Ambition isn’t time-bound
In my first summer 2023 behind-the-book workshop, a friend shared how ambition is viewed as being for the young. And yet, as she enters her next career act stepping away from a successful career and into something new, she is still ambitious and doesn’t believe in the limiting societal view that we can’t be ambitious at any age.
There’s truth to this societal view, and yet there is evidence all around us of people who have achieved at older ages. The late Madeline Albright called herself a “late bloomer,” having found her way to politics at the age of 39, ultimately becoming the first female Secretary of State and continuing to be active in her 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to serve as Speaker of the House and the highest ranking female politician in American history, first became a Congresswoman at the age of 47. Martha Stewart wrote her first cookbook in her early 40’s. Even actresses have found success later in life, unusual in an industry that rewards youth. Helen Mirren is getting better roles now in her 60’s and 70’s than she did in her youth, garnering an academy award in 2007 for “The Queen” at the age of 61.
This month I was inspired by my two podcast guests, a married couple D'Arcy Webb and Charlie Gilbert. They built careers in the theater and arts world for many decades and are now in their late 60’s. In our conversations you can hear what sustained ambition can look like and how important it is to sustain ourselves as part of the journey. They, too, are proof that ambition isn’t time-bound.
And if you want more evidence, listen in to the Wiser Than Me podcast with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She’s interviewing impressive women who are inspirations on what it means to live a long, well-lived, impactful life at any age. You can hear from Jane Fonda, Carol Burnett, Amy Tan, Isabel Allende, Fran Lebowitz, Darlene Love, and more. Age isn’t keeping these women from being ambitious or living full lives.
Speaking to D'Arcy and Charlie also made me think of the Right Time pillar of Sustainable Ambition. Right Time considers life and work together and is about choosing where we want to put our attention based on what’s personally important in our life and work now. It has us consider planning in arcs and thinking about horizons.
I had the chance to see a Georgia O'Keefe exhibit in New York City back in April, and it made me think of this concept, too—how artists have different creative periods (e.g., like Picasso and his Blue and Rose periods, his Cubism period, and so on). As I look back on my life and work now at this stage, I can see such periods or arcs (e.g., my early athletic and career exploration period, my settling down and career ambition period, and now my creative work and service period). How can we plan our arcs with more awareness and intention so we can do so with both ambition and sustainability and a bit less angst?
Ambitions can ebb and flow. That’s why I think it’s helpful to view ambition as not being time-bound. It’s never too late to ask, “What is it time for now?,” and go after what you want.
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