Professional ambition is expected of men but is optional — or worse, sometimes even a negative — for women. “She is very ambitious” is not a compliment in our culture.

Professional ambition is expected of men but is optional — or worse, sometimes even a negative — for women. “She is very ambitious” is not a compliment in our culture. Aggressive and hard-charging women violate unwritten rules about acceptable social conduct. Men are continually applauded for being ambitious and powerful and successful, but women who display these same traits often pay a social penalty. Female accomplishments come at a cost.17

"This is a culture that is very hostile to complacency," said one executive. "We have an itch that what we just accomplished, no matter how great, is never going to be good enough to sustain us," said another.

I am not unambitious. I am just too ambitious for what you call ambitions.

the world is hard on ambitious girls

It is not a compliment if it comes with a request.

We find it to be in extremely bad taste for individuals to boast of their accomplishments; but when countries do so we call it "national pride."

Ambitious people are the leaven which raises it into wholesome bread. Without ambitious people the world would never get up. They are busybodies who are about early in the morning, hammering, shouting, and rattling the fire-irons, and rendering it generally impossible for the rest of the house to remain in bed.

I don't think she understands that, there are a whole lot of women out here who, one, are not aspiring to be humble, two, a whole lot of women out here who have a lot of love in their life, family in their life and children in their life.

She, and comparisons are odious.

My instincts are all against a woman being too frank and at her ease with me. It is no compliment to a man.

No woman who builds a career on hard work and talent will ever compliment a much younger one who uses the shallow gift of her looks.

If something in our culture that is advocating oppression is unable to be criticized, evaluated and changed, this is wrong.

Shyness Is Not A Virtue. “Quiet” Is Not A Compliment.