Glinda had always set her sights high. Throughout high school and college she was involved in a multitude of clubs, projects, and activities, along with an ambitious academic agenda. And while her passion and dedication were obvious, she also had a tendency to bite off more than she could chew.
With graduation approaching, she was stretched thinner than ever. Glinda had formulated an aggressive five year plan that involved an accelerated MBA program while simultaneously launching a start-up. Problem was, Glinda still had coursework to finish, extracurriculars to see through, and a time-consuming side job.
She was putting most of her time and energy toward grad school applications and her entrepreneurial endeavor to the point where she was neglecting the immediate responsibilities of school and her job. Glinda was putting the cart before the horse; moving on before successfully completing other commitments.
As you might have guessed, this strategy didn’t play out well for Glinda. She lost her side job when she missed multiple shifts, and her final semester grades suffered. Even her business school application didn’t get the thoughtful attention it deserved. She’d taken on too much, and everything suffered as a result.
Luckily, this proved to be a wake up call for Glinda. When she didn’t get into her MBA program, she knew something had to give. She benched her business idea, wangled her old job back, and is taking next year to work, save money, and re-apply to grad schools. She’s still the same ambitious gal, but is prioritizing more effectively, and following through on commitments. She’s now living by the Ron Swanson mantra: “Never half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing.”
