Finance....School....School...School.........

So, here we go.  It has been a very loonnnnnnnnggg 8 weeks since I started my 1st Master's Program in Finance.  Half way through...light bulbs have started to go off signaling that I felt like I was going against the grain.  And, I am learning NPV, M1, 2, & 3....and Bond Pricing and I am sitting up here thinking to myself....how does this relate to my profession now?  And, more importantly  is investment finance really what I want to spend the rest of my life doing.

Because, in this class, it almost feels unnatural and like I am trying to hard to comprehend the theories. Now, I know I love finance.  And, lately, I have been thinking, perhaps I should tailor the course I take to my strengths and add maybe one to 2 investment courses on the back end.   am more interested in alternative assets, opposed to equities and derivatives. Alternative meaning Real Estate and because I already invested so much time energy and effort into those aspects of my career, it makes sense that I would cater my curriculum to helping me build those strengths.

The other day when I mentioned that I was interested in investment banking when I was speaking with a Senior Recruiter from JP Morgan & Chase; he asked me if  I had already sat for my Series 7 & 63?   I answered no.  then said I had my licenses are Real Estate & Mortgage Finance.  At that moment, I realized that I did not want to sit for those licenses, which also indicated and reiterated that I had no desire to learn a whole new language in regards to investment finance.....real estate investment finance, yes......just investments....I dont think so.  The beauty in it is that I am realizing this early on.....my friend Richard Battle-Baxter just posted a video about his MBA Journey at Cornell C/O 2014.

You can check it out here:  http://www.mba.com/why-b-school/typical-mba-candidates/richard-battle-baxter.aspx.

Its so funny, I have been feeling like this for the last 4 weeks.  And, I was not sure if I was ready to accept that what I thought I wanted when I began this journey had changed.  And, THAT IS OK! After watching his video, it just reiterates that life happens and things change.  And, what we thought we may have wanted at first may not necessarily be what we want now.  Its cool.

I have found that I am very good at improving processes and systems for companies.  I also have found that there is a market for Real Estate Consulting that has evolved over the last few years.  So, it is easy now for me to slowly build what I am looking for in my career and ultimately make a decision on what will fit my needs the best.  Now,  the focus is to just get through this program successfully

and cater my courses to my interest and not waste money, time, energy, and effort on stuff that is not a good fit for me.   Especially, since I pay for it out of pocket.

Thus, after this course is over.,  My curriculum will be centered heavily around real estate & management. And, I am at peace with that!  Amen!