What If Success Didn’t Have to Feel This Heavy? | Ambition & Identity for Working Moms

Who am I when I'm not producing? I have a confession: I've been wrestling with identity for most of my life. Not the deep-philosophy kind — the kind where you close a great month and immediately wonder if you can do it again. Where you finally sit down and your brain starts listing everything you should be doing. Where one slow season makes you question things a good one supposedly settled. In this episode I'm getting honest about what it's like to run a 100%-commission business, raise kids, and love Jesus — while still quietly asking my income, my productivity, and other people's approval to tell me who I am. I share a real season I'm in right now (three cancellations, no paycheck since June) and the question I keep coming back to: am I waiting for a closing to tell me I'm capable? Then we get into the "three chairs" picture from Leif Hetland's Called to Reign and the parable of the lost son — the story of a kid who came home to his father with a job application, and a father who wouldn't let him finish the sentence. If you've ever come home to God but brought your laptop, this one's for you. In this episode: Why success can feel heavy even when you love your work The three chairs: guest, employee, daughter — and why most of us live in Chair Two How performance pressure shows up in business, motherhood, and rest What the lost son's father actually did when his kid tried to get hired The robe and the ring: what it means to belong before you've earned anything The refrain to carry into your week: The question isn't whether I work hard. The question is what I'm asking my work to give me. Next week, Part 2: What does it look like to live and walk in inheritance as a business woman and mom? Scripture in this episode: Galatians 4:4–7 · Romans 8:15–17 · Ephesians 2:8–10 · Luke 15:11–24 · John 1:12 Who Jesus says you are: child of God (John 1:12) · loved (Romans 8:38–39) · chosen (Ephesians 1:4) · adopted (Ephesians 1:5) · redeemed and forgiven (Ephesians 1:7) · a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) · free from condemnation (Romans 8:1) · God's workmanship (Ephesians 2:10) · an heir with Christ (Romans 8:16–17) · a member of Christ's body (1 Corinthians 12:27) · gifted to serve (1 Peter 4:10) · a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20) · His (1 Corinthians 6:19–20) Mentioned: Called to Reign: Living and Loving from a Place of Rest by Leif Hetland https://amzn.to/3Sv6BHf Companion Guide to this Episode: https://marinatolentino.myflodesk.com/nothingtoprove My book is coming. The Hidden Deception: Raising Kids Who Don't Drift From Jesus is about exactly this — because our kids are watching what makes Mom feel valuable. Get on the early reader list: https://marinatolentino.myflodesk.com/thehiddendeceptionbook 🌺 CONNECT WITH MARINA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marinattolentino_ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marinattolentino YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@marinatolentino/ Website: https://www.marinatolentino.com/ Email Newsletter: https://marinatolentino.myflodesk.com/worklikeamother 🏡 Moving to Oʻahu or thinking about buying or selling a home? Connect with Marina and explore her Oʻahu real estate resources here: https://bio.site/marinatolentino 🎙️ WORK LIKE A MOTHER Work Like A Mother is a podcast for ambitious women navigating motherhood, faith, entrepreneurship, career, marriage, parenting, and purpose. Hosted by Marina Tolentino, the show explores what it looks like to pursue your calling, raise a family, build meaningful work, and follow Jesus in the middle of real life. Subscribe or follow so you don't miss the next episode. Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: HJVPWMYTLBMKRBYM