I am a highly goal-oriented person. I always have been, and I imagine I always will be. I love it. I love the vision, the plan, the execution, and the moment of “success.”
But when I’m always chasing the next goal, I struggle with being present and appreciating where I am. One of my goals for business school (no, the irony is not lost on me) is to enjoy the journey. To slow down and reflect (hello, learning blog), to prioritize building relationships, and to relax and have more fun. Two things reinforced this idea yesterday, so I think it deserves some thought:
- One of my program directors shared that he observes first-year MBA / MSDI students experience high levels of stress and anxiety because they are so focused on the outcome. “The job, the salary, the opportunities will come – just focus on what you’re learning.” He said that his engineering students seem to be better at this part of the grad school experience.
- We had a ladies wine night and spent time listening to each person’s rose, bud, and thorn from the summer. (Essentially, a reflection activity). One of my friends shared that her whole life, she has been outcomes-focused and that she is excited to embrace the journey more than the goals.
Both of these insights came from people I respect and admire. It was a good reminder that if a “successful” MBA/MSDI experience is based on a particular outcome, I’m missing the point.
Daily Learnings 