Ep #81: Ambition is not a dirty word

Ambition is not a dirty word.

As leaders and as women in a male-dominated space, we often struggle to articulate what it is we are working towards, or we have disempowering beliefs about what is possible for ourselves. We allow ourselves to be held back because we don’t want to be seen as ambitious and the negative conceptions that come with that.

But there’s only one way to get past this. We need more ambitious women to step up as leaders and break through the stigma to pave the way for more women to follow, and that’s what we’re talking about in today’s episode.  

The Stigma of Ambitious Women
So why is ambition in women often perceived so negatively? Well, a huge culprit here is traditional gender roles where women are meant to be nurturing and supportive. These gender roles, which are still entrenched in society, expect women to prioritise other people, especially their families.
 

If a woman is ambitious and doesn’t have a family she can be labelled unfeminine. If a woman is ambitious and does have a family, she will be labelled selfish or neglectful.
 

None of that is true though. We all have the right to live our lives in the way we want and we shouldn’t need to justify our ambition or our choice to start a family or not.

Challenging Perceptions and Redefining Success
So it’s clear women are facing unique challenges when expressing ambition, but what can we do about it? I believe it’s crucial that we start having conversations about our ambitions,  our career advancement, and the impact we are having in our industry. That authenticity can inspire others to take steps toward their goals. It shows what is possible and helps redefine what it means to be an ambitious, focused, successful woman.

We only have so much time on this earth, we can’t afford to let other people shape our paths or hold us back. If we do, we’re letting down the people we could be helping and ourselves. So, I hope this episode gives you the confidence to embrace your ambitions, to share them with others, and to pursue them fearlessly.