How to Think About Ambition Without Thinking About Time

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Timelines are such an inherent connection to the idea of capitalism they intersect so much with the systemic issues that shape how we think of quote-unquote ambitious people. The idea that you have to graduate college by x age you need to be settled into a career path by y age it's just an endless list of check marks that don't take into consideration the many many different factors that influence how someone moves through time. And one of my favorite parts about reporting this book was hearing from people who discovered new ambitions or new dreams or new ideas they wanted to bring into their life over the course of their life. Their ambition was expansive because they allowed it to keep growing and changing as they did.

Ambition is complicated. Yet the messages we receive from an early age are simple: “Winners never quit.” “Reach for the stars.” “Follow your dreams.” But like most simple messages, reality often paints a very different picture. Long hours that lead to burnout, or individual striving that results in loneliness. Rainesford Stauffer ran up against these realities. And, in her work as a journalist, she spoke to others who did, as well. That’s what led her to rethink what ambition could be, and to write about it in her book, All the Gold Stars: Reimagining Ambition and the Ways We Strive. In this interview, we talk about the roles history and religion have played in our ambition. We also discuss times when embracing ambition is a good thing. Ultimately, we try to uncover unexamined assumptions that can drive how we live our lives. Episode Links There’s No Such Thing as Getting Ahead by Rainesford Stauffer Seeking Self-Esteem: Construction, Maintenance, and Protection of Self-Worth by Jennifer Crocker and Lora E. Park Too Much of a Good Thing: The Effect of Contingency of Self-Worth on Goal Setting by Xi Chen Properties of Thirst by Marianne Wiggins The Team Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here. Support the Podcast If you like the show, please rate and review it on iTunes or wherever you subscribe, and tell a friend or family member about the show. Subscribe Click here and then scroll down to see a sample of sites where you can subscribe.