Amidst my most trying times as a Goizueta Business School MBA student, I met with professors 1 on 1 about my class standing and plan for hopefully passing. All were supportive and commented on my potential, but two of them seemingly coincidentally in separate conversations prioritized a lesson about “giving yourself grace” over the academic concerns on my agenda. In hindsight, these conversations were no coincidence, but independently drawn conclusions for why I was struggling. Struggling unbeknownst to them in recurring patterns situation after situation, season after season.

Lynne Segall, “I’m not worried about your grades. However, I’m extremely concerned about you“ she told me. 

JB Kurish cleverly presented how not asking for help limits the opportunity of the fulfillment of the purpose of others. 

JB: Bronson, do you like helping people?

Me: Yes, it drives many of my actions and goals….

JB: Well, what if no-one let you help them and instead struggled in silence? Helping people isn’t the only thing that makes you happy, but that would be one less source of joy and fulfillment. When you don’t ask for help, you take an opportunity for others to shine. It’s not about being a burden. It is about appreciating your boundaries and the strengths of others and letting them support you in your purpose of helping. It is about giving yourself grace to be assisted.

One of my core team members had a car and lived in my apartment complex. I wrecked mine shortly after the first semester began, and often rode home with her from campus. After explaining these grace lessons to her on the way home, Charis ever so casually mentioned that her name translates to Grace. Grace, a name that now embodies my car that was gifted to me by Nesa and Bryan Bell; a car that is a second chance from a near dire, damaging and perceptively damning moment.

Not understanding grace before Goizueta stunted me. I wasn’t even able to paint anything but mountains, trees and abstract compositions because I didn’t give myself grace to fail. This flower is amongst the first paintings after I resumed painting post graduation. It is a result of my further understanding and application of lessons of grace learned at Goizueta. 

Thank you everyone.

Graciously,

Bronson A. Worthy

Master of Business Administration

Kindergartener of Grace