What’s your version of ambition?

I’ve been thinking about some of the power conversations I’ve had with my one-to-one clients around ambition.

One person gave me chills when he pushed pause on promotion, not without a bit of sweating mind you, when I asked him the question I just posed to you.

When we first started working together back in Feb, he was feeling rejected, using work as an escape, and feeling somewhat scared to flirt with this new man in his life following a protracted and painful divorce.

We were meant to be nailing his personal career growth plan (or that was supposed to be the agenda) but I couldn’t help but notice the vacancy behind his eyes.

He’d been pushing so hard in a role that he was very good at and using that as a yardstick for success, when everything else was in fact crumbling around him, bar this seedling of a new relationship.

As we wrapped up our last session, I’d seen the subtle shifts of his intentional questioning around what work happiness, ambition, and what success meant to him, come to fruition.

He said:

"I’d never thought I’d say this but I’ve found a new lease of life, I’ve figured out what my version of ambition is and it has nothing to do with work. I turned down that promotion and I’m leaning towards love. I’ve never been ambitious there and after one failed marriage I’m determined to keep excelling where I am in my job, but grow elsewhere in my life. It’s only taken me 46 years to figure this out!"

As a coach, I could see his joy and revelation because it’s beautiful when something just clicks!

What does your version of ambition look like and are you walking towards it or away from it?

As one of my friends who has just stepped into a CEO role put it?"I just want to do one thing right now and do it well" as she let go of all her various board positions and volunteering and owned her position.

It could be buying a house by the sea in Belfast as another one of my clients had, embarking on an environment and lifestyle change.

Is it saying yes to your fitness dreams versus answering one last email?

To finally quit the job that leaves you struggling to master your energy amidst the toxicity?

Is it letting go of people-pleasing at work and honoring your boundaries?

Could it be walking away from a music business that no longer brings you joy to start a farm and grow to produce for the local community?

It’s time to be bold and define your own version of ambition now. If you haven’t already grabbed my book, Chapter 3 has a ton of questions to support this ‘ambition’ quandary!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Leave-How-Happy-Work/dp/1913068080

As I slowly but surely spread my Love It or Leave It magic, ponder on these questions below:

• If your 70-year-old self could speak to you now, what would they tell you to let go of to live and work better?
• Is it serving your current ambitions or just feeding old ones that no longer fit?
• What is it about how you are currently working that you think you can’t change?

Samantha x