Pursuing career or business ambitions is no doubt very important. A successful career gives fulfillment; there is also joy and fulfillment when lives are impacted through your endeavors. However, there are times when an obsession with fame, money, popularity, or the need to prove a point are misconstrued as good old ambition. There is need to find a balance between being enslaved to work and finding your dreams. There are different ways in which someone can be enslaved to career or business. It could be in terms of overwork; it could be in terms of compromise of integrity and ethical principles; lack of recreation; neglect of family responsibilities.

As a woman, you should never compromise your integrity and morality because of career pursuits. Some women would do anything, including sleep with their bosses, in order to climb up the career ladder. They have lost sight of what is important and decided that the most important thing is that they are able to get to the next stage, and if what they have to do is to sleep with the guy, then so be it. Sleep with the guy and forget it.

There are a lot of women as well who, because of the pursuit of career and the drive to succeed, have had to sacrifice everything else. Some women work because they have the mentality that to be successful they need to outdo the menfolk. This takes them to the extreme of neglecting other responsibilities in their lives. They sacrifice their families and marriages at the altar of career fulfilment. The question is at the end of the day what will you hold on to if you’ve lost everything in the drive to achieve what you’re seeking? Business bondage is a real issue.

Another way people are enslaved to career or business is overwork. Overworking is when someone is totally consumed with work round the clock with no thoughts of anything else. People often overwork because they have the mentality that can only prosper through enervating work. The truth is that you need the blessing of God on the works of your hands to make it prosperous. Indeed it is vain to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrow, for so He gives His beloved sleep. With the blessing of God little effort would be multiplied into something huge; while without it one can work hard busy like an ant and still has nothing to show for it.

The aim of this article is not to condemn any sister but to admonish us to strive to always keep that balance. Ambition can quickly slide into an obsession if not properly held in check. Always take time out to evaluate your motives. The reason why vacations are important is not just so you can rest your weary body, but it is also an opportunity for your mind to be renewed, your plans, motives, goals and plans to be revisited and even adjusted.

As more women begin to get into fields that were dominated by men for decades, as more women become heads companies, captains of industry and even occupy high offices in the political clime, it has become imperative that we always check to see that we are doing what we do with the right motives and intentions.