What are you most passionate about? Why?

This was one of the questions that the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley asks as part of the application process. Was recently talking about this the other night with a classmate and so figured I would post my response - typical b-school response right?

As you read this, I will be in the middle of a five-week backpacking trip through Chile and Argentina. I am going alone. Am I nervous? Yes.

The language of my first engagement in Switzerland was Swiss German. Unable to understand what was being spoken around me, I was completely dependent on team members. Was it intimidating? Yes.

Sitting on the plane to London, my heart physically ached. I was not leaving just a country. Switzerland, its way of life and my friends there had become an integrated part of who I am. Was it hard to leave Switzerland? Yes.

Regardless of the difficulty, all these challenges I actively pursued. I am most passionate about pushing myself outside my comfort zone to challenge my limits, accomplish a goal or discover something new. This passion has taken many forms, but has been at the heart of all my decisions.

Travelling, I have met the most amazing people. Working in Switzerland taught me how to more easily adapt to new cultures and become comfortable in non-English speaking environments, and moving to London opened up a wealth of career opportunities.

These experiences have gifted me with a broader perspective, enabling me to see something unique in the ordinary, make more informed decisions, problem-solve with a different approach and work well in multi-cultural environments.

I am who I am today because I pushed myself to accomplish something outside my comfort zone and it is my passion to continue to do so.