Ambition has Seasons

A reflection after my Kelley MBA alumni event.

Earlier this week I attended an MBA alumni event. I saw former classmates, professors and a current student who is about to graduate.

To be honest, I expected it to be nice and chance to say hello briefly. Instead, I have been reflecting on it at much deeper level.

I cannot believe  that it has already been fifteen years since I was balancing a more than full-time job and the IU Kelley School of Business Evening MBA program. I was ambitious and believed that if I worked hard enough I could build the career I wanted. That season of my life was challenging, exhausting and exhilarating all at the same time.

At the event I saw people who are doing incredibly important and impressive work. But what struck me most was how much has changed in my own relationship to ambition and success in just the past year.

The Version of Me Who Would Not Have Attended

If this event had taken place a year ago I probably would not have attended. At that time, I was in a global role working across multiple time zones and managing a variety of urgent and highly-visible priorities. My hours were long and my attention was narrow. If I had made it to the event I would have been running in late after already working 10 hours in my business attire but looking tired.  

Listening to the CEO of Citizens Energy Group speak, I would have been focused on what I could glean to solve the next problem on my desk or the next challenge in my inbox. My listening would have been extremely narrow.

That version of me measured success by my next strategy, deliverable or position.

The Version of Me Who Walked In This Time

This time was different. I walked in wearing jeans, a blazer and tennis shoes. I didn’t need to project importance or signal authority. I didn’t talk about my title or the importance of my position. I came present, curious and open.

I listened not for what I could apply this minute, but for how people’s stories reflected their growth and meaning. I listened to how the CEO supports this community as a whole. I listened to former classmates share updates about their careers and family transitions.

I wasn’t comparing myself to anyone or trying to extract a tactical advantage. I was genuinely interested in what people were doing and who they had become.

It is clear that I am not the same person I was a year ago.

When Life Happens

Life showed up for me in ways that changed everything. Health challenges, hard realities, seasons of reflection and ambitious recalibration shifted my perspective. That work was not easy, and it continues to be hard at times. But it also became the catalyst for some of the most intentional choices I have made.

I launched TGG Communications because I realized that culture, human connection and supportive environments are incredibly important to me. I examined what truly brings me joy and what aligns with my values. I leaned into conversations with friends, mentors and people whose work I respect. I realized I wanted a different relationship with ambition. I wanted one that honors wellness, creativity, curiosity and impact.

I also chose to go back to school to pursue higher level coaching certifications because I want to bring my experience to others navigating change, growth, reinvention and identity shifts. Not because I needed another credential to prove myself, but because I felt called to strengthen some of my natural abilities.

My ambition did not disappear. It just looks very different now.

The Evolution of Ambition

When I look back at my early career, ambition meant climbing the ladder, exceeding expectations, putting in so many hours, navigating office politics and never being satisfied with the status quo.  I rose quickly, checked the boxes, achieved credibility and handled complexity. That season required intensity, discipline, focus and stamina.

But ambition today looks different. It means alignment over optics and depth over constant expansion. It means presence with my work, my clients and my life. It means contribution not comparison.

My previous ambition was not wrong and this version of ambition is not lesser. It is just nuanced with more intentionality and more connectivity to what brings meaning to my life and to the work I do with others.

For Those in the Middle of the Shift

Many high achieving professionals go through a season of quiet recalibration. They have done what they set out to do. They have built careers, checked boxes and achieved success. And yet something is still lacking.

If this resonates with you, you are not alone. Growth does not stop after the degree. Ambition does not end with the job title. It evolves.

This is the work I care deeply about helping others navigate transitions, evolution and identity shifts. Sometimes the most powerful growth is not climbing higher but becoming more aligned.