By: Jennifer Stenquist

The Marriott School of Business specializes in character building and ensuring happiness for students. Or as I like to call it, the Happy Factory. In a recent Measuring Success Right podcast, our very own Dean Madrian encourages both staff and students to support a dynamic culture of “training our students to be leaders of integrity” and to be prepared to carry that message outside the university. The Marriott School sends unmatched talent into the workforce each year. Companies in industries such as investment banking, private equity, management consulting, marketing strategy, and market research, to name a few, come to BYU seeking the honest and reliable talent they know they will find at such an institution. The business school’s reputation established over the years speaks to employers looking for individuals who value character-building experiences and know how to work hard when the pressure’s on. “We take a strong position on

… and help facilitate those conversations elsewhere.”

While under pressures of balancing recruiting, classes, and personal life matters, many students in the business school wonder how to keep up with the competition and… well, stay sane at the same time. We asked Dean Madrian her thoughts. “How can we make space for lifelong learning and service in the midst of these pressures and tensions?” Her response is definitely worthy to be written in calligraphy and hung on a freshman girl’s dorm wall. “The first thing you’ve gotta do is stop competing with other people. Competing with other people is essentially a way of defining yourself by where you are relative to someone else. In the grand scheme of things, that’s not really what matters.” So what does matter? Dean Madrian’s response: “Competing with yourself.”

Contrary to popular notions, the noblest of all efforts might just involve becoming the best you that you can be, not the best somebody else. Stop trying to be someone you’re not, and realize that only you can do you best. As cliche as it might sound, connect with who you really are, and do what you can to make that person better. She advises listeners to evaluate how they spend their time and make sure that what they are doing consists of what they value most. Be intentional about your choices, and realize that success takes on many forms. “Students have some view of what success looks like, and they’re trying to follow a model that someone else has prescribed for them, not realizing that the [question they should ask] is not ‘How can I succeed?’ but rather ‘How can I be happy?’” Don’t just do what you love, make sure you love why you do it.

Oh, and one last thing. Her advice to women? “Go for it!” Whatever it is, don’t shy away from your dreams. Stick with your plan A, and go for it. A big thanks to Dean Madrian for her experienced insight and to students for their relatable questions.