10 reasons to pursue an MBA…

Disclaimer: Of course, ten is not a magic number and there are more reasons. You are welcome to add your own. Thanks.

Here are ten reasons to pursue an MBA (from a good school that is..)

1. Network – Your MBA network is for lifetime if you know how to leverage it.

2. Learning in a disciplined fashion – Without an MBA, you are learning from the school of hard knocks. There is a chance that you will pay a higher price for some lessons in the school of hard knocks

3. Awareness – Chances are you don’t know everything and chances are you will never know everything in this lifetime. However, there are some things that you need to know that you don’t know that you need to know. An MBA will increase your awareness on these things.

4. To get an advantage at the start: With an MBA, you enter the work world in the fast lane. Of course, you can’t stay on the fast lane just because you have an MBA. You need to produce highly valued accomplishments for your employer or customers or both.

5. Course correction: For some reason you picked the wrong subject for your graduate degree and you don’t want to have a career in that field. You want to change course mid-way. An MBA may provide a bridge from where you are to the field of your choice.

6. Status: MBA from a good university looks great on your resume.

7. Entry Ticket to many organizations: There are many organizations (especially in the management consulting world) whose doors are open almost exclusively for MBA grads from top universities. If joining them is one of your dreams, you may be better off doing an MBA.

8. Tune-up your purpose: You may have an idea of what you want to do in life. When you meet a set of highly-ambitious people and hear them share their vision and purpose of their lives, it may trigger you to “upgrade” your own vision and purpose of your life.

9. Safe Laboratory: It provides a safe and almost risk free laboratory for bouncing off your ideas, testing them and

10. Access to thought leaders: You have chance to meet thought leaders, corporate executives and visionaries who come and speak (mostly for free). If you connect with them and build on that relationship, you have an unfair competitive advantage.

You have to weigh the price you pay while pursuing an MBA (time, cost, energy and lost opportunities during that time) to get the above benefits and determine whether an MBA is for you. Now, for some reason, you can’t earn an MBA, you don’t have to panic. Please read my eBook on some thoughts about getting ahead without an MBA. Here is the link:

eBook: “When You Can’t Earn An MBA: Thoughts On Getting Ahead Without An MBA“(pdf, free)

Have a great holiday weekend.

PS: Scroll down to the bottom of this page to see links to my other eBooks on “Personal Branding” and “Lasting Relationships”.