10 Life Lessons, 10 Years after Harvard Business School

I graduated from Harvard Business School (HBS) 10 years ago, and just spent a long weekend back on campus, re-connecting with faculty, classmates and the broader HBS community. I know how ridiculous that must sound and trust me, sometimes I still pinch myself when saying that I graduated from Harvard. Attending an elite, East Coast Ivy League institution was a big deal for me and the first time I set foot on campus was when I drove from Texas and moved into the on-campus housing. It was, as for many of my classmates, a “transformational” experience that brings back many fond memories.

For context, HBS is the oldest graduate business program in the U.S., and at roughly 900 graduates per year, it has produced more full-time MBA graduates than any other school worldwide. Contrary to what some might be led believe, I have personally found the graduates genuinely interesting, multi-dimensional and impressive.

Ten years out, most of us are hovering at or near 40 years old (the dreaded mid-life crisis is just around the corner!). Thus, we have had some time to charge out into the business world armed with our fancy MBAs, and in 10 years, most of us have achieved some level of success and likely also experienced some failures. Most of us have been humbled in some way, either at work, at home or by our own classmates (yes, that happens!). It is amazing to observe and witness the life trajectories of hundreds of classmates, each with tremendous energy and high capacity for life.