On Ambition
Like many of my classmates, I’ve found OB 377: Paths to Power to be a highlight of this quarter. Twice a week, Professor Pfeffer delivers a new concept in the “how not to get fired because you’re too nice” toolkit. There are guests, debate, and plenty of uncomfortable activities to go around.
However, what I’ve found most exciting is the conversation the class sparks outside lecture. “What did you think about Monday’s Paths to Power?” is a common refrain heard in town square, or even over glasses of wine, days later.
These discussions prompted a desire to hear from the wider community. “What is the real definition of ambition, and how has the GSB brought new definitions into the mix?” 100+ survey responses brought to light a few clear themes:
- Lots of us are ambitious! More than half of respondents chose “Very Much So” when asked if we’d describe ourselves that way.
- However, many of us define ambition in new ways since coming to Stanford, and are more likely to include personal goals alongside or instead of professional ones.
- One respondent summed it up well: “I think a lot more about a holistically good life, rather than purely focusing on professional success.”
- And, even within the professional sphere, there are both positive (I feel inspired) and negative (I’m dissatisfied) reactions to Stanford’s emphasis on impact, scale, and power.
After reading through all of the survey responses, I am able to give voice to a tension I have long felt building at the GSB. My sensibilities around ambition are moving in two different, potentially conflicting directions.
On the one hand, my professional ambition has grown in scope. Although I came to Stanford because I wanted to change the world for the better, my time here has convinced me that that type of impact is actually within reach. I look around and see my classmates achieve incredible things on a regular basis. If nothing else, these two years have ignited a fire to pursue bigger, push harder, and reimagine what I believe I am capable of achieving.
On the other hand, I have newfound ambition in my life outside of work. My partner and I are building a life together; I will soon be thinking for two. Relationships with my family can no longer ride on the momentum of holiday dinners and phone calls here and there. Finally, having time away from the day-to-day of a career has created room for hobbies and passions that I sorely missed. Showing up fully in these parts of my life — as a partner, daughter and sister, and lifelong learner — is no simple proposition. Ambitious, even.
Are these two forces in conflict? The tension I feel is different from the oft-repeated, “Can I have it all?” That question is about the physical possibility of making things work — the hours in the day. This current tension is more about the emotional possibility: the room in my head and heart. Do I have enough passion to sustain the many faces my ambition has grown?
The answer I am choosing to go with is that ambition is not really about having a singular goal. For me, for now, ambition is a choice to live a life that is purposeful, intentional, and constantly striving for its best version. And, I am under no illusions that this definition is complete. Rather, I welcome the ongoing flux that will come with new phases.
So, what is the real definition of ambition? You tell me: with your time, with your energy, with your passion. Whatever your faces of ambition, live up to them… and don’t forget to re-evaluate in the phases to come.
