The 2-Year Ambition Cycle: Managing Your Career "Sprints"

Why you lose your drive every couple of years—and how to get it back.

"I used to be so hungry. I used to wake up excited to attack the day. Now, I’m just… tired. I’m going through the motions. Is my career over? Am I depressed? Should I quit?"

Sounds familiar? We all hear hear this specific frustration in the office constantly. It usually comes from high-performers— Directors, Entrepreneurs, and ambitious VPs—who are terrified because their famous "engine" has suddenly stopped running full acceleration.

In the corporate world, we have a dangerous myth: The Myth of Linear Ambition. We believe that a professional should operate at 100% capacity, quarter after quarter, year after year. We treat human beings like machines that only need occasional maintenance (a two-week holiday) to run indefinitely.

I put both my lenses on, HR and Astrology and I can tell you: Ambition is not a straight line. It is a cycle. If you feel like you have lost your "mojo," or conversely, if you suddenly feel a terrifying urge to burn everything down and start a new business, you are likely reacting to one specific planetary trigger: The Mars Return.

The Engine Room: Understanding Mars

To manage your career energy, you have to understand Mars.I n your Natal Chart, the Sun is your CEO (Identity), but Mars is your Director of Operations. Mars governs:

• Drive: What gets you out of bed.
• Conflict: How you handle competition and disagreement.
• Severance: The ability to say "No" or quit a job.
• Initiation: The power to start something new.

Mars has a cycle of approximately two years. Every two years, Mars returns to the exact spot in the sky where it was when you were born. Think of the Mars Return as your Energy Budget Reset. When the return happens, you receive a fresh battery pack. You are flooded with a new 2-year supply of ambition. But as the cycle progresses, that battery drains. By the end of the two years, you are running on fumes. Most "burnout" I see isn't actually burnout; it is a professional trying to sprint during the final month of their Mars cycle, when they should be in the pit stop.

If we overlay the Mars cycle onto a corporate timeline, it looks like a distinct project lifecycle. Understanding where you are in this cycle is the difference between strategic growth and exhaustion.

The Anatomy of the 2-Year Cycle

Phase 1: The Mars Return (The Launch)

• The Vibe: High octane. Restlessness. A sudden intolerance for boredom. You feel invincible.
• The Corporate Symptom: This is when you suddenly decide to apply for the promotion, launch the side hustle, or walk into your boss's office and demand a raise:-) 
• The Strategy: Act. This is not the time for planning; this is the time for doing. The universe is giving you a tailwind. If you suppress this energy (out of fear or politeness), it will turn inward and manifest as inflammation, accidents, or irritability. Use the fuel or lose it.

Phase 2: The Opening Square (approx. 6 months later)

• The Vibe: Friction. The "Honeymoon Phase" of the new project is over. You hit the first major obstacle.
• The Corporate Symptom: You launched the new initiative, but now you’re drowning in the details. You question if it was a good idea.
• The Strategy: Push Through. This is a test of your resolve. Mars loves a fight. Do not pivot yet; you just need to exert more force to clear the hurdle.

Phase 3: The Opposition (approx. 12 months later)

• The Vibe: The Halfway Point. Maximum visibility. Objectivity.
• The Corporate Symptom: You are exactly one year into the cycle. This is the "Mid-Year Review." You can clearly see what is working and what isn't. Often, this is where you face a competitor or a direct conflict with a colleague.
• The Strategy: Collaborate or Compromise. You cannot just "bulldoze" anymore. You need to adjust your strategy based on the feedback you’re getting from the market (or your boss).

Phase 4: The Closing (The "12th House" Phase)

• The Vibe: The final 2-3 months before your next Return. Low energy. Brain fog. A desire to retreat.
• The Corporate Symptom: This is the danger zone. This is when clients come to me saying, "I think I’m done. I have no motivation." They try to force themselves to work harder, but it feels like walking through mud.
• The Strategy: Strategize and Rest. Do NOT launch a new product now. Do NOT start a new job now. Your battery is at 5%. Use this time to clean up administrative messes, reflect on the last two years, and plan your next move. If you try to sprint now, you will injure yourself.

The "Shadow Mars": Passive Aggression in the Office

What happens when we ignore this cycle? In the corporate world, we are taught that "aggression" is unprofessional. So, we suppress our Mars function. We smile when we want to scream. We say "yes" when we want to say "no."When you suppress Mars, he doesn't go away. He goes underground.Repressed Mars manifests as:

1. Passive Aggression: "Forgot" to cc someone on an email. Sarcasm in meetings.
2. Self-Sabotage: Procrastinating on a project until it fails.
3. Somatic Symptoms: Migraines, fevers, or sudden exhaustion (you know the drill)

If you are a manager, and you have an employee who is usually a high-performer but has suddenly become snarky or cynical, they might be in a Mars transit that demands a change, but they don't feel safe enough to ask for it.

How to "Use" Your Mars (A Tactical Guide)

As a Career Counsellor, I help clients align their professional moves with their Mars energy. It’s about fighting with the current, not against it.

1. Know Your Mars Sign (Your "Fighting Style")Your cycle tells you when to act, but your Mars Sign tells you how to act.

• Mars in Aries/Leo/Sagittarius: You need autonomy. You need to lead. You will die a slow death in a bureaucracy.
• Mars in Taurus/Capricorn/Virgo: You play the long game. You are motivated by tangible results and status. You don't mind the grind, as long as the paycheck reflects it.
• Mars in Gemini/Libra/Aquarius: You fight with words and ideas. You are a negotiator. You need social stimulation to stay driven.
• Mars in Cancer/Pisces/Scorpio: You are driven by emotional connection. You fight for people, not profits. You make an excellent mentor or HR leader.

2. Schedule Your "Sprints"If you know your Mars Return is coming up in November, plan your year accordingly.

3. Redefine "Laziness" Stop calling yourself lazy. "Laziness" is a judgment. "Low Battery" is a data point. If you are in the low phase of your cycle, accept it. Do the maintenance work. Clear your inbox. Organize your files. Stop trying to be a hero when the engine is cooling down.

• August-October: Clear the decks. Finish old projects. Rest.
• November: Launch. Go big. Ask for the promotion.

Conclusion: Reclaiming Your Fire

Ambition is a renewable resource, but only if you respect the recharge cycle. If you are feeling stuck, it’s not because you are broken. It’s likely because you are trying to drive a car with an empty tank, or you are trying to drive it off-road when it was built for the track. The corporate world won't give you permission to rest, and it won't tell you when to attack. You have to authorize that yourself.

Do you want to know where you are in your 2-Year Cycle? Are you in a "Launch" phase or a "Rest" phase? Let’s find out.