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Ambition vs. Ambivalence

How do you battle your anxiety and find your passion in the age of relentless self-promotion?

Heather Havrilesky
Sep 15, 2025
∙ Paid
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Lolita (1960), Jane Graverol

“It’s hard to be creative when you’re afraid.”

A friend from LA told me this a few weeks ago. We were talking about how she took big risks when she was young and it paid off. She trusted herself creatively. She dared to do things that no one else was doing.

But now the stakes feel much higher, both financially and emotionally. …

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