Hello and welcome to another Article by Victoria! March is all about celebrating International Women’s Day, and this year, my community, WomenDevsSG, marked the occasion with an incredible event. We brought together our inspiring community leaders to share their personal journeys as women in tech—stories of resilience, growth, and ambition.

We also had a volunteer meetup to celebrate our community, catchup and just have fun!

From these events, I realized how fortunate I am to have found a tribe where I can meet like-minded people - both men and women, who support each other in learning, leading, and inspiring.

Amidst these conversations, I found myself deeply moved by the story of Shellye Archambeau. Her book, Unapologetically Ambitious, resonated with me in ways I didn’t expect. It wasn’t just empowering—it was reassuring. Her wisdom, drawn from real-world experiences, offers valuable insights for anyone striving to build a meaningful career.

In this article, I would like to share my top 3 of her bits of wisdom. Whether you are a man or woman, I hope her story will be insightful to you.

Lesson 1: The Power of Intentionality

One of the key takeaways from Shellye Archambeau’s journey is the importance of being intentional. Throughout her book Unapologetically Ambitious, she emphasizes that success doesn’t happen by chance—it requires careful planning, perseverance, and the willingness to make strategic decisions. Archambeau’s story is a testament to the idea that having clear goals and a well-thought-out plan can significantly increase the chances of achieving success.

For instance, she didn’t just aspire to be a CEO—she actively took steps to make it happen. From choosing the right roles to relocating for better opportunities, every decision she made was guided by her larger vision. Her story reminded me that ambition is not just about dreaming big but also about executing those dreams with precision and purpose.

I personally find it hard to be as big of a risk-taker like her. I think a lot of times I overthink my choices and it made me risk-averse to the opportunities that come to me. But what she wrote in her book is true:

Vulnerability is an unavoidable side effect of ambition. If you avoid taking risks, you limit your opportunities.

And that really reassured me that the choices I make is what I own - something I should not regret or hesitate to do.

Lesson 2: Overcoming Barriers and Navigating Challenges

As a woman of color in a male-dominated industry, Archambeau faced numerous challenges. However, what stood out to me was her resilience and proactive approach to overcoming these obstacles. She didn’t let systemic biases or workplace hurdles deter her; instead, she found ways to navigate them strategically.

A quote from the book that talks about accepting that there are certain barriers we must face, we can’t let those be obstacles:

We all know life isn't fair. "That's not fair!" is one of the early complaints children make. Instead of trying to fix situations to make them seem more fair, I was raised to accept that as a matter of truth: Life isn't fair. It never has been. It never will be. That's a fact and you can't change it. so we couldn't use it as an excuse. When things happened, we had to figure out what we were going to do about it.

One particularly insightful lesson from the book is the importance of building strong networks. Archambeau highlights how having mentors, sponsors, and a support system can make a crucial difference in one’s career. Her ability to leverage relationships, seek guidance, and create opportunities for herself was inspiring. It reaffirmed the idea that success is not just about individual effort but also about the community we build around us.

Lesson 3: Work-Life “Integration”

A recurring theme in Unapologetically Ambitious is the balancing act between personal and professional aspirations. Archambeau is candid about the sacrifices and trade-offs she had to make to achieve her goals. However, rather than framing these as burdens, she discusses them as conscious choices aligned with her long-term vision.

Most of us would be trying to find the right “balance” between work and life, and it is exhausting. It’s like trying to keep the see-saw as parallel with the ground as possible. Hence, I found it very insightful that she shares the idea of integrating work and life rather than striving for that “perfect balance.”

The way she reframes it as simple integration through effective strategies such a priority management truly resonates with me. As someone who juggles multiple responsibilities and roles, I found her perspective refreshing and actionable.

The key is to decide what you care about. You go out there and live your life and do the work to get what is important to you.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a book that is both inspiring and practical, Unapologetically Ambitious is a must-read. Shellye Archambeau’s story is a powerful reminder that ambition, when coupled with strategy and resilience, can lead to remarkable achievements.

Thanks for reading! Hope this article has been helpful! If it has, do leave a like, share the article and comment your thoughts below! I would love to hear your thoughts—have you read the book? What are your takeaways? Let’s continue the conversation and support each other in our ambitions! Cheers!

Let's Connect!

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• GitHub