A lesson of Business School: Learning to let go and accept that you just can’t do it all!

Business school offers many valuable lessons – few of which come from the academics themselves. Surprising? Well, it shouldn’t be. What are the most valued skills required to be successful in business? Calculating the optimal quantity to produce based on setting price equal to marginal cost whilst operating in a perfectly competitive market? Maybe it is calculating 95% confidence intervals on our analysis of the effect of square footage of a house on its price? I don’t think so.

It is relationships, interpersonal and networking skills, working well with others and knowing how to make a decision. More importantly, in this day in age where we have every opportunity at our fingertips, it is the ability to prioritize, manage one’s time and realize that you just can’t do it all.

It’s 11pm – way past my usual bedtime, unless of course I am out socializing. But tonight, I am supposed to be studying for finals. Yes, finals. It still sounds weird for me to say. The only difference this time round is that grades don’t actually matter! Except tell that to a bunch of overachieving MBA students, and again, and again. Has it sunk in yet? Not during midterms (although I think I was a bit quicker than most), slowly getting there for finals, and judging by the second years, this concept will have been embodied in everything we do. Is it because they are lazy?

No. It is because every decision we make has an opportunity cost (my econ professor would so proud). How much value, or shall we say utility, do you get from spending those few extra hours hitting the books versus that received from going to that company presentation, meeting that recruiter, getting involved in that business competition, attending that speaker series.. the list goes on. Besides, you can read a textbook anytime you want – I am not going to a $50,000/year university to read a book and do the example problems in the back.

The opportunities to get involved in everything imaginable are endless, the choices a smorgasbord of every favorite food you have craved, and the plentitude of interesting people to meet like a wine tasting comprised of every varietal from every region – each distinct and delicious. I have yet to meet one who is ‘corked’.

Yet there lies the conundrum. This experience is similar to that of a kid in a candy store whose eyes are bigger than his stomach. In the first go, he tires everything until he is physically ill. Second time round, he remembers the consequences of his gorging and suddenly realizes he must be more careful and deliberate about his candy choices. His favorite chocolate is dark chocolate, so he won’t pick up the milk. And why was he eating Skittles – he doesn’t even like them, he was only eating them because everyone else was. Put them down!

And so goes business school. Do I want the milk chocolate? Yes. Do I want to do well on my exams? Yes. But do I like dark chocolate more? Yes. And do I want to be involved in the Innovation Challenge competition, member of this club, still make it to the gym, AND get a good night’ rest? YES! YES! And YES!

So, now it is 11:30pm. I should be studying but I suddenly felt like writing – something I love but have not done in quite some time. When I am 80 and looking back on my life, will I be reviewing my old exams or my writings?

I love all kinds of chocolate – can’t help it after 2 years living in Switzerland! But my favorite is dark chocolate. I think I will stick to that.