The Psychology of Ambition

The Psychology of Ambition

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My journey from ADHD skeptic to Adderall enthusiast
And what it taught me about living with agency
Aug 16, 2025 • Dr. Gena Gorlin
It's Time to Build the Builders
Introducing my new Substack newsletter
Feb 1, 2022 • Dr. Gena Gorlin
The best way to build yourself is to build
There’s a phenomenon most therapists have been confronted with, but few explicitly identify or discuss (partly because it’s hard to know what to say…
Oct 2, 2023 • Dr. Gena Gorlin
From “walking in the desert” to Escaping Flatland
Why and how Henrik Karlsson raised his ambition
Feb 25, 2025 • Dr. Gena Gorlin and Matt Bateman
Reflections upon turning 40
Today is my 40th birthday, and I have been feeling many feelings.
Oct 30, 2025 • Dr. Gena Gorlin
What is ambition, actually?
Some reflections on my book draft now that I've handed it off
Sep 24, 2025 • Dr. Gena Gorlin
On being married to Gena
A little over seven years ago, Gena and I were both at a conference, and her outbound flight was cancelled.
Mar 19, 2025 • Matt Bateman
A different and better way to live
An exposition of the "builder's mindset" and its contraries
Jul 14, 2023 • Dr. Gena Gorlin
The builder's mindset: a way out of the "drill sergeant" / "Zen master" dichotomy
Here's a radically new way to relate to your work.
Feb 2, 2022 • Dr. Gena Gorlin
All for Adam
A humanist meditation on the divine, occasioned by the birth of my second child
Jan 16, 2023 • Dr. Gena Gorlin
The math professor who invented Silicon Valley’s favorite sport
My exchange with John Gill, the father of modern bouldering
Nov 12, 2025 • Dr. Gena Gorlin
The Right Kind of “Crazy”
A conversation with serial entrepreneur Esther Crawford
Oct 28, 2024 • Dr. Gena Gorlin
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