The Road Not Yet Taken & What Motivated Me to Apply to B-School

As I consider my next career move (including whether or not to attend business school), I find myself returning to some advice that helped me align my interests with my then-current career trajectory and that motivated me, in part, to apply to business school in the first place.

In the first video below, Randy Komisar (former lawyer, CFO and CEO and now currently a VC), talks about mirroring your passions with the opportunities in front of you. His message is particularly relevant as I decide between various options, each of which are likely a step in the right direction. Since it is difficult to optimize among different right choices, my decision will likely come down to a gut feeling about what is right for me, and knowing that any choice will close certain doors but open others.

Similarly, in the second video, Steve Jobs uses his experiences to illustrate three lessons. The first lesson echoes Randy’s message – namely, about acting on the available opportunities that excite you and trusting that your choices will connect in the end. The other two are more general advice to persevere in doing what you love – in spite of the inevitable setbacks – and to live life according to your own guidance about what is truly important.

It’s still too early in my decision-making process to know what I will choose in the end, but I feel good about the direction I’m headed and am grateful for having options.

This post is adapted from Just Ship, a blog written by an anonymous MBA applicant who has a GMAT score above 760 and is targeting six or seven of the top ten business schools. You can read all of his posts at Just Ship.

“Just One of 4,653 Applicants Trying To Get Into A Top B-School”

“Why I’m Not Applying to Harvard Business School”

“The Deafening Silence Is Broken: An Invitation to Interview from NYU’s Stern School”

“Why An Applicant Interview Requires A Different State of Mind”

“All Is Quiet on the MIT Sloan Front”

“A ‘Yes” from NYU Stern. A ‘No’ from MIT Sloan”

“Kellogg Gets His (Likely) Final Application”

“A Rejection from Columbia B-School”

“Prepping for a Kellogg Interview”

“Doing the Analysis on the Pros & Cons of Going to B-School”