Thursday, February 12, 2015

10-month Goals | Conscious Living

It is easy to get distracted when there are so many events and issues unfolding around you. INSEAD is famous for keeping their students busy. Not only is the traditional 2-year MBA condensed into a 10-month program, the number of talks, and events organized each day (and each hour) in school is astounding - there is on average 3-4 'official' events on any given day, and that doesn't even include the informal events and socializing activities.

For that reason, I wanted to stay focused throughout the year, and really stay committed to achieving the goals I set out for myself at INSEAD.

My primary purpose of coming to the 10-month MBA program was to learn about the international business environment, in hopes to work in the private sector (immediately after the MBA, and eventually be a part of the economic development efforts in Myanmar a few years down. The 10-month long program ensures that I don't miss out too much on the worklife. As strange as it may sound, I enjoy working. It gives me a sense of purpose and self-worth. For this very reason, I felt unhappy and unsettled when took a break from work (March to August 2014).

To really learn about businesses (and in a condensed program such as INSEAD) requires extra attention to the course work. I paid attention in the first two periods where they taught core classes (or the fundamentals of a business education). These classes span from accounting, to finance, to strategy to name a few. Looking back (now in P3), I think I reached this goal - I am now more educated about businesses (and did relatively well in my core subjects).

Another reason I came to INSEAD was to take a break from the very compressed and stifling work (and personal) life back in the small town Yangon. Perhaps due to the nature of my work (that requires networking), I knew a lot of people in the small (but growing) Yangon. Everytime I am out, I felt like I am in the public eyes and craved for privacy and anonymity. This anonymity goal is a bit more difficult to attain at INSEAD because we spend so much time on the small campuses (both in France and Singapore).

Thirdly, I saw INSEAD as a door towards independence. Ever since I returned from Shanghai to Singapore, when my post-college NGO gig didn't work out, I have been waiting for a time to stand on my own two feet and be independent (financially and logistically/administratively). This is why getting a relatively good job after INSEAD is important to me.

Now, in the middle of P3, I am inching closer to the recruitment process and a step towards independence.

And now, being settled into the [hectic] routine of INSEAD, I am now finding more mental space (and time) to write and reflect on my experiences here and towards the fourth goal I have for myself this year: that is to live consciously and with awareness in order to enjoy the moments that pass me by in this 'transformative' year.


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