From the late 1960s onward, women have sought recognition and respect in the workplace. Today, three women sit on the Supreme Court. Twenty-two women head Fortune 500 companies. Ask anyone, “Are women as ambitious as men?” and you’ll find most people have a preconceived notion of the “right” answer. But a recent survey may have opened a Pandora’s Box. With questions about women’s ambition relative to that of men, it has stirred controversy―and undoubtedly many heated water-cooler conversations. The fact is, however, many women are dropping out of the race for success, or at least success as traditionally defined. Begging the question, why aren’t more women on the C-suite track?

Recent headlines have riveted the female population, calling the ambition of women into question. The fervor was sparked by a poll conducted by TIME and Real Simple magazines on how men and women define success and ambition. According to the survey, 51 percent of men and 38 percent of women describe.