Redefining ambition

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Time to read: 5 minutes

Hi Reader

What’s your reaction when you hear that someone is ambitious?

Or maybe even when someone calls you ambitious?

Ambition all too often gets a bad name. It can be used as a negative label. Especially if we’re deemed “too ambitious”, as if there’s an imaginary line that shouldn’t be crossed.

And on that point, let’s take a brief aside to call out something important. Sadly, ambition is often levelled as a criticism against women. I’ve heard it a lot in my coaching. It’s reinforced by some of the public comments and private messages I got on my post yesterday. Plus there’s tons of research on it. I’ll explore this further in future writing but I didn't want to overlook the subject today. (Feel free to reply and share your own thoughts and experiences. All contributions will remain confidential.) ​
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But Ambition isn’t a singular thing, or a linear dimension. And I think all too frequently we get wrapped up in the more negative definitions of it.

So I’m proposing that we align around a new definition. I’m calling it Purposeful Ambition.

I shared a brief post about this yesterday and I was staggered by the reaction. So, against my better Friday evening plans, I decided to ditch my scheduled Ignition Point edition and write this follow-up.

So let’s expand on what Purposeful Ambition looks like and why it’s important.

But first, let’s tackle the bad form of ambition…

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The ambition that drags us all down

Think about how ambition is often portrayed in popular culture:

People who pursue their goals at any cost, displaying ruthless, manipulative, and unethical behaviour to achieve power, status, or success.

Yeah, not the kind of person I reckon we’re aspiring to be.

And closer to home, what about the less extreme realities we might see in people we’ve worked with (or that are encapsulated by “bro hustle culture”):

• Being overly competitive in the pursuit of self-serving goals
• Pushing for achievement and success regardless of the impact to those around them - and sometimes even their own wellbeing
• Being excessively driven by external motivations

If these are the themes that spring to mind when people think of ambition, it’s no wonder we’re sometimes reluctant to wear our “I’m ambitious and proud” badges.

So let’s craft a more positive definition.

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Towards a better version of ambition

There’s a far more positive flavour of ambition that I’ve seen many times.

It’s the one I feel I’ve worked towards in my own career. I’ve seen it in countless others too. And it’s the version I’m drawn to when I decide who to work with and who to coach.

I’m calling it Purposeful Ambition.

And although my definition is still evolving, I’ve already identified some common traits.

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Lifting others as we rise

When we use our ambition to help others too, we create an environment of shared success and collective celebration. This might be:

• The entrepreneur who invests time back into mentorship
• Experienced consultants who share their knowledge to provide a broader industry benefit
• Leaders who use their position to create opportunities for team growth and culture change

So instead of the “clamber over others to win” cliche, those with Purposeful Ambition find ways to harness our individual drive to support more than just our own outcomes.

Sense-check: How can your ambitions elevate those around you?

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Values-aligned goals

Connecting our goals to our values creates a purposeful link that maximises fulfilment and integrity.

We’ll be more inclined to steer our careers through choices that reflect our internal drive, rather than external motivators. We’ll watch for goals that we might initially think (or get told) are important, but may not ultimately be fulfilling or satisfying.

We’ll also keep our ethics and integrity at the forefront of what we do, instead of being tempted to compromise on them for short term success.

This starts with getting clear on your values and what you believe in. Then identifying a higher vision that drives your actions. Only then can you shape your goals so that they’re fully aligned and purposeful.

Sense-check: How do your goals reflect your deepest values?

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Well-being first, to create sustainable success

One of the tropes I repeat the most is: “put your own mask on first”. (In air travel, when the oxygen masks drop, you put yours on first before helping others.)

Those with Purposeful Ambition are likely to be driven to help and serve. But taken too far, they can lose sight of their own wellbeing. They might even feel it’s selfish to put themselves first. And that’s a path to diminished wellbeing and even burnout.

But if you’re going to go far and make an impact, you need solid foundations.

This encompasses the personal systems and habits that influence your fitness, nutrition, sleep, stress and work-life harmony.

So putting your physical and mental health first isn’t just desirable, it’s essential. And it’s not selfish when you’ll then be set up to do your best, most impactful work.

And if you’re a leader, you need to be promoting the same ethos for your teams too.

Sense-check: How do you prioritise your health and happiness in the pursuit of your goals?

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Valuing contribution over conquest

I’ll be honest - I used to get this one wrong a lot. My early goals were about personal milestones and victories. The ones that ultimately, tend to feel quite hollow.

When you enrich your work with purpose, with something bigger than you, your focus shifts. You’ll dial down the personal victory and dial up collective benefit. You’ll want to contribute to something bigger than yourself.

Yes, we all need to ensure a level of financial and physical stability and security. It’s also nice to have nice things sometimes. But this is about avoiding the trap of pursuing more for more’s sake.

Finding ways to use your ambition to make a bigger difference, one that’s aligned to your purpose, increases your impact and your fulfilment.

Sense-check: How do your ambitions contribute to the world around you?

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Impact over accolades

And closely related to the last point, when we’re ambitious we have to reflect on how we’re measuring our success.

Financial rewards, job titles and praise are all nice. But in many ways they’re superficial. When you have Purposeful Ambition you’ll have deeper measures that reflect the positive difference that you’re making.

And this doesn’t have to be about changing the world: Maybe your ambition is helping create a better life for your loved ones, a better environment for the team around you, or better outcomes for the customers you serve.

So try connecting the impactful measures that reflect the legacy of your ambition, not just the short-term accolades along the way.

Sense-check: How are you measuring the legacy of your ambition?

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Wrap up

I started by saying there’s more than one form of ambition. I’ve set out one today that I believe in - Purposeful Ambition.

And, being open, while these are themes I’ve thought about and worked on for a long time, I’m only just finding the right words to express them. I’ve probably forgotten and missed some important aspects. I’ve certainly not explored all the nuances yet.

So, as many people did on my post yesterday, please share your feedback with me. What thoughts does it raise? What’s missing from the definition? What angle have I overlooked? And check out the insightful post comments too.

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So as you reflect on that, consider this week's question:

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Purposeful Ambition is precisely why I’m launching the Ambition Accelerator.

It’s designed to help purpose-driven entrepreneurs, consultants and leaders to unlock their most impactful achievements.

We’ll redefine success, overcome barriers and craft actionable plans to set them on their path to fulfilling success.

Three people have already signed up at the special beta pricing.

If you want one of the last slots (or know someone who might) just drop me a reply or book a catch-up call and we can chat.

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Thanks for reading. Stay ambitious.

Rob

Sparked Ambition Ltd

​linkedin.com/in/robstubbs​

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