Embracing Growth: My Reflections after an Evening Run During the Executive MBA Journey

Since I began my Executive MBA, I have been managing my time more efficiently than ever before.

In addition to my full-time job, I find myself working most of nights and weekends for pre-readings and projects. I need to learn not only about finance, accounting, strategy, marketing, process and operations management, economics, and organisational courses, but I also need to continue developing leadership skills, doing peer coaching and self-reflection.

Consequently, I am highly selective in the meetings I choose to participate in at work and the ones I decline. I decide which tasks to handle personally and which ones to delegate entirely at home.

When I attend modules in various locations, on top of dealing jetlag, I must be at my best the very next day I arrive. I need to absorb as much as possible from top professors, actively engage in class discussions, network with individuals from diverse industries during dinner time, in order to fully embrace the executive MBA journey.

After each module, I need to catch up on work, digest the recent learnings, apply new insights at work, spend time with friends and family, including my three young children, and prepare for the upcoming module.

However, I feel incredibly energised.

Experiencing the learning process every day, expanding my horizons to numerous possibilities, and receiving immense support from the extended INSEAD/Tsinghua classmates and alumni, who are always ready to encourage and support with any idea I have, is truly remarkable.

Sports also plays an important role in this journey. I began running this year, and day after day, week after week, I run faster and longer. I can feel the muscles gaining strength. Despite sleeping less, I still feel full of energy.

I recall one of my INSEAD alumni mentors answering my question, "Why can an Executive MBA be transforming you in two years' time? Imagine you train your muscles every day."

This is exactly how I feel now—strengthened and limitless.

This article was originally published on LinkedIn.