Moving Forward Without Striving with Ruth Chou Simons

What happens when the drive that has helped you accomplish so much becomes the very thing that exhausts you?

For many high-achieving women, achievement has been rewarded for most of their lives. Get the grade. Earn the promotion. Reach the goal. Build the business. Keep moving forward. But over time, it can become easy to confuse what we accomplish with who we are.

In this episode of the Moving Forward Podcast, 4word President & CEO Melissa Harrison talks with bestselling author, artist, and entrepreneur Ruth Chou Simons about how to pursue meaningful work and God-given dreams without allowing striving, perfectionism, or achievement to define us.

Ruth is the founder of GraceLaced and the author of several books, including When Strivings Cease, Now and Not Yet, and her newest book, This Moment Matters: 100 Ways to Cultivate a Grace-Laced Life. Drawing from nearly two decades of writing, creating, building a business, raising six sons, and serving alongside her husband in ministry, Ruth reflects on why the seemingly ordinary moments of our lives matter more than we often realize.

The conversation explores the tension between healthy ambition and striving. Ruth shares why metrics, milestones, and goals can be useful without becoming measures of our worth—and why our identity has to be grounded in Christ before we pursue the things the world may use to validate us.

Ruth also talks about learning to stay present instead of constantly living for the next milestone. She shares practical rhythms that help her remain grounded in busy seasons and explains why gratitude can help shift our attention from everything we have not yet achieved to what God has already done.

The conversation also traces the unexpected beginnings of GraceLaced. What eventually became a thriving creative business began during nap time, when Ruth pulled out watercolors while her young sons read nearby. She practiced her craft, shared what she was creating, gave her work away, and faithfully stewarded opportunities long before she knew where they would lead.

Ruth also reflects on visibility in an age of social media and why the most meaningful parts of our lives need to be lived before they become content. For Ruth, creative work has to flow from a real life that is being experienced, not from the pressure to constantly produce.

And in the final part of the conversation, Ruth speaks directly to the woman who wants to grow, lead, create, and move forward but is tired of feeling as though everything depends on her. Her encouragement is simple: stop trying to carry the entire journey at once. Look at what God has already placed in your hands, choose one small thing, and faithfully begin there.

 

In this episode, we get into:

Your identity is not your achievement.

Your worth was never meant to rise and fall with what you accomplish.

Moving forward doesn’t have to mean striving.

Pursue what’s next without letting exhaustion or perfectionism lead.

Start with one small, faithful step.

Steward what God has given you today instead of being overwhelmed by the whole path.

 

You’ll also hear about:

• Why our “someday” is made up of thousands of ordinary moments
• Learning to enjoy the journey instead of constantly waiting for the next milestone
• The difference between healthy ambition and striving in your own strength
• How to recognize when a good desire has become too important
• Separating your identity from promotions, metrics, income, and visible success
• Why gratitude can help quiet the pressure to reach the next level
• Creating sustainable rhythms during busy seasons
• How GraceLaced began during nap time with watercolors and a blog
• Learning to welcome the limitations God allows
• Why meaningful “soul work” needs to be lived before it is shared
• Practicing visibility without allowing an audience to become your validation
• Starting with what God has already placed in your hands
• Ruth’s upcoming appearance at the BOLDLY Conference in Dallas

 

 About Ruth Chou Simons

Ruth Chou Simons is a bestselling author, artist, entrepreneur, and founder of GraceLaced, where she creates books, artwork, and resources designed to help people look to Jesus and find God’s grace in everyday life.

What began nearly two decades ago as a personal blog called GraceLaced grew out of Ruth’s desire to practice writing, create art, and pay attention to the ways God’s grace was woven through ordinary life. Over the years, that small beginning developed into a creative business and ministry reaching readers around the world.

Ruth is also the mother of six sons and has built GraceLaced alongside a full life of family, ministry, creativity, and entrepreneurship. Her books include When Strivings Cease, Now and Not Yet, and her newest release, This Moment Matters: 100 Ways to Cultivate a Grace-Laced Life.

In October, Ruth will join 4word in Dallas as a keynote speaker at the BOLDLY Conference.

Learn more about Ruth: ruthchousimons.com

 

About Melissa Harrison

Melissa Harrison is a journalist, nonprofit leader, and President & CEO of 4word. She is passionate about helping women integrate faith, leadership, and purpose in the workplace. As host of the Moving Forward Podcast, Melissa brings a storyteller’s perspective to honest conversations about work, calling, growth, and the courage to keep moving forward.

🔗 Learn more about Melissa: melissaharrison.net

Follow Melissa on LinkedIn and Instagram

 

About 4word

4word is a global community for Christian women in the workplace, helping women grow in their faith, thrive in their work, and become the women and leaders God created them to be.

Find out more about 4word 👉 https://4wordwomen.org/

🔗 Follow 4word on LinkedIn and Instagram