Do I Actually Want That Job?

During my years at Microsoft, leadership opportunities came up more than once.

Some of them looked like the next logical step.

The kind of role you're supposed to want.

But I remember looking at those jobs and thinking:

Do I actually want that?

Not because I didn't believe I could do it. Because I was paying attention.

I saw the meetings. The pressure. The full calendars.

The leaders who looked stretched all the time.

And I realized something.

For the first time in my career, I wasn't asking:

"Can I do it?"

I was asking:

"Do I want it?"

That changed everything.

The Question More Women Are Asking

For most of our careers, the path feels simple.

Work hard. Do great work. Get promoted.

Repeat.

But then something shifts.

You get closer to the next level. And instead of feeling excited, you feel unsure.

Not because you've lost your drive.

Because you're looking beyond the title.

You're looking at the life that comes with it.

That's what I see in so many of the women I work with.

They're not questioning their ability.

They're questioning whether the prize still fits.

And those are very different things.

What I Think Is Really Happening

I don't think most high-achieving women want less. I think they want something different.

For years, success was measured by what was next.

The next role. The next title. The next milestone.

But there comes a point when you start asking a deeper question:

What is all of this helping me create?

More freedom?

More impact?

More energy?

More meaning?

Or just more responsibility?

That's the moment many women find themselves in.

Not stuck.

Not unmotivated.

Not afraid.

Just unwilling to chase something simply because it's the next step.

Three Questions Worth Sitting With

If you're facing a career decision right now, try these questions:

Do I want this role, or do I think I should want it?

Does this opportunity fit the life I'm trying to build?

If nobody knew I got the promotion, would I still want it?

Don't rush your answers.

The goal isn't to talk yourself into the next step.

The goal is to find the right step.

A Final Thought

For a long time, I thought ambition meant always wanting more. Now I see it differently.

Sometimes ambition looks like having the courage to stop and ask:

"Is this actually what I want?"

Because the most important career decisions aren't about what you're capable of doing.

They're about choosing a path that feels right for who you're becoming.

If this felt familiar, pay attention to it.

You don't need all the answers today. But don't rush past the question.

For years, many high-achieving women are taught to focus on what comes next.

The next role. The next promotion. The next goal.

Few of us are taught to stop and ask whether we still want the destination we're headed toward.

But that question matters.

Because it's possible to get everything you worked for and still feel disconnected from it.

If you'd like help figuring out what's next, I'd love to help.

→ Apply for an Alignment Call

P.S. Sometimes we're not afraid of the next step. We're afraid the next step isn't what we want anymore. And sometimes that realization isn't a problem to solve. It's the start of a new chapter.

Until next week,

Jaspreet