28 | What Career Moms Really Want—And How to Actually Get It (Without Guilt)

💥 Ever think...
“Why am I doing everything but still feeling behind?”
“Why do I feel bad for wanting more clarity, more time, more money?”
“Is it selfish to want help?”

Mama—you’re not alone. And you’re definitely not wrong for wanting more.

In this episode, Shannon gets real about the 3 desires most career-driven moms crave—but feel guilty admitting:

🧭 Clarity
⏳ Time + Support
💰 Financial Freedom (without burnout)

We unpack why these desires matter, how your leadership style shapes the way you chase them—and how to finally create more of what you want, without the guilt spiral.

🔥 In This Episode:
✔️ Why clarity doesn’t come from overthinking—but from aligned action
✔️ The REAL reason asking for help feels so hard (and how to shift that)
✔️ How to create income growth without working more hours
✔️ Coaching cues for Boss Ladies, Brainiacs, Charismatic Queens + Heart-Centered Guides

💬 Key Quote:
“You’re not weak for wanting help. You’re not lazy for needing more ease. You’re just a high-capacity woman in a high-pressure world—doing your best.” 
— Shannon Fox

🛠️ Try This Action Step:
Pick one question and journal on it for 5 minutes:

1. What would more clarity feel like for me?
2. Where could I ask for just one thing to be taken off my plate?
3. How could I increase income without increasing stress?

Then—take one aligned step based on your answer. Just one. That’s where momentum lives.

🔗 Resources Mentioned:
✨ Take the FREE Leadership Style Quiz to uncover your natural zone of genius and lead with clarity, confidence + calm:

📲 Join the Facebook Group to connect with other like-minded mamas

🎧 Catch up on past episodes of Career Growth for Working Moms—new drops every Tuesday & Friday!

🧡 Share this episode with a fellow working mom who’s craving more (without guilt).

Kat and Tanner by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/

💼 READY TO LEAD WITH CONFIDENCE & CALM?
🚀 Take the FREE Leadership Style Quiz to uncover your strengths and unique leadership path
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Kat and Tanner by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/

Transcript

Teaser: 

Today's episode is a little bit personal, a little bit honest, and a whole lot of freeing, because we're going to talk about what career-driven moms really want, and why so many of us feel guilty for even admitting it out loud.

If you've ever caught yourself thinking: “I just want someone to tell me what to do” “I need more time, more help, more ease.” “I want to make more money, but not at the cost of my health or family.”

Then girl, you're in the right place. Today, we're going to unpack those desires, crush the guilt, and talk about how to move toward the life and career you actually want. And yes, we're going to bring in your leadership style too, because how you're wired plays a huge role in how you chase clarity, manage your time, and make career moves.

Intro: 

Hey mama, welcome to Career Growth for Working Moms. If you're stuck in a job that doesn't fit, or burning out trying to do it all, you're in the right place. I'm Shannon, a career coach and fellow working mom.

Here, you'll get simple career strategies and strength-based leadership tips to help you grow with clarity and confidence. So grab your coffee, or reheat it for the third time, and let's do this.

Shannon Fox:

Hey mama, welcome back. I'm so thankful to share this time with you today.

So let's start here. I've coached a lot of women, and when we get past the surface stuff, the to-do list, the job titles, the I'm just trying to be responsible talk, what I hear over and over again are three core desires, but they all feel weird admitting that.

So let's go.

Desire #1: clarity. “I just don't know what to do next.” Career decisions feel heavy when you're already carrying the weight of a family. You don't have time for trial and error. You want a step-by-step. You want guidance you can trust. But here's the truth. Clarity doesn't come from thinking harder.

It comes from knowing yourself and moving in alignment. For you Visionary Brainiacs, you might get stuck in overthinking. You research, plan, map it out, but never actually choose.

If you're a Boss Lady in Action, you power through confusion, checking boxes, staying busy without stopping to ask if it's even what you want. Your next step isn't more pressure. It's pausing long enough to listen to yourself.

Clarity comes from small aligned action.

So try this. Ask yourself, if I already knew the answer, what would I do next? Then try it. No commitment. Just experiment.

So the second desire is time and support. 

”I want more help.”

“I'm tired of doing everything alone.”

This one hits hard, right?

You want more margin, more presence, more time with your kids without feeling like you're dropping the ball at work.

You don't want to keep choosing between career success and motherhood wounds. You don't want to keep choosing between career success and motherhood wins. But so many moms don't ask for help because we think it makes us look weak or worse, ungrateful.

If you're a Heart-Centered Guide asking for help, feel selfish. You're the nurturer, the emotional sponge. You're so good at taking care of others that you forget to protect yourself.

Charismatic Queens, you probably look like you have it all together, but behind the scenes, you're burning out, trying to hold the whole thing up.

Listen, listen, needing help doesn't mean you're failing. It means you're human.

Start by delegating just one thing this week at home or at work. It counts. It matters.

It builds muscle and block time. That is just for you. I mean it protect it like it's your kids dance recital because you matter to desire.

#3: financial freedom without burnout - “I want to make more money, but I don't want to lose myself in doing it.”

Yes. Let's normalize this.

You can want financial stability and white space in your calendar. You can want more income and more margin.

You don't have to choose between purpose and prosperity. If you're a Boss Lady in Action, you probably grind through those jobs that don't fit because they pay the bills. You tell yourself it's practical, but at what cost?

If you're a Visionary Brainiac, you might delay going after the promotion or launching the thing because it's not perfect yet.

So here's your coaching for this one. Ask yourself what's one way I could increase income without increasing stress. Can you ask for a raise? Can you create a boundary that gives you back your energy? Can you make your current role work harder for you?

Financial freedom is about choices.

Leverage your strengths to create space then ask for more. You're allowed.

So as we wrap up for today, let me say this loud and clear.

You are not selfish for wanting more time, clarity, support, or money. You are not ungrateful. You are not weak. You are not lazy.

You're a high capacity woman living in a high pressure world, and you're doing a phenomenal job.

And if you want more ease, more clarity, more income without burnout, you don't have to figure it out on your own.

Your leadership style is the cheat code to getting what you want without all the guesswork, second guessing, and guilt.

So if this episode spoke to you and you're thinking, I need to know my style, go take the free leadership style quiz right now at theshannonfox.com/leadership-style and you'll learn your dominant zone and get clear on what actually works for you.

And mama, if this resonated with you, would you take 60 seconds to leave a review? Your words help the show reach more working moms who need this kind of clarity and permission.

You're not stuck. You're simply one aligned step away from the clarity you've been praying for. And I'm right here with you, cheering you on every step of the way!

Until next time…

Outro: 

Hey, working mama. I hope you enjoyed today's episode. If so, would you take 30 seconds to share it with a friend who's stuck in her career, but doesn't want to sacrifice her family to grow?

Also, please leave a quick review on apple podcast. It seriously lights me up to know the show is helping you navigate burnout, find clarity and lead with confidence.

All right, time to shut down my laptop and pretend I'm not hiding from folding that laundry. I'll meet you back here soon for another episode of Career Growth for Working Moms.

You've got this.