Why did trying become uncool?

There's a creeping cultural narrative that ambition is cringe, having goals is naïve, and if you're still trying to get ahead financially or professionally, you've somehow missed the memo that everything is pointless. And I get it. The disillusionment is real and it's earned. The system has genuine problems. But somewhere along the way, valid critique of broken structures has quietly morphed into a collective permission slip to abandon personal growth altogether. In this episode I'm unpacking that shift, questioning whether it's actually serving us, and making the case that you're still allowed to want better for yourself.

Key takeaways:

• Critiquing a broken system and abandoning all personal ambition are two very different things. ou can hold both the frustration and the drive at the same time
• Collective cynicism can feel like solidarity but it can quietly become a comfortable place to stay stuck
• Humans are psychologically wired for growth. Self-determination theory tells us that the drive toward competence and progress is a core human need, not a capitalist invention
• Getting better with money, pursuing meaningful work, or having personal goals isn't selling out.

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