AIMING FOR AMBITION

If I were ever to analyse my relationship with ambition, I would say it is complicated, very complicated. Firstly, I don’t understand it. I can’t figure out whether I should have a more spiritualistic approach towards it – leave it to karma to give me what is destined to be mine and what I deserve, while I continue to do my best. Or the more consumerist one, which I feel borders on avarice – the single-minded desire to achieve, showing no compassion towards others’ aspirations and the dreams I might trample upon while climbing up the corporate ladder. The little that I understand myself, I think I am neither. Hence the complicated relationship.

But then, just like many of the women we interviewed for the feature ‘Is ambition a bad word?’ (page 24), I also believe that ambition is slightly misogynistic. Strong adjective I know, but true, I believe.

In our effort to shatter glass ceilings at the workplace, find a meaningful place in the boardroom, and pursue careers that we are passionate about, not worrying over the long hours and hard work involved, women, it is said, have ‘sacrificed’ compassion, family and relationships and most importantly, have a skewed work-life balance. Ambition in this scenario takes a firm back seat. At least as far as women are concerned.

I know there are innumerable examples of women who have made it to the top of their careers, after having fought adversities and scepticism on the way. But there are innumerable examples of women who either have called time out from their pursuit of realising their dreams or have taken up career options that are easier or less demanding – basically they have compromised on their dreams, and quite often under the pressure of society and family they belong to.

So as we celebrate International Women’s Day today, I bat for gender equality as far as expectations are concerned.

In our effort to shatter glass ceilings at work, women have ‘sacrificed’ compassion, family and relationships and have a skewed work-life balance