customers these basic lessons and steer them in the right direction. For example, “there are a minority of students who can handle having a credit card and paying it off, but there are too many people out there who do not understand that this is just a way of delaying paying for something” (LUCIW, 2012). Before giving a young adult or youth a credit card they need to fully be aware of the responsibly and the consequences associated with it.

An idea is that more banks and credit unions set up booths in local schools, both high schools and universities, in order to ask questions and provide smart solutions for young adults and youth. This not only benefits the youth, it would also establish relationships that can last a life time for the financial institutions. In the meantime the best advice for young people today is to sit down with a representative at their financial institution and simply review their account. Ask questions and find solutions that work for you. Think about your goals and how you will need to reach them financially. A good representative should take that into consideration when helping you plan and develop your banking habits. A great representative will never try to sell you something for the hell of it, so always ask them why. They should be able to give you specific reason as to why it is crucial or beneficial for you to use their products and services. If when you have finished reading this you are left wondering about your financial situation make an appointment today or take baby steps and educate yourself through online information available.

Works Cited

LUCIW, R. (2012, March 27). The banking blunders that snare young people . Retrieved from The Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/the-banking-blunders-that-snare-young-people/article4096239/

Sumangali, N. (2011, May 24). Why Banks Can’t Afford to Ignore Young Adults. Retrieved from MasterCard: http://insights.mastercard.com/2011/05/24/why-banks-can%E2%80%99t-afford-to-ignore-young-adults/

 

Inequality in 2015

“The next battlefield for workplace gender discrimination is artificial turf.” The 2015 Women’s World Cup for soccer is to be held in Canada. The host cities are Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Moncton. The tournament starts June 6, 2015 and the final kick off will be played in Vancouver on July 5, 2015.

As of right now the tournament will be played on artificial turf but some of the top players have put together a proposal for the tournament to be played on natural grass instead. As a soccer player myself I have heard all the jokes referring to soccer players as pansies. The dramatic dives players take in the European leagues and Men’s World Cup don’t help that reputation. However, North American style of soccer is played much differently. Players go hard and compete for the ball instead of waiting for the call. Women’s soccer is no different.

Just check out US forward Sydney Leroux’s twitter picture that was re-tweeted by Kobe Bryant himself, in support of the proposal:

Now you can’t tell me she doesn’t go hard. The above picture was taken to emphasize the damage that artificial turf can cause. The point is the tournament shouldn’t be played on artificial turf and for good reason. Besides, the issue is not whether all soccer players should play on natural grass its whether women should. “Every men’s World Cup since 1930, including the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, has been played on grass.” The funding that goes into women’s soccer does not even compare to the large amounts that go into men’s soccer. Inequality clearly exists but when it’s going to cost a number of players their safety then something needs to be done.

“The players’ proposal, that the tournament’s six venues be temporarily equipped with natural grass, is estimated to cost a little more than $3 million dollars—a negligible expense when compared to the estimated $14 billion that FIFA spent on this year’s men’s World Cup.” Wake up FIFA and put your money where your mouth is. To find out more check out the link below.

http://qz.com/275229/why-women-soccer-players-shouldnt-have-to-play-on-artificial-turf/

Money Over Morals

It is tested and true that honesty is the best policy. As we’ve seen in the NFL, regardless of how well you cover up any wrong doing, the public will find out and your consequences will be ten times worse. How do we know they will be ten times worse? Take the recent domestic violence case that happened in the NHL that, unless you are a hockey fan, you may have no idea what I am talking about. Case proven, but let me explain: L.A. Kings’ Slava Voynov reportedly sent his girlfriend to the hospital with serious injuries. He was present at the hospital and arrested under California Penal Code 273.5, which covers a whole range of domestic crimes.

Before word of the situation leaked the NHL suspended Voynov, with pay, under Section 18-A.5 of the CBA, which states that the league may suspend a player when “failure to do so would create a substantial risk of material harm to the legitimate interests and/or reputation of the League.” He continues to face suspension with his court date set for December 1, 2014. The proactive approach the NHL took to handle a potential crisis is commendable as it is evident it was successful since there was zero hype in the media in regards to it.

But let’s take a moment to think about that previous statement. The league may suspend a player when “failure to do so would create a substantial risk of material harm to the legitimate interests and/or reputation of the League.” Throughout the article (link below) there is no mention to the fact the number 2 defencemen’s actions were wrong and no sympathy shown towards the victims injuries. Unfortunately, the only thing that matters is that no money is lost and the NHL’s reputation has not been harmed.

Of course the NHL and the NFL should not suffer from events like these, there are good players within each organization just trying to do what they love the best they can for their fans. But when events like this do take place we cannot turn a blind eye just because the public relations team has done a good job in “handling the case.” They still need to feel the pressure to ensure that justice is served, not for the money making giants, but for us as human beings. To find out more about this topic check out the link below.

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2014/10/20/nhl-acts-swiftly-in-l-a-kings-slava-voynov-domestic-abuse-case-in-light-of-nfls-handling-of-ray-rice-scandal/

Customer Service in an Online World

Before, if you ever needed help with a product regardless of the issue you would pick up the phone and contact the company help line. As technology has advanced there are now more ways to find help with the product in question. Through social media platforms companies are able to interact with their customers on a public forum which can be considered a good thing as well as a bad thing. To avoid the bad it is essential for companies to understand how to serve their customers online and as marketers it’s important to understand how to communicate with their customers online. The link below describes the key elements to be considered when serving customers online.

