For my last class of my MBA experience, I enrolled in a two-week international elective – called Doing Business In China – through Arizona State University and Peking University. The course featured stops in Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai, with a mix of lectures from Peking University professors, company visits, sight-seeing tours, cultural activities and lots and lots of great food.
The Year of the Grind – that’s my title for 2015.
Maybe I’m exaggerating, but I can’t remember another time when I pushed myself harder, piled more on my plate and sustained such a consistently and dangerously close-to-capacity work load than over the past 12 months.
It never let up.
After a grueling application process and an inspiring first semester, I’m happy (and relieved) to report a strong finish to my first year in the W.P Carey School of Business evening MBA program.
The past 11 months stretched, propelled, motivated and challenged me like never before – compared to MBA year 1, Ironman Arizona was a walk in the park!
While I may be posting late this year, rest assured, I’ve been cranking away on the Awesome Bucket for these first few months of 2015 and have already made some great headway.
And even though House of Cards Season 3 tanked, and Suns management has returned to their mind-boggling, downward-spiraling old ways, this year is off to a blazing start: work has been crazy with cool projects, big changes and opportunities to stretch myself; and the W.P. Carey MBA program keeps challenging me to my core and surprising me with unforeseen benefits. I’m busier than I can ever remember, but it’s a good-busy and I’m excited to keep it going.
Thanks for following along. Here are my goals for 2015:
“You’re going to be busy,” an executive told me after learning I had been accepted to the MBA program at the W.P. Carey School of Business. “But it’s a good busy.”
I didn’t realize how right he was.
Much like my first Ironman triathlon, my first semester of grad school somehow managed to break me down, beat me up and challenge me to the core, while invigorating and strengthening me at the same time.
I slaved over homework, group projects, papers and presentations all weekend, every weekend, and stayed up past midnight most weeknights. I developed a recurring eye twitch in the weeks leading up to exams, and replaced a rigorous exercise routine with copious amounts of coffee.
Constructive disruption. Enlightening masochism. Creative conflict. “A good busy.” Call it what you will.
But as I mentioned in my 2014 Awesome Bucket results, I can already tell the decision to pursue my MBA is one of the best moves I’ve ever made – and I’m only a quarter of the way through.
