SEPTEMBER: Ambition
Ambition is an elixir that can be as intoxicating and potent as love — a force that gets you out of bed in the morning and also wakes you up at 3:00 a.m.— your brain churning with ideas, desires, fears, and stress. While we admire ambitious people, ambition can sometimes be considered gauche or even misguided.
Ambition is also a double-edged sword. We see examples in the political world of how humiliating it is to have your ambition outlive your physical health, such as with Joe Biden and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. At the same time, Robert Prevost could have said to his colleagues, “I’m flattered, fellas, but I’m already booked on a Viking cruise.” Instead, he’s now Pope Leo XIV.
Briefly, share with us the historical arc of your ambition.
How did you discover what you wanted to do in the world? Did it change over time? How?
And at what age-stage or during what transition did you have your most satisfying discovery related to ambition or work?
After giving birth, did you notice if the change in hormones impacted your ambition? What was your experience?
Have you experienced an unexpected twist in direction in what you think of as your calling?
At what points have you felt liberated from the scramble of ambition?
How do you know when you’ve reached an endpoint? How does it feel when you have a chance to figure out another way to be?