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Being asked to apply for a promotion is often framed as an unqualified win: validation that your work is seen and your potential recognized. Yet for many high-achieving professionals, that invitation can spark as much ambivalence as excitement. Because the question isnt only Can I do this? Its also Do I want to live this way? Promotions can be career accelerators, but they also reconfigure your days, your priorities, and your sense of balance. The challenge is learning to evaluate the opportunity without being swept away by itto discern whether its truly aligned with this season of your life. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/03\/acupofambition_logo.jpg","headline":"A Cup of Ambition","description":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career and being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit acupofambition.substack.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}} The recognition feels gooduntil the logistics set in Theres an undeniable thrill in being seen. Someone has connected the dots between your competence and your potential. A promotion can expand your reach and amplify your impact. But recognition isnt the same as readiness. The women I coach rarely question whether they can do the job; they question whether they can do it well while maintaining the life theyve intentionally built. Before saying yes, imagine your typical Tuesday six months from now. What fills your calendar? Whats energizingand whats draining? If the answer feels expansive, thats information. If it feels heavy, thats information, too. Beware the just for practice mindset Many people apply with low expectations, telling themselves theyre just interviewing for practice. But interview processes are designed to entice youthey make you picture yourself in the role and attach to the possibility. Thats not a reason to opt out, but its a reason to stay clear-headed. Know what success looks like before you begin, so youre deciding from intention, not momentum. Ask two grounding questions When youre stuck between ambition and hesitation, two questions can clarify your thinking: Can I live with the outcome if I dont apply and dislike who gets the job?If that thought bothers you, it may signal that you care deeply about the work or the direction of your organization. What looks like ambivalence might actually be conviction. Can I live with the outcome if I do apply and dont get it?If rejection would shake your sense of worth, pause and make sure you have the support to weather it. If you can answer yes to both, youre operating from clarity rather than fear. Readiness vs. willingness When someone says, Youd be great for this, theyre recognizing your readiness. But willingnessthe energy and capacity to take it onis a separate question. You may have every credential yet still feel an internal no. Maybe your kids need you differently right now, or youve finally found equilibrium after years of intensity. Thats not a lack of driveits discernment. Sustainable growth depends on timing. The real cost of up Leadership often brings influencebut also more meetings, politics, and distance from the work you love most. One client put it bluntly: I thought a promotion would mean more freedom. It meant more meetings about other peoples freedom. If the day-to-day realities of the new role sound energizing, thats your green light. If they sound exhausting, its okay to hit pause. Ambition doesnt have to mean saying yes to everything. Build the infrastructure for success If you move forward, do it deliberately. A bigger job requires a sturdier foundationat work and at home. Clarify what support youll need, what boundaries will sustain you, and what you can delegate. Thriving in a higher role isnt about doing more alone; its about designing systems that help you hold more together. Decideand own it If you say yes, treat the process as a two-way interview. Ask about resources, expectations, and what success actually looks like. Enter the role with curiosity and flexibility, not perfectionism. If you say no, do it with confidence. Try something like: Im honored to be considered. Right now, Im focused on deepening my impact where I am and want to be intentional about my next step. Thats not avoidanceits leadership. The paradox of promotion Promotions are both validating and destabilizing. They can expand your influenceor stretch you too thin. The goal isnt to make the right choice, but an honest one. When someone taps you on the shoulder and says, You should apply, take the compliment. Then take a breath. Listen to both voices inside youthe one that craves growth and the one that craves peace. True wisdom lives in the space between them. {"blockType":"creator-network-promo","data":{"mediaUrl":"https:\/\/images.fastcompany.com\/image\/upload\/f_webp,q_auto,c_fit\/wp-cms-2\/2025\/03\/acupofambition_logo.jpg","headline":"A Cup of Ambition","description":"A biweekly newsletter for high-achieving moms who value having a meaningful career and being an involved parent, by Jessica Wilen. To learn more visit acupofambition.substack.com.","substackDomain":"https:\/\/acupofambition.substack.com","colorTheme":"salmon","redirectUrl":""}}
Category:
E-Commerce
Matt outworked his peers and risen a rung too high on the career ladderat least, too high for the good of anything but his insecure ego. Constantly fearing his bluff would be blown, he overcompensated by striving to impress upward while leading from fear. His anxiety seeped through his management team, then filtered into the ranks beneath, chipping away at everyone’s courage. He micromanaged, filtered feedback, and pushed out anyone who challenged himthe best, brightest, and boldest. When crisis hit, his “play not to lose” mentality magnified while competitors gained ground Chances are youve met someone like Matt. They’re crushing every deadline, exceeding every target, climbing every ladder. But look closer, and you may also see fractured relationships, disenchanted colleagues, and toxic team dynamics in their wake.Meet the “insecure overachiever”exceptionally capable people whose deep-seated insecurities override their nobler aspirations. These aren’t garden-variety workaholics. They’re high performers driven by a gnawing fear of not being enough: not smart enough, valued enough, worthy enough. The distinction between healthy ambition and insecure overachievement is deceptively subtle. Both deliver results. But healthy ambition stems from wanting