I got the job.

After 21 years of thinking about strategic consulting, I finally got it.

It only took 21 years after Bain told me they would not even consider me because my grades were not good enough. And me telling them that was bullshit.

I am, indeed, a very stubborn woman, with very persistent dreams. I always thought I would be good at strategy. Don’t ask me why, the answer isn’t pretty.

Do people understand the strategic skills a child needs to survive a childhood like mine? The steps I had to plan years ahead to build the life I wanted? The demons I had to selectively keep inside? The clarity with which I saw the problem? The countless dots I had to connect just to avoid drowning?

I always loved strategy. I had to.

The mind games. The persuasion. The power of calm communication. Building a road everyone wants to walk down because it’s the best one available. Planting an idea without saying it out loud, so others believe it was theirs all along. Understanding the narratives people tell themselves and learning how to navigate them.

Bain can shove it. I always had the skills, they just did not translate in good grades. I had to party to survive another day. It was a fun problem to have.

Well, now that I have the job, the trick is not to fall back into old patterns. I am very good at what I do. I always have been, and I will continue to be.

As I told my future manager, I haven’t had an average performance review since my first one at the age of 21. Since then, it has always been “Exceeds Expectations” or “Outstanding.” I really do not operate in the middle.

The trick now is to work smarter, not harder.