Never Soar aloft on an enemy’s pinions.(Aesop Fables). It is no gain to gain the world, while losing the soul. "All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind" ( Joseph Conrad).
Never Soar aloft on an enemy’s pinions.(Aesop Fables). It is no gain to gain the world, while losing the soul. "All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind" ( Joseph Conrad).
Perhaps on the continuum of human history, if there has been one prominent propeller of human progress, it has been 'ambition'. The quest to do better, more and differently has all along been the single most dynamic factor of human endeavour.
He who aims at the noon may hit the top of a tree, he who aims at the top of the tree is unlikely to get off the ground. All major discoveries and inventions are a consequence of ambitious individuals, societies and cultures. The absolute alignment between “individual ambition" results in collaborative effort to achieve a unified purpose which turns out to be the “collective ambition". If there is disparity of any sorts, be it in the “thought” or the “intended action", can severely impair the results. For collective action to take place, it is an absolute necessity to harmonise individual ambitions into a cohesive role. This merger of ambition is the task of the leader/manager.
Generally, we tend to carry a confusion between our dreams, dream goals, desires and ambitions. The demarcating lines between them tends to get smudged in everyday usage very easily. Dreams are considered non-action oriented; essentially a passive state of mind representation; whilst ambition has to be action filled/oriented to be classified as an ambitious activity. Dreams/desires can remain the bedrock of the thinking process, that attempts to find ways and means to achieve targets -- ambition requires an action process. Many a dream hence fall off the cliff of pursuit, owing to non availability of an action plan to achieve the cherished objectives. Dreams and desires have to be necessarily clothed and backed by ambitious actions.
Dreams can be frivolous, fanciful and many a times, unreal.These are not dreams, one has, while in a state of sleep, but these entertain minds, in full alertness of being awake. "Distance between dreams and reality is action” ( Brian Tracy). Ambition makes people diligent. There is an apt Chinese proverb, “Poor by condition, rich by ambition".
Ambition needs to be backed up by effort, dedication, knowledge and skill. The achievement of ambition demands focussed attention and singular direction of toil. In the realm of dreams the mind conjures, with full deception in attendance, of achieving the unthinkable. Daydreaming can be fun and delightful, since it requires no action. It is, however, also a fact, that it is “Dreamers” who provide the incentive, motivation and also courage to the unenlightened and uninitiated, to stand up for their “rights”. With the concept of dream, the name that springs immediately to the mind is Rev. Martin Luther King, the American activist and Evangelist, who had dared to say to the multitude, “I have a Dream…” and the masses went into a frenzy … several concrete actions happened later, that gave liberties and civil rights to the coloured. Hence to dream can be fascinating, only, if it converts into an ambition; which inherently requires 'action’.
Many management gurus think that goal is the ultimate purpose, and in contrast ambition means a desire or passion to acquire something. I have in my experience of management practices come to realise that ambition is the major ingredient that ultimately leads us to goals. Normally goals can be several; ambition can be in relation to a single purpose or objective. In 1962, when President John .F. Kennedy expressed his 'ambition' to have man’s landing on the moon -- all the scientists at NASA to achieve this 'ambitious’ objective put up several plans, that had limited goals of their own ... once these were cemented together they had acquired the ability to deliver the ambition. To the entire credit of NASA, they delivered on Kennedy’s ambition in a short span of 8 years. Several milestones (goals) were achieved, before arriving at the launch of the Apollo.
Those who are devoid of or do not carry within their persona the impelling urge to seek out success, are not total losers. These individuals could be possessed of a sense of resignation to fate and destiny. They surrender to the status quo in their lives and in the environment. They are not to be classified as failures or dead cargo; it is just, they have no internal generation of kinetic energy that can propel them towards action. To such youngsters I quote the biblical view, God helps those who help themselves. Even Napoleon, a die hard, almost a fanatical subscriber to the concept of destiny, would act and prepare for each adventure with single mindfulness.
