Capturing Energy and Inspiration in Your MBA Admissions Essays

Every business school wants to understand your short-term and long-term career goals. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Admissions Committees want to know the industries you plan to join and in what jobs you plan to work. They are less concerned about whether you will ultimately do exactly what you said you would do; they want to have confidence that you can (1) get a job upon graduation and (2) get promoted, have impact and be successful well beyond that first job.

When writing your MBA application essays, answer the questions asked and be as specific as possible. You want the admissions committee to believe that you will do what you say you will do – that you have the experience, the skills and the audacity to achieve your goals. The best MBA admissions essays get to the point quickly, are clear and avoided lofty thesaurus words in favor of plain English. The best essays also have a certain dynamic quality to them – it’s beyond the content of the essays. They are authentic and personal; they capture the essence of the author.

As you think about your career goals, I want you contemplate three things:

• Your Aspirations – what impact do you want to have on the world?
• Your Inspiration – what will sustain and rejuvenate you to keep doing impactful work?
• Your Preparation – what skills, knowledge and relationships must you develop to have that impact?

I’m not telling you to write about these in your essays, unless they are directly applicable to answering the questions. You should answer these questions for yourself and use them as a guide. Harness the energy that you find from understanding what will propel you to your goals.

I could write multiple blogs on aspirations, inspiration and preparation – and maybe I will. But for now I will leave you with one thought on inspiration. Often when we think about inspiration, we cite faith, specific people, values, mantras, quotes, etc. as the source of it. We view inspiration as the thing that can pull us through any personal or professional situation. While that is true, I want us to broaden our view of inspiration. Inspiration is not just for survival through tough circumstances (though it’s critical there); we need also inspiration to thrive and achieve incredible success. Find those activities and environments that serve as your inspiration.

I thought about this last night when I was returning from a business trip. For most people, business travel is draining and disruptive, but for me it is rejuvenating. My journey home last night took me on an Amtrak train from Union Station in DC to Penn Station in New York, then on the #2 subway train to the shuttle subway train and finally on the Metro-North train from Grand Central Station to Stamford. In the midst of rolling, lifting and lugging my efficiently-packed bags up and down escalators, stairs and narrow aisles, I remembered how much I love business travel (I am a fan of leisure travel too). I love the hustle and bustle. Business travel makes me feel “professionally important” and in the mix. It may sound silly, but it inspires and energizes me when I am moving through different spaces and places. Business travel has actually helped me flourish in my career. Think about what things enable you to thrive.