Calling all Stanford GSB MBA Applicants: (2018 Intake) Class of 2020!!

I originally fell into the trap of thinking about what...I care about most (which is education). But I don't think I was being honest with myself by saying that education is what has mattered to me most in the last twenty-some years of my life. I care the most about education NOW...but that's not something that has defined who I am as a person for my entire life.

I think what led me towards the correct path was thinking about what I love to do. I would suggest using lists, meditation, thinking out loud in the shower, running, yoga, whatever method of thought processing works for you. Think about what you TRULY like to do and also what personality trait(s) is/are constantly "noticed" by others (for me, it was the fact that I like talking...A LOT.

After landing on the "what" - this is where I ran into my biggest hurdle. I fell into explaining "what" it is that matters to me and that's exactly what they tell you NOT to do. I wrote an entire essay that was more centered around the "what" than the "why". Had to toss the entire essay. HOWEVER, it did help me get a better grasp around the "what" and helped me clearly define it...so at the end, it was still a helpful exercise.

So after I tossed my "what-centric" essay, I took a step back and thought: Ok, so I love to talk. I love to communicate. But why? Why is it important to me? Why do I talk so much? Why do I think it's important to others? How has talking a lot impacted me in a good/bad way? What does this mean for my future? Ask yourself questions like that.

TLDR: (1) Make lists/workout/shower/meditate do whatever to figure out the why, focus on things you like to do and things ppl notice about you. (2) Don't spend your entire essay writing about the what, but do have a very well-defined "what". (3) Ask yourself lots of questions to get to the "why"