The Psychology of Ambition

The Psychology of Ambition

Share this post

The Psychology of Ambition
The Psychology of Ambition
From “walking in the desert” to Escaping Flatland
Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them

From “walking in the desert” to Escaping Flatland

Why and how Henrik Karlsson raised his ambition

Dr. Gena Gorlin's avatar
Matt Bateman's avatar
Dr. Gena Gorlin
and
Matt Bateman
Feb 25, 2025
∙ Paid
68

Share this post

The Psychology of Ambition
The Psychology of Ambition
From “walking in the desert” to Escaping Flatland
4
15
Share

Welcome to today’s installment of “Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them.” This is likely going to be the last one for at least a few months while I really go head-down on my book. Meanwhile, you may be hearing from my husband and co-author Matt Bateman, to whom I’m basically handing the reins of The Psychology of Ambition during this time (believe me, he’s more than earned it).

Builder’s Spotlight: Henrik Karlsson

Principles on display: Raising your psychological ceiling, Your life as the yardstick, build yourself by building, Worrying on schedule

Image credit: https://x.com/phokarlsson/photo

When I stumbled into Escaping Flatland author

Henrik Karlsson
’s note about how he “decided to be more ambitious” with his writing and parenting—and his subsequent note thanking himself for that decision a year later—I had half a mind to just republish that original note verbatim, so emblematic is it of the kind of story I like to spotlight in this series. But then I realized it would be way more fun to get t…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to The Psychology of Ambition to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Gena Gorlin
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share