to contribute value and build connection, while insecure overachievement is fueled by the need to prove worth and alleviate anxiety. Why The Best Workers Can Destroy The Most Value What makes this pattern problematic is that organizations often reward the dysfunction. Insecure overachievers stay later, work harder, say yes faster, and consistently over-deliver. Those in power generally love themuntil the hidden costs surface: toxic cultures, talent loss, and teams that become competitive battlegrounds rather than collaborative ecosystems. The warning signs can be subtle. Wins bring only fleeting relief before anxiety about the next goal kicks in. They sacrifice essentialssleep, health, relationshipsfor work extras. Self-worth becomes dangerously intertwined with output: a bad day at work equals being a bad human. Here’s where it gets destructive: insecurity rarely stays contained. Insecure overachievers often shore up fragile egos by diminishing others. When your worth feels constantly threatened, making others feel smaller provides temporary relief. Axios cofounder Jim VandeHei put it bluntly “Nothing destroys more relationships, teams, or companies than insecure people in power, he warned. It’s an insidious form of cancer.” Breaking Free Without Breaking Down Recognizing yourself in this pattern? The good news: breaking free doesn’t mean abandoning ambition. It means realigning it from proving something to improving something. Find Your Summon Bonum. Roman philosopher Cicero coined this phraseLatin for “the highest good”believing everyone should aspire toward it. Until we’re more committed to a positive future outcome, our actions will be governed by fear of a negative one. Trade proving for improving. When all your energy focuses on impressing others, it’s taken from improving yourself and tapping into your creative faculty to bring smarter solutions. The irony? Shifting from external validation to personal growth and contribution creates more sustainable successand greater respectover time. Instead of “What did others think?” ask “What did I learn?” Schedule non-negotiable recovery. Treat rest like any other crucial meeting. Organizational psychologist Adam Grant’s research demonstrates that meaningful contributionnot endless outputdrives long-term well-being and sustainable performance. Practice radical self-compassion. Talk to yourself like you would a trusted friend facing the same struggles. Dr. Kristin Neff’s research shows self-compassion actually improves performance by reducing the fear that fuels over-functioning. Embrace the insecure part of yourself; befriend that younger version who learned that achievement equaled love. Leading Insecure Overachievers If you manage these high performers, resist the temptation to simply enjoy their output while ignoring their patterns. Left unchecked, their behaviors can poison entire teams. Spot the early warnings. Notice team members who rarely delegate, constantly seek reassurance despite competence, take more credit than due, or obsess over managing upward while neglecting their own teams. Like Matt, they create competitive rather than collaborative environments. Have direct conversations about workload and help them see how their drive affects team dynamics, not just individual metrics. Recognize effort, not just results. Focus on contribution over competition. Acknowledge people for who they are, not only what they produce. Amy Edmondson’s research on psychological safety shows that when people feel safe to be imperfect, teams become more innovative and resilient. Model healthy boundaries. If you’re sending midnight emails and working weekends, you’re reinforcing the very behaviors you want to change. Demonstrate that rest and boundaries are professional strengths, not weaknesses. The Path Forward Organizations need ambitious, competitive, and driven professionals. But the healthiest ambition comes from being committed to outcomes that transcend self-interest and insecurity alleviation. Organizations whose leaders are more committed to purposeful growth over impression management will ultimately outperform others. The real question isn’t whether you’re achieving enoughit’s whether you’re achieving for the right reasons, and whether your drive lifts others up or tears them down. Sustainable success isn’t about proving your worth at others’ expense. It’s about expressing your potential while helping others do the same. Don’t be a Matt. The world has enough insecure overachievers already.
Category:
E-Commerce
The results are in. McDonald’s latest earnings report sheds light on the growing divide among U.S. consumersas the wealthiest Americans continue to spend and eat outwhile lower income families are making less trips to the Golden Arches as they battle the rising cost of living, skyrocketing food prices, grocery inflation, and stagnate wages. A look at McDonald’s third quarter earnings, released Tuesday after the closing bell, shows the fast food giant’s U.S. same-store sales increasing 2.5%, over the same period last year, (up 3.6% globally,)but missing analyst expectations with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) coming in at $3.22, ten cents under expectations of $3.32, on $7.1 billion in revenue. Shares in McDonald’s (MCD) were up nearly 3% in afternoon trading on Wednesday, at the time of this writing. Dig deeper and the numbers show the growing economic disparity among Americans customers. We continue to see a bifurcated consumer base with [quick-service restaurant] traffic from lower-income consumers declining nearly double digits in the third quarter, a trend thats persisted for nearly two years, Kempczinski said during Wednesday’s earnings call. In contrast, QSR traffic growth among higher-income consumers remains strong, increasing nearly double digits in the quarter. In an effort to deliver sustainable growth in this “challenging environment, Kempczinski said “the company would be delivering everyday value and affordability, menu innovation, and compelling marketing that continue to bring customers through [the] doors. To that end, Kempczinski said on the earnings call McDonald’s has been bringing back extra value meals; with a $5 Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles meal, and an $8 10-piece Chicken McNuggets meal, in November. Last month, McDonald reintroduced Monopoly in the U.S., for the first time in nearly a decade, with a focus on digital engagement.
Category:
E-Commerce
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