Saturday 3 January 2015

Kelliann McDonald's MBA graduation reflections

Kelliann McDonald awarded best MBA dissertation by Royal Holloway Principal Professor Paul Layzell


Text re-published (permission granted) from recent Royal Holloway MBA graduate Kelliann McDonald's blog/vlog


"On Tuesday, 16 December 2014, I accomplished a major item on my bucket list. I strolled across the commencement stage, chin up and chest high, at Royal Holloway University of London as Principal Paul Layzell handed me a symbolic diploma certifying that I am a Master of Business Administration. 

The sense of relief I felt was uncanny. A sense of calm, certainty, peace... and pride. I am happy to acknowledge my true emotions without feeling bashful about them. 

For the past few years I have been striving and strategizing on how I might take my life from the comfortable to the extraordinary. I decided that studying and living in London and travelling Europe would be my ticket.

To be clear, I was not running from anything at home. I lived a very comfortable and privileged life, but I wanted to stretch myself. I wanted to push the boundaries and see how far life would take me without the constraints of fear and self-doubt.

It is a bit of a drug, accomplishment is. Addicting. Once you figure out the formula, it's hard not to want more and more of it. Fear then becomes an element that you face, but mainly disregard in future pursuits, as the high of accomplishment far trumps the depression of fear. 

You're habitually seeking the next fix. Searching for the next hurdle to leap over, all the better if you can make it look easy. At times restless and antsy... haunted they might say.

But for this one, this MBA... I felt a sense of peace. I lavished in it a bit for the first time. I enjoyed the win, soaked it in. I don't take this one lightly. 

This one has been quite good."


Link to Kellianns excellent blog here: k. Melanie Unfurled