"Are You At An Ambition Checkpoint?"

I had a conversation with one of my oldest and dearest friends recently that at first struck me as odd. She asked, "Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind wanting to start again...?" I recognized that was the opening lyrics to Katy Perry’s song Firework. She was off. Not her present, fun, happy, and courageous self. It was strange, because she’s so accomplished. She had raised happy, productive, and conscientious kids. She worked doing what she loved. She had a few half-marathons under her belt, and she had a loving family and friends. After many conversations, I finally understood.

She was at an ambition checkpoint.

Her kids needed her less, and she felt like there was more of her to give to her career. More people to serve and a legacy to create. It was inaction that made her feel she was off-purpose... like a plastic bag drifting through the wind. She was being blown around by her days, by her old routine,...