Ivey MBA Shares His Keys to Success

“It’s easy to lose yourself in an MBA,” Graham Matthews, a current MBA student at Ivey Business School, told The Globe and Mail. He went on to say that getting his MBA has shaken the foundation of his worldview. Before going back to school, he knew what he wanted and felt a sense of clarity about himself, but the MBA experience instantly changed everything.

From the beginning, Graham was surrounded by people with different backgrounds and experiences, changing how he thought about what he knew and didn’t know. Beyond his classmates, the MBA course content flooded him with new information, concepts, readings, case discussions, competitions, and group work. To Graham, it felt like standing in the middle of a tornado and all he could do was try to keep his feet.

The experience has made Graham dig into his past experiences, future ambitions, questions, and confusions more than ever before. It has also provided him with valuable insight for MBA candidates getting ready to enter their first year.

Graham offers a few pieces of advice.

• Be Mindful

“In all cases, being mindful of yourself and your priorities is most important,” Graham shared. “One risk of going through an MBA experience, particularly an intense one-year program like Ivey’s, is that you begin to take on the identity of those around you.” He encourages MBAs to take the time to reflect and to focus on personal priorities. You can’t control everything, but you can control what you want.

• Stretch Yourself

Jumping into the tornado of the MBA is okay. That’s what it’s all about. Every week you’ll learn something new during your MBA. Enjoy the experience and revel in the personal shifts in your worldview.

• Be Honest

Talk about your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Identify your priorities and be open to vulnerability. Hiring managers will be able to pick up on your honesty, and it’s better to be honest at the beginning. You don’t want to wait six months to find out you’re not a good fit.