Companies and customers are both turning to social media but for different reasons, it is important to understand why customers are online. Typically, online is a key source of information that is used in the purchasing process, but what about after the purchase has been made? 47% of social media users are engaged in social care, also known as customer service. There are a variety of inquiries but all that matters is that the company is there to answer. The company needs to be where the customers are.

Some helpful tips are to acknowledge the good and the bad, acknowledge quickly and finally, measure satisfaction. Hootsuite covers their own processes and procedures for serving their customers online. I found it interesting that they emphasize the importance of self-serve and active support for their customers. By providing self-serve options it enables customers to help themselves and frees up time for the staff of Hootsuite. They have a twitter handle specifically for customer service: @Hootsuite_Help. They have these different channels to control reactive versus proactive support and to separate the more complex situations from the simple ones as they require different responses.

When talking about social media platforms it is crucial to discuss crisis management and communications as it just goes with the territory. Social media has put companies in a vulnerable position if they are not prepared for it, as they are available on a public forum for the world to see and networks to share. Providing a lesson on customer service through these platforms is very useful, so If you are interested check out the link below:

https://learn.hootsuite.com/student.php?ctg=content&view_unit=184

What is Content Marketing?

At first glance content marketing seems just like it sounds, marketing content related to your brand. If you dig further you will find out it is much more than that, it is an art really and growing rapidly as a popular trend in the marketing industry. The link at the bottom of this blog will take you to the Hootsuite University site to a video that discusses content marketing with Hootsuite and LinkedIn. Taking the time to view the video will be quite valuable to future marketers since there is evidence that 79% of marketers report their organizations are shifting into branded content.

Content marketing is defined by Hootsuite as creating and sharing free content to attract prospective buyers and provide valuable information to convert them into customers. The idea behind content marketing is that the valuable information will relate to the company’s mission and educate the buyers and sellers in order to create trust between the two. Essentially, content marketing provides sales collateral that others can share as social proof. Rule of thumb states that if someone you know and trust shares content you are more likely to buy what the content is selling.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Google Plus are the most popular social media platforms to distribute content marketing. The video speaks specifically to the success content marketers have on LinkedIn and the different ways you can use LinkedIn for content marketing which are listed as the following:

• Company Pages
• Sponsored Updates
• Content Advertising
• Slide Share Channels

You can learn more about each of these tools by watching the video. The video is also interesting because Hootsuite uses real life examples of successful content marketing campaigns including its own. I appreciate their transparency in their mission and purpose of the campaign and how they divulge into the details of their strategy. I believe sharing is caring and it’s a great learning device to help others as they aim to do. I feel content marketing is overlooked in our curriculum because it is utilized through social media. I think that we can learn further about how to embed our key messages into the content we share by viewing case studies of successful content marketing campaigns like Hootsuite does.

To find out more, check out the link below:

https://learn.hootsuite.com/student.php?ctg=content&view_unit=182

Believe in Yourself

You know that moment when your teacher or your boss asks a question and everyone just goes silent? You think you might know the answer but you’re so afraid of being wrong you just stay silent like everyone else. Next time, just say it! Half the time the answer is what you were thinking anyhow and if it’s not, then, so what? You gain some new found knowledge that only makes you wiser than you were before. It is similar to failing, at some point you have to fail in order to succeed, consider Steve Jobs for example. The co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple didn’t have a perfect run with the company and at one point tried to start up another company only to fail.

Nine years after Apple was first created, its competitor IBM began surpassing Apple in sales, so much so, that senior executives started to phase Steve Jobs out of the picture until Jobs left. He went on to start his own software/hardware company NeXT, Inc. Unfortunately it never got off the ground so Apple bought it out and Jobs returned to Apple soon after (Steve Jobs Biography, 2014). One of the most brilliant minds of our generation had to learn the hard way and he didn’t let it stop him from succeeding. The point is, that you are in control of your success and your future, if you believe in yourself nothing can get in the way of meeting your goals.

Mark Cuban, billionaire, investor and owner of the Dallas Mavericks said it best with “It’s not about money or connections — it’s the willingness to outwork and out-learn everyone… And if it fails, you learn from what happened and do a better job next time” (Lim, 2014). If we let failure stop us than we stand no chance.

If it isn’t failure that troubles us it is usually the opinions of others and what the world might think of our ideas. This is something else you cannot be afraid of, at the end of the day everyone has an opinion but it doesn’t mean their opinion matters. One more memorable quote by Mark Cuban is “Wherever I see people doing something the way it’s always been done, the way it’s ‘supposed’ to be done, following the same old trends, well, that’s just a big red flag to me to go look somewhere else” (Lim, 2014). If we are constantly worried about staying within the lines of what is normal or ‘supposed’ to be, then how are we ever going to stand out?

Teddy Lim at Lifehack puts the icing on the cake by stating “We are trained to interpret “different” as a negative, when in reality, different jobs and opportunities often provide for the greatest potential for us to thrive as individuals. Life is too short for us to live in fear of being different. Be whom you want to be and don’t worry about the haters” (Lim, 2014). The only actions you regret are the ones you don’t take, so take chances and don’t be afraid to fail. Just be prepared to keep moving forward no matter what the obstacle because nothing worth it is ever easy. Work harder.

Works Cited

Lim, T. (2014, October 04). Seven Things That Mark Cuban Said That Made Me Work Harder Than Ever. Retrieved from Lifehack: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/seven-things-that-mark-cuban-said-that-made-work-harder-than-ever.html

Steve Jobs Biography. (2014, October 04). Retrieved from Bio: http://www.biography.com/people/steve-jobs-9354805#synopsis