How Ambitious Employees Can Own Their Performance and Succeed
- Brainz Magazine
- Aug 21
- 4 min read
David Moloney is a mindset and performance specialist dedicated to transforming the world of work. As the founder of Limitless Living Coaching, he draws on his own career-defining breakthroughs with Neuro-Linguistic Programming to help employees and leaders overcome limiting beliefs, unlock their professional potential, and thrive.
Learn how ambitious employees can take ownership of their professional performance to accelerate career growth and boost organisational results: In corporate life, we spend a lot of time talking about what companies can do for their employees, better leadership, more training, and better engagement strategies. Those things matter. But there’s another side to the conversation that doesn’t get nearly enough attention.
What happens when ambitious employees take full ownership of their own performance, growth, and influence?
From what I’ve seen both in my own career and in those I coach, the results can be game-changing. Not only do these employees accelerate their careers, but they also lift their teams and, in some cases, shift the entire organisation.
A mindset shift that changes everything
Many people go to work with an unspoken belief:
“I go to work for the company.”
It sounds harmless, but it subtly positions you as a passenger showing up to do what’s asked, waiting for leadership to provide the tools, the direction, and the motivation.
Ambitious employees take a different view:
“I succeed in work because it accelerates my career, strengthens my self-belief, and develops my skills and character.”
That shift is powerful. Instead of work being something you do for the company, it becomes a platform for your own growth and, in the process, your results naturally benefit the organisation too.
Why taking responsibility is a career advantage
When you decide to take ownership, you move from reacting to circumstances to creating them. And when you do that, three things tend to happen:
Your career gains momentum: Leaders notice people who consistently deliver without needing to be managed.
Your team raises its game: Your standards influence those around you.
The organisation benefits: A culture of initiative and accountability starts to spread.
First and foremost, rely on yourself to make progress
Many companies focus heavily on what managers can do to drive engagement, and that’s a good thing. But if you’re ambitious, relying solely on leadership to create the perfect conditions for you to perform is unlikely to create the outcomes you’re capable of achieving.
If you want to move quickly in your career, you can’t wait for the “green light” to go after opportunities. You need to find them, step into them, and sometimes create them from scratch.
Your career ownership playbook
Here’s a framework ambitious professionals can use to take control of their growth, influence their team, and have a positive impact on their organisation:
1. Own your performance
Don’t just meet the goals your manager sets, set your own ambitious standards. Track your progress and hold yourself accountable.
2. Upgrade your mindset
Challenge limiting beliefs with practical tools like Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).
Prepare mentally and emotionally for high-stakes situations.
Focus on solutions rather than problems.
3. Keep building your skills
Take responsibility for your own professional development. Learn beyond what’s provided. Stay current with your industry.
4. Lead from where you are
You don’t need a title to have influence. Step up, take initiative, and mentor others.
5. Think systemically
Understand how your work affects others in the organisation. Ask:
How can I make processes easier or more effective for the team?
How can I add value beyond my immediate role?
The ripple effect
When you take ownership, the benefits ripple outward.
Teams improve because your example raises expectations.
Culture improves because accountability becomes the norm.
Results improve because problems get solved faster and opportunities are seized earlier.
And here’s the kicker: when you operate this way, leadership often starts seeing you as a natural candidate for more responsibility, which leads to bigger opportunities.
Final thought
Beliefs and attitudes are powerful drivers of individual and organisational performance, and when combined with skills, systems, and strong leadership, they can be transformative.
But you don’t have to wait for those conditions to be perfect. When you shift from “I go to work for the company” to “I succeed in work because it accelerates my growth and strengthens who I am,” you step into the driver’s seat of your career.
That’s when you stop simply doing a job and start shaping your future.
Your next step
If you’re an ambitious professional who’s ready to take full ownership of your career or a leader who wants to ignite this mindset within your team, I can help.
Through Limitless Living, I work with individuals and organisations to unlock the beliefs, skills, and strategies that drive high performance. Whether you’re aiming for your next career leap or looking to transform organisational results, mindset and performance coaching can be the catalyst that makes it happen.
Book your introductory call here.
Let’s explore how we can work together to create extraordinary results for you, your team, or your business.
Read more from David Moloney
David Moloney, Corporate Mindset and Performance Specialist
David Moloney is a specialist in finding empowerment and action in challenging corporate environments. Discovering the power of Neuro-Linguistic Programming enabled him to create transformational shifts in his attitudes, capabilities, and results in his own career and life. Firmly believing in the world of work, he knows the potential for greatness it holds. His mission: To create inspired and empowered employees and leaders, bringing more heart and energy to the corporate world.
