In today’s culture, ambition is often worn like a badge of honor. We’re told to hustle harder, climb faster, and never stop grinding. But what happens when that same ambition starts to pull us away from who we truly are?

In this episode of Quest for Success, Dr. Jerry Cunningham explores the delicate balance between chasing success and staying grounded in your values. It’s a real talk about what happens when ambition becomes your identity and how to recognize the signs before it costs you more than it's worth.

This isn’t about giving up on goals. It’s about making sure the pursuit of success doesn’t sabotage your integrity, relationships, or peace of mind. You’ll walk away with clarity, encouragement, and practical ways to keep your drive aligned with your deeper purpose.

Follow now and share this with someone who’s chasing big dreams but needs a reminder to stay rooted. For more, visit www.Quest-Success.com.

📚Additional Sources to Enrich the Episode:

Books:

• Give and Take by Adam Grant — explores how givers, takers, and matchers succeed differently in business and life.
• The Road to Character by David Brooks — great insight into how we can build moral depth alongside achievement.
• Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink — foundational research on internal vs. external motivation.

Academic Research:

• Judge, T. A., & Kammeyer-Mueller, J. D. (2007). “Personality and career success: A review and research agenda.” Journal of Management.
• Baumeister, R. F., et al. (1998). "Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource?" Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Articles & Websites:

• Harvard Business Review: “The Problem with Being Too Driven”
• Greater Good Science Center: www.greatergood.berkeley.edu (search “ambition and morality”)

In this powerful Legacy Behind the Legend episode of the Quest for Success Podcast, Dr. Jerry Cunningham—psychologist and author of the Quest for Success series—takes you on a journey into the extraordinary life of a woman who was born into bondage but refused to let chains define her.

Known here only as “the Preacher” her story is one of grit, moral courage, and an unshakable conviction that truth must be spoken, even when it costs everything. From escaping slavery with nothing but faith, to winning a landmark court case as the first Black woman to successfully challenge a white man in court, to standing before Abraham Lincoln himself, her life is a blueprint for speaking up when silence is easier.

You’ll walk away inspired to live with conviction, stand for what’s right, and understand that you don’t need a title to make a difference—you need courage.

Listen now, and discover the legacy behind the legend.

Visit www.Quest-Success.com to learn more. Dr. Cunningham’s books are available on Amazon—just search Dr. Jerry Cunningham.

That voice in your head telling you you’re not ready… not qualified… not enough? It’s not the truth—it’s a trap. In this episode of Quest for Success, Dr. Jerry Cunningham—psychologist, leadership coach, and best-selling author—unpacks how that inner critic forms, why it’s so convincing, and what you can start doing today to stop it from running your life.

You’ll hear a powerful story about a young Army officer who went from self-doubt in jump school to leading at the highest levels of the 82nd Airborne. You’ll also get practical, psychology-backed tools to help you lead with clarity—in your work, your family, and your future.

This episode isn’t just motivational. It’s tactical. And it might be the breakthrough moment your confidence has been waiting for.

🎧 Hit play.
🌐 Learn more at www.Quest-Success.com.
📚 Books available on Amazon—just search for Dr. Jerry Cunningham.

Additional Sources to Reference

• Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy – Dr. David D. Burns
• The Confidence Gap – Dr. Russ Harris
• Harvard Business Review: “Overcoming Imposter Syndrome”
• PsychologyTools.com – CBT Worksheets and Tools
• Dr. Kristin Neff – Research on Self-Compassion
• fMRI Study: “Self-Criticism and the Brain” (Longe et al., 2010)