Ambition Without Compromise
Ambition Without Compromise is the space where powerhouse women of color — with a special heart for Black mothers and future mothers — come to redefine success on their own terms.
Hosted by Monique R. Shields, executive coach, entrepreneur, and mentor to women at the highest levels of leadership, this podcast dives into the real challenges women face when juggling bold professional pursuits with the responsibilities of being present partners, mothers, and whole, healthy individuals.
Through honest conversations and powerful stories, you’ll gain insights on:
- Balancing ambition and freedom without burnout
- Crafting sustainable work-life integration
- Protecting your mental and emotional well-being
- Building intentional communities and seeking mentorship for growth
Whether you're scaling your business, stepping into a higher leadership role, or simply seeking clarity about what success means now, this show offers the tools and stories to help you thrive without compromise.
Follow Monique wherever you listen to podcasts and step into a world where ambition and joy can coexist.
Ambition Without Compromise
53 | The Safety Shift: Trusting Yourself in Times of Transformation
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In today's fast-paced world, the pressure to conform to a certain image of success can be overwhelming. Many of us are familiar with the archetype of the "4am CEO," a figure that embodies relentless ambition and productivity. But what happens when this pursuit of success starts to overshadow our true selves?
In this week's episode, Monique dives into the journey of identity evolution and the fears that accompany significant life changes. Building on her previous discussions about identity leaps, she reflects on the critical moments when we find ourselves on the brink of transformation, yet held back by fears surrounding safety and acceptance.
Join in as Monique guides us through the transformative process of letting go, embracing new identities, and ultimately finding peace in the pursuit of our authentic self.
📢As a special note, Monique is opening her coaching waitlist for February 2025. You can sign up through her website to receive updates and secure a spot for transformative one-on-one coaching.
MENTIONED
52 | Making The Scary Identity Leap
GEMS DROPPED
“We have identity needs. Safety at the identity level is very different than safety at the practical, tangible level. Safety, in terms of our heart’s needs, it operates very differently. And I think these are driving forces that are deeper and can be far stronger if we turn our attention to them and actually start to get real with what is trying to stretch and come from us.”
“I'm tired of money being this primary driver. I'm beyond that. I know I'm in a system that requires money to sustain us, but I don't want that to be the thing that is driving all of my decisions anymore. I want to do the things that have been deemed frivolous. I want to spend more time in my garden. I want to spend more time cooking. I want to experience a season that lets that version of myself come to be. I want to get to know this version of myself where money is no longer the core driver. Like, what a privilege that would be. How incredible would that be? It's a shame that that's a privilege. It shouldn't be a privilege.”
“If you change, the world around you changes which means the relationships around you have to change. They can embrace it, you can figure out how to move forward together, you might have a rough patch or a season, but there's also the risk that that relationship is now lost or some of the core fundamentals that kept you connected before, are null and void at this point.”
“If I'm evolving into a whole new world, there’s a version of myself where I'm not going to be your savior anymore because I'm relaxing into my own needs. I'm leaning into my own creative expression and like minded, equally yoked community, partnership, friendship…the version of me that was required to uphold the nature of our past relationship, she's not going to be here. That undercurrent is a huge part of what will hold us back from evolving into the next version or the next stage of identity that is calling. I cannot overstate how deep that runs, how real that is for us.”
STAY IN TOUCH
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