Lack of ambition is also related to a medical condition. Ambitions can also go through the process of change; as we tread along on the path of life, most tend to amend, alter and change their ambitions. Those suffering from low levels of ambitions sometimes experience depression and mood swings. Patients suffering from effects of low ambition like depression and anxiety are referred for treatment through therapy and in serious cases, on a one on one basis communications. A generally debilitating environment, like the say Covid era, contributes towards low loss of ambition; other factors like uncertainty of job or even different challenges can lead towards a decline in ambition levels. Advancing age also could provoke a general loss of motivation and ambition.
Those without ambition are not necessarily dumb, nor are they selfish motives; they just could be happy with reasonable emoluments to match the number of hours given to the institution. However what is lost by such individuals and societies is best described in Christopher Columbus’s remarks, "You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore".
To seek the quality of ambitiousness, some seek professional therapy; some are required to write down their roles, their vision; some seek out physical activities; some look for crutches of friendship, while there are many, who believe that the best way to progress is to move against the tide.
Ambition also has many negative connotations. These emerge where there is desire to acquire skills and power, to undo others; where the selfish trait overtakes the positivity that each human is blessed with. Ambition has the potential to unleash upon others the worst of behaviour and attitude. These negative tendencies of ambition must always be kept in check. Ambitious leadership has a propensity to hurt,maul and nail people to their coffins.
Ambition, regrettably, gets associated more with brutal traits like narcissism, the quest for unbridled power, the hunger to dominate and the pleasure to subjugate. No, ambition is free of negativity, since it is a drive that must be kept in full check. Ambition, especially the uncontrollable and wrongly possessed can sometimes be attributable to genetics or biological disorders. Societal and cultural influences and pressures can also drive anybody beyond the ambit of rationality, when it relates to having them and then to remain in quest of it. The higher the ascent, the steeper the descent.
Uncontrollable ambition that cannot be chained or harnessed is not desirable. The quest for wealth, power , plomp and show is the anti- dote of positive ambition; unfortunately this is achieved at the expense of other colleagues. Unbridled ambition causes disruptions in relationships; it inflates the ego, which in turn impacts negatively on behaviour.
Managers and supervisors who impose upon teammates unrealistic targets, it sets into motion the uncalled for cut throat competition; that leads to literally the self inflicting of wounds upon the fabric of the organisation.
While traversing on the professional journey, acquisition of new skills or even polishing the old ones, does happen. If the journey is shunned of this consciousness, it is likely to entail a disastrous result in the context of achieving the ambition. Inertia and laziness cannot bestow achievements of either the temporary goals/ambitions or the greater purpose of ambition. Those who forsake long term view and gain against short term achievements, invariably lose out, in the game of professional growth.
I have a serious grouse against young adults. They lack both individual or collective ambition. They are laid back. They wish to be 'cool' about everything in life. Those who stay in the valley, can never catch a glimpse of what lies ahead. Ambition loses many men. I would often in my meetings with the chirping and bublushly, young management trainees, that if you are joining without an objective to be the administrator of the organisation, as a senior executive or even the CEO, be prepared for a long haul. Sans ambition, there is no challenge, no thirst, no quest and no desires of any sorts; and that leads to one hour of experience multiplied by decades of stay in the entity. How much can we mislead ourselves ... and finally you discover that your skill was usurped…and that’s when you realise...'it is too late'.
Ambition is all -- the good, the bad, the ugly. Ambition is directly linked with success and growth on the corporate ladder. The purpose to possess ambition will determine its nature; where an individual is driven to success for himself and others, it is a positive feature and a good, ambition to possess; but where the intent is malicious and malafide, like the desire to dominate and subjugate the thinking of others, so that they can stand closest to the powers that be, such ambition is negative. Those who hope not to succeed, have already lost. Ambition requires effort, he who would leap high must take a long run. A life without ambition is a complete waste.
The writer is a senior banker and a freelance columnist
