My friend, Sean, has been contemplating obtaining an MBA.  He is intelligent and technically gifted, so much so that he successfully runs his own consulting business.  As we sat discussing some technical issues, he asked me if I thought getting an MBA would be a worthwhile activity.  Assuming he was asking because I had one, my response was that it was for me but I couldn’t say it would be for him.  Curiously, I asked him why he wanted an MBA.  His response wasn’t too shocking for me since I’ve heard many times.  In short, he had no plan for the MBA; that is, he didn’t know what he was going to do with it.  This raised two concerns in my mind: 1) no career plan and 2) no plan for how to use the MBA.

Seeing Is Believing

Later that night, we were driving to a local restaurant for dinner.  We were driving through a rural area.  You know those dark, winding roads with one street light about a country mile apart.  Taking the conversation back to his original question, I asked him to turn off the headlights.  With eyes wide open, he asked what I was thinking.  I insisted he turn the lights off.  Quickly he flashed them off and then back on.  So, he begged “what was the purpose of that?”  I explained that those who carelessly seek a career, which is something separate from a job, see what we saw when we turned the lights off.  That is, nothing.  A career needs purpose and direction.  Without a career plan, you can’t see very far into the future.   How can you be sure your actions are getting you closer to your desires if you don’t have a goal?  If Sean had plans for his career, then it would outline the need for the degree and what it would do for him.  My answer to his question was that he first needed to turn the lights on so he could see where he was going.

Vision is a critical factor for achieving success.  To illustrate this point, I told Sean about my close friend, Darren.  Darren is an avid marathon runner.  If you looked at him, you may not think he could successfully complete such a test of endurance.  He’s short and a little chubby.  Yet, he ties on his shoes and runs 26.2 miles in less than 4 hours.  Completing a marathon is something I’ve always wanted to do but never had the nerve to try.  Darren had always told me that it’s not really a 26.2 mile race.  It’s actually a lot of little races.  Trying to focus on a 26.2 mile race is daunting and intimidating because you can’t see the end.  So, Darren breaks it down into shorter races where he can see the end.  It gives him a focal point that he can concentrate on.  Once he reaches a goal, he sets another one.  So, on and on it goes until he reaches the finish line.  By setting many short goals, he can better gauge his progress and the energy he needs to put into it.  The key is to break your activities into visible pieces.

The House That You Built

As for how to use an MBA, that’s simple.  It is a tool.  It’s not a house that provides safety, security, warmth and shelter.  It’s a tool.  It gives you nothing.  If you want a house, you have to pick up your tool, put some energy into it and continually use to drive in each nail until you create the success you want.  Put it down on the table or back in the tool box, it just sits there.  The important thing to consider is that it is not designed to just be mounted on the wall and admired (although you might enjoy that a little).  It is a collection of skills and knowledge that can be used to create a masterpiece.  Just like most things of value, it can take a lot of time and energy to build the future you desire.

While the MBA is a great addition to your career, it won’t get you where you need to go without a clear vision of where that is, time and hard work.  Many hold the perception that the MBA alone holds great reward and a free ride on the success elevator.  This is far from the truth.  Seeking higher rungs of the ladder is aided by the development of higher personal value.  This is what you build, not what is given to you.