What Matters Most and Why: Lessons for Life After the MBA

—

by

mbaapply
in

A version of this was originally published in MBA Diversity Magazine. This reflection was written a few years after graduation—when the high of the degree gives way to real life, and the truths start to reveal themselves. These aren’t MBA admissions talking points. They’re hard-won lessons, shaped by experience, reflection, and the passing of time.

1. You Won’t Know What Matters Until You Know Yourself

And no, that doesn’t mean journaling your way to insight or backpacking through Thailand.

Knowing yourself comes from doing things. Trying. Failing. Succeeding. Reflecting. Repeating. The more you experience, the more you see patterns in what energizes you, what depletes you, and what you really value.

When you know yourself, so many once-critical decisions—like where to work or what title to chase—start to lose their gravity. You realize most of them are just stepping stones, not finish lines.

2. Separate Your Career From Your Self-Esteem

This one’s tough. But essential.

If your ego is tied to your job title or salary, you’ll never feel at peace—only validation-hungry. But if your identity is grounded in something deeper, your job becomes what it should be: a vehicle, not a verdict.

Money and prestige are fine. But they’re poor substitutes for self-respect. And no matter how much you earn, you’ll always want more if that’s what you rely on to feel worthy.

3. You Find Your Passion by Doing, Not Thinking

There’s no master plan. No spreadsheet will tell you what your “true calling” is.

You find what you enjoy by putting yourself in new environments—taking workshops, volunteering, creating things, testing ideas.

If it clicks, great—do more of it.

If it doesn’t, move on.

But don’t sit around thinking your way through a question your body can only answer through action.

4. Boredom Is a Sign You’re Playing It Too Safe

If you’re stuck, it’s not because life has failed you. It’s probably because you haven’t pushed yourself enough lately. Most important leaps—changing careers, taking creative risks, committing to a relationship—require a leap of faith.

Trust isn’t just a leadership trait. It’s a survival skill.

5. Own Your Happiness, Especially When It’s Hard

It’s easy to stay upbeat when things are going well. But when things go sideways, that’s when the real work begins. You may not control what happens to you, but you control how you metabolize it.

You can blame the world. Or you can process, grieve, adapt—and keep moving. Taking ownership of your mental state is what resilience actually looks like.

6. Life Happens in Cycles. Stop Expecting Straight Lines.

Careers. Markets. Relationships. Energy. Mood. Everything ebbs and flows.

Sometimes you’re up. Sometimes you’re not. And even those who look like they’re always “crushing it” are quietly navigating their own lows. Ride the wave, don’t panic in the troughs, and don’t get cocky at the crests.

7. Forgive Yourself and Move On

You’re going to screw up. We all do. The question is whether you let that moment define you—or refine you.

If you can’t forgive yourself, you’ll stay stuck. If you can, you’ll keep learning. And growing. And living.

8. Small Things Compound Into Big Things

Being a good manager doesn’t start with a bold vision. It starts with a thank you.

Balance doesn’t begin with a sabbatical. It starts with a 5-minute walk.

Excellence isn’t about talent. It’s about consistent effort on the small stuff.

Over time, small acts stack up like compound interest. And they carry more weight than dramatic one-time gestures.

9. Stop Rationalizing. Just Do It.

Highly educated people are often highly skilled at talking themselves out of action.

We wait. We analyze. We debate. We procrastinate.

But all that thinking can become a smokescreen for fear.

So take the leap. Try the thing. Ask the question. Hit send.

If you want a mantra, the old Nike slogan works: Just Do It. Dammit.

Final Thought:

You’ll never fully “figure it out.” But if you stay curious, take action, and give yourself grace along the way, you’ll get a lot closer to what actually matters—and find that you need far less than you once thought.

Crafting your story for the applications?

Want help figuring out your real story before you hit submit? The MBA App Assistant helps you build an application rooted in self-awareness, not just strategy. No fluff. No gimmicks. Just honest tools to help you stand out—because you’ve done the work to stand up.