My mission today is to deepen my understanding of how WordPress works while continuing to invest in my growth as an entrepreneur. I am currently reading The College Entrepreneur by Kyle C. Gray, a book that has been especially impactful for me at this stage of my college journey. It offers practical, actionable advice for students who want to go beyond the traditional college experience and intentionally build something meaningful. I am currently on Chapter 9, and the book has reinforced how powerful it can be to leverage university resources to start a business while still in school.
One of the most immediate changes I made after reading this book was implementing The 5 Minute Journal into my daily routine as an entrepreneur. Starting a business requires a high level of organization and self-awareness—there is no one outlining your challenges or telling you what to do next. You are responsible for everything, and that can quickly become overwhelming. Having systems, strategies, and tools in place is essential to staying focused and resilient.
The 5 Minute Journal is a simple but powerful practice: each day, you spend five minutes reflecting on what you are grateful for and why those moments matter. Even difficult experiences can be reframed as lessons. Although I have only been journaling for a few days, I have already noticed a shift in my mindset. I am learning to move past failures more quickly, maintain motivation, and stay committed to my goals—such as starting this blog.
The book also explores how to become a thought leader in areas you are passionate about. Blogging was something I discovered before reading The College Entrepreneur, and I already understood its value as a learning and reflection tool. I have also considered launching a YouTube channel and diving into social media marketing. While blogs may not be as trendy as podcasts or video content, they still hold significant leverage in the digital world. I once mentioned my blog to a small business owner who dismissed blogging as outdated, claiming podcasts were the future. While blogs may be less popular today, there remains a dedicated audience of readers—people like me—who continue to find value in written content.
Another key theme of the book is finding inspiration through skills and people you admire. Admiration can be a powerful motivator in business, pushing you to “learn how to learn” and identify your North Star. This clarity helps shape goals and create a roadmap for turning ideas into reality. A familiar example of this concept is a vision board. While earning a college degree is important, the true value of a career lies in the skills you build along the way.
The College Entrepreneur also addresses the stress of applying for jobs—a process many students find exhausting. I have always dreamed of reaching a point where opportunities seek me out rather than the other way around. Building influence, expertise, and credibility is deeply fulfilling to me, and I willingly spend my time outside of work focused on personal development to move closer to that vision.
For example, I aspire to master personal finance, and Microsoft Excel is a skill I already possess at a foundational level. While I do not use it extensively in my current job, I have applied it in academic and creative projects. Many professionals use Excel only out of necessity, relying on templates without fully understanding its capabilities. However, Excel can be a powerful tool for budgeting, personal finance, data analysis, and even improving communication through data visualization. The ability to gather information, identify trends, and present insights clearly is a critical skill for leadership and executive decision-making—and one I am committed to developing.
Daniel Marin
DanielEMarinblog 
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