Venn Diagram of Happiness and the MBA

A very popular subject these days is “Work-Life Balance”… especially for Executive MBA students who are juggling work, family, friends and study. However, less time is devoted to considering the balance between “What You Do Well”, “What You Want To Do” and “What You Can Be Paid To Do”.It is surprising how in reality we spend very little time in any of the areas where there is overlap between these characteristics!
The key is to make the “Hooray!” zone bigger. We have more direct control over “What We Do Well”. This circle can be made bigger by an MBA, for example. The “What We Want To Do” circle we have slightly less control over. However, this can be increased by increasing your exposure to new experiences. As a result, you may discover more things that you want to do. For example, take up a new hobby or sport. Read a book in a subject you have never explored. Again, the MBA also exposes you to new things that you might want to do.
Finally, the hardest circle for you to control is “What We Can Be Paid To Do”. Networking is one way to make this circle bigger. Again, the MBA can make this circle bigger.
I hope we can all find ways to first increase the size of our “Hooray!” zone and then figure out how to live and work in that zone.