The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Living for Approval and Start Living for You

Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel

Ambition. Is it a dirty word? Do you love the term, or hate it? In this episode of Hello Monday, Jessi Hempel sits down with two incredible colleagues at LinkedIn, Ahyiana Angel and Hayley Saltzman, to explore how our understanding of ambition evolves, and what it means to chase personal growth rather than external validation.

Ahyiana Angel is the Podcast Ad Ops Producer at LinkedIn and the host of her own podcast called Switch, Pivot, or Quit. Hayley Saltzman is an Editor at Large at LinkedIn, recently focusing on vertical video strategy. Together, they reflect on how ambition is often shaped by external expectations and how true fulfillment comes when we start living for ourselves.

In this episode, Jessi, Ahyiana, and Hayley discuss:

• The tension between extrinsic and intrinsic ambition
• Our gendered notions of ambition, and how society’s definition of ambition is often limiting for women
• What happens when you quit a dream job to pursue something more aligned with personal growth
• The relationship between fear and ambition
• Practical tips for reconnecting with your own ambitions and self-worth

If you've ever questioned what success and ambition truly mean for you, this episode is for you. Whether you're navigating career transitions or redefining what ambition looks like in your life, we hope this conversation will inspire you to live and work authentically.

Continue the conversation with us at Hello Monday Office Hours! Join us here, on the LinkedIn News page, this Wednesday at 3 PM EST.