Is your relentless ambition actually a trauma response? In this emotional and eye-opening episode of Self-Conscious, Chrissy sits down with executive coach and author Amina AlTai to unpack the hidden forces that drive us to chase success — even when it’s hurting us. Amina, author of The Ambition Trap, introduces a powerful framework that helps us understand the difference between painful ambition, which is rooted in fear, people-pleasing, and inherited wounds, and purposeful ambition, which flows from alignment, joy, and self-worth.

Chrissy opens up about her own relationship with ambition, shame, and comparison—and why saying no still feels like failure. This conversation will meet you where you are—and help you find your way back to yourself.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. How to identify the five core wounds that drive painful ambition—and the self-sabotaging patterns they create.
2. A five-part framework to assess whether an opportunity truly aligns with your values, gifts, and needs.
3. Why saying no isn’t a failure—it’s a form of nervous system regulation and self-respect.
4. How to tell the difference between hustle that’s healing and hustle that’s harming you.
5. A guided exercise to reconnect with your younger self and begin rewriting the story of what you deserve.

For more listening:

• Get Amina AlTai’s The Ambition Trap on Audible
• Subscribe to Audible for access to best-selling audiobooks, podcasts, exclusive Originals, and more.

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