Align the right ambitions at the right time with the right effort.

As a small business owner, this book really resonated with me. I wrestle with that concept on a daily basis: trying to balance what I want to achieve with the time, energy, and resources I actually have. Sustainable Ambition doesn’t offer a one-size-fits-all answer (because success looks different for all of us), but it does provide a thoughtful framework for setting realistic expectations and pursuing meaningful goals without burning out.

It’s approachable, encouraging, and *bonus* it has a beautiful cover that would look great on any bookshelf.

Thank you to NetGalley, Greenleaf Book Group | Greenleaf Book Group Press, and Kathy Oneto for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Greenleaf Publishing Group for providing me with a digital ARC to read so that I could provide my honest opinion.

I requested "Sustainable Ambition" because, like many people, I’ve struggled to prioritize my well-being while maintaining a full-time career. Despite my best efforts, I’ve often had to put myself, my relationships, and even joy on the back burner to meet professional expectations. And honestly, I don’t feel I have a lot to show for it financially, so I find myself asking: what now?

From the start, I appreciated Oneto’s thoughtful framing of ambition as something that evolves over time. Her hiking metaphor—whether to push through or take a detour—resonated. Life is a journey full of obstacles and recalculations. I also liked seeing an endorsement from Greg McKeown (whose book "Essentialism" is on my Kindle TBR), and I agree with the idea that the myth of “work-life balance” needs to be retired. During a sabbatical a few years ago, I was struck by how much time it actually takes to maintain health, home, and personal growth—and how different life felt without the constant pressure of commuting, grooming, or performing productivity.

That said, this book didn’t offer a lot of new ideas for me. The concept of “aligning the right ambition at the right time with the right effort” felt overly simplistic, and the book had the familiar issue of repetition and fluff that many self-help titles struggle with. Still, I did find some of the reflection exercises useful. While they weren’t groundbreaking, it was helpful to see them collected in one place, especially at this point in my life, where I’m actively thinking about how to make the most of the time I have left.

I truly appreciate that Oneto includes additional free resources on her website. That’s a generous touch and adds value to the book. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t the intended audience. This feels like a book for people who are already financially successful and are now wondering if it’s okay to slow down or shift gears. Meanwhile, some of us have been ambitious out of necessity, made sacrifices, and are still trying to gain footing. I found myself thinking, “I’m not your target audience,” and that’s despite holding two advanced degrees and having worked on a third.

I’m tired of reading narratives where someone “has it all” and still feels something is missing. I can only dream of being in that position. Success, to me, isn’t about prestige or wealth—it’s about peace, health, and purpose. While "Sustainable Ambition" didn’t offer me a roadmap, it did reflect some of my values back to me. That has its own kind of worth.

The three-component approach (Right Ambition, Right Time, Right Effort) provides clear structure for making complex life decisions.