Guest blog by Michael Chao
Spring has sprung in Chicago, and with that brings another flurry of graduations. A year ago, I wrote about my first-year reflections as a first-gen student, and harped on the importance of learning (deeply) how the world works through the many experiences an MBA offers.
Today, that still holds strikingly true. As my business school finish line inches closer, I’d love to share some additional words of wisdom that I think my Booth experiences have greatly helped influence. Whether you are a prospective, incoming, or soon-to-be 2Y, I hope you take these musings for what they’re worth.
In the spirit of paying it forward:
1. Grace and feedback are two of the most valuable, yet hard-to-give gifts we have. For something that we’re so grateful to receive, we’re oddly reluctant to reciprocate in kind. Learning to be more generous with both is something we can all aspire to.
2. Authenticity is today’s biggest alpha. Everyone is smart, everyone is ambitious, and everyone is hard-working. However, not everyone chooses to be themselves. Be true to yourself in all areas of life, and you will find surprising confidence in how “natural” things become.
3. Be conscious of and honest about how your time is spent and what cost that may carry, whether it’s your mental peace, energy, or simply just opportunity cost. You can do anything at Booth, but you can’t do everything – and that’s okay.
4. Take how big you think the world is, then multiply it by a hundred – that’s how big the world actually is. Your mistake is not as significant as you think it may be. Your troubles, concerns, and insecurities are not as unique or serious as you think they may be. Things will be okay.
5. Last and perhaps my most important one: in life, you can just go do things. Nobody’s stopping you, but you. Don’t be limited by what you think you can’t do, whether that’s by ability or agency. Never say no to trying things that may seem daunting and embrace the unknown. It’s in that area of discomfort and not knowing what happens next, where you discover who you are.
