July 25, 2022
On my right wrist I wear a Tory Burch Embrace Ambition bracelet. It was given to me a handful of years ago when I started my business and just a few months later a cancer diagnosis tumbled on top of my dream launch. Then, and still to this day, it’s my daily reminder that to advance in life, we must have gritty and grace-filled ambition.
According to Tory Burch, here are five ways to feel more comfortable owning your ambition.
1. Stop worrying about what other people think. Don’t limit yourself because you’re afraid of what somebody else might think. People aren’t the problem. Our attitudes are. Believe in yourself and your ideas. Focus on you and living your life, not the life others want or think you should live. Don’t live a life that is anything but yours.
2. Embrace discomfort. Laurie Fabiano says that, “We must disrupt our own thinking – to stretch out of our comfort zones, to dig deep and be so bold in our thinking that it scares us.” Why? Because change happens when we deconstruct the norms that we cling to. When we do, realize that new territory is not always easy to navigate. Potential fear and fuzziness isn’t a sign to stop, it simply shows up because you’ve never done “this” before.
3. Don’t let people who overestimate their abilities steal opportunities from you. Speak up. Don’t allow other people’s confidence to dilute your ability to shine light on your competence. Don’t let other people’s loudness silence your ambition.
4. Pick something, not everything. Gloria Steinem says, “You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.” To make an impact, you do not have to do everything. Ambition is not about how much you can do. Ambition is about what you do. Focus on quality over quantity. Pick something, and commit to it.
5. Let curiosity lead you. Ambitious people are curious people. Journalist Katie Couric says that “curiosity opens doors.” “Ask questions,” she says. Questions demonstrate interest, and listening demonstrates a willingness to understand. People want to be understood. People want to feel they are interesting.
What’s it time for you to lean into with an attitude of ambition? What’s motivating you toward it?
-Adapted by ForbesWomen