Leslie Bennetts has interviewed hundreds of women, from queens and actresses to businesswomen, senators, rock stars and artists. And while they've confided in her with all kinds of secrets, thoughts, hopes and dreams, they've all been reluctant to admit to one thing: their ambition.In fact, Bennetts writes for Elle magazine, only one woman openly confessed to having any kind of ambitious goal - Catherine Zeta-Jones. Looking at a fireplace mantle bedecked with her husband's Academy Awards, Zeta-Jones said, " I want my Oscar up there, too. " She soon won her own.

It seems that women are reluctant to admit that they want power, glory and the trappings of success just as much as men do. Why? Perhaps it stems from societal factors - women are expected to be dainty and passive, not aggressive go-getters who demand raises, covet trophies and dream of running their own enterprises. "Whatever their level of attainment, women typically portray themselves as passive and reactive rather than as game-changers - as if their success flowed from outside forces rather than their own ability to pursue clear goals effectively," writes Bennetts. "Men have less trouble owning up to their intentions, not to mention formulating them in the first place."