I’ve finally started my personal statement.  Except it’s not on paper yet.  It consists of staring mindlessly off into nowhere while riding the train home from work, when my brain has flatlined as a result of a hectic workday and a couple hours of GMAT studying… I think I have a pretty good start.  At least, I’m starting to answer questions like “What do I really want to do?” and I’ve started asking questions like “Why am I applying? Why now?” and “Why am I Top MBA material?”

I had a commute full of these questions this morning, floundering around ideas for a personal statement.  I just couldn’t bring myself to take out my GMAT flashcards.  It just so happens that today I stumbled upon this post on Accepted.com.  It’s called, “Personal Statements are Difficult”.   Okay, good, so I’m not the only one.

The post included three helpful themes to include:

• Motivation: What makes you tick? Why have you made the decisions you have made? Why do you want to go into your chosen field?
• Aspiration: Where are you headed? What do you aspire to immediately after you complete your degree and sometimes long term. HBS asks for “vision.”
• Perspiration: When in the past have you sweated to achieve? When have you dedicated yourself to a cause or goal? When have you worked hard to have impact and contribute?

Goal:  Start writing this weekend.  I’ll let you know how it goes!