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
60 | Too Busy to Dream: When the Work That Made You Successful Starts Holding You Back
Text Monique directly! Share thoughts, feels or feedback!
What if the version of leadership that got you here is the very thing keeping you stuck? It’s time to grow and expand—not so you can carry more, but so you can finally live out your dream without the weight that’s been holding you back.
Join Monique as she speaks directly to high-achieving women like you—navigating the tension between your professional obligations and your personal ambitions. This isn’t about finding another tactic or quick fix. It’s about shifting your identity, cultivating an abundant mindset, and setting boundaries that protect your time and energy.
When you do that, you’ll start to reclaim your vision and attract the kind of opportunities that truly align with who you are becoming. Monique’s insights and strategies are here to help you break free from what’s no longer working and step boldly into the future you know is waiting for you.
GEMS DROPPED
“You've always known that where you're at right now is a stepping stone place. And it may have given you really specific important things, but it's not meant to be your forever place, and you know that.”
“Because you're on this hamster wheel every day, it diminishes your vision, and it shrinks your capacity to exist as bigger.”
“Growing your skills to the point where you can now possess the dream. That's not actually how it works. You have to grow, expand yourself so that you begin to live out the dream. You begin to attract the dream. It begins to build within you and around you because you're operating that way.”
“I honestly don't care who it is that is listening to my voice right now. If you're my girl and you're considering becoming better and expanding in your leadership, delegation is going to be a thing for you. Because we, as women, are actually socialized against delegation. We are socialized to show up for everybody in every way, for everything and so becoming better at delegating is absolutely something that we need to do. But here's the problem, getting better at delegating or delegate more is not the advice you need. What you need is the space to occupy a more abundant boss mindset.”
“This being too busy to connect with our dreams-the solving for the busyness, it does have to happen first. Like, you cannot, you're not going to connect with an authentic dream from a place that feels rushed and constrained and overwhelmed and tight. Like, that's not the place that you want to be dreaming from. So we do have to solve for this first. But what I'm trying to say is that the solve starts at the identity level. The solve does not start at the tactics and the tricks.”
“This is not about becoming better at carrying all these things that are just too much. It's about showing up in a way that protects you from more and more of the nonsense, and shifts you into a being that attracts the dream.”
EPISODES MENTIONED
Ep 15: Learning To Dream First
Ep 3: What Are You Playing For?
STAY IN TOUCH
Come and follow me on Instagram @moniquershields and I would love your feedback so send an email to ambition@moniquershields.com.
CLA