121. The Practice of Sustainable Ambition: A Conversation with Sonya Thomas

Overview

In today’s special episode, my dear friend Sonya Thomas turns the tables and interviews me.

We explore how the concept of Sustainable Ambition has evolved for me through the conversations I’ve had with my guests on the show and my research. We discuss the  importance of defining success on personal terms, aligning ambitions with personal motivations, and the necessity of taking breaks.

Sonya shares some of her own journey and experience with ambition and navigating career pivots, and I share updates on my book project.

Listen below or on your favorite podcast player.

More About Our Guest

Sonya Thomas is the founder of Maevnco LLC, a boutique marketing and strategy consultancy based in San Francisco. Having held senior leadership roles in both nonprofit and for profit sectors, Sonya now dedicates her time primarily to support women-owned and values-driven organizations. Sonya’s passion for business and marketing began at the University of Virginia where she holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Darden School of Business. A native Southerner, Sonya is proud to live a bi-coastal lifestyle, splitting her time between the east and west coast.

Listen to the full episode to hear:

• The core areas where I’ve deepened my learning and understanding since starting the podcast

• How the pandemic may have affected people’s relationship to their ambitions

• Ambition as character trait, the goals we set, and defining them on our own terms

• Sonya’s experience of redefining ambition and letting go of ego and societal pressures

• Practice of defining success metrics and staying grounded in values and vision

• How a purposeful pause contributes to sustaining ambitions

• How vision and values inform a more holistic view of ambitions

• How looking for small delights can sustain us through the hard parts

Learn more about Sonya Thomas:

• Connect with Sonya on LinkedIn

Resources Mentioned

• Give the gift of Sustainable Ambition: Check out these books 

• The Long Game, Dorie Clark

• 107. Be Brave, Use Your Voice, and Step Into The Light with D’Arcy Webb

• 108. Nurturing and Sustaining Creative Ambition with Charles Gilbert

• 110. Living A More Sustainable, Intentional, Happy Life with Sabrina Moyle

• 112. Helping the Next Generation Redefine Success on their Terms with Irena Smith

• 117. An Imaginative and Expansive View of Ambition with Rainesford Stauffer

• 118. Navigating Identity Shifts and Embracing New Beginnings with Karyn Flynn

• 119: Self-Defined Career Success with Doug Milliken

• 120. Making Hard Decisions and Building Belonging with Amy Bonsall

Thanks for Listening!

• Send me ideas for what you’d like to hear on the podcast, or a question that might be read and answered here on the show! Email me at podcast@SustainableAmbition.com

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