What does it mean to you to be ambitious?
It’s a continual source of inspiration for me. It’s having a clear, bold vision of what I want to accomplish in life and a burning desire to do so. With the impending publication of my second book, ‘Be the First: People of Color, Imposter Syndrome, and the Struggle to Succeed in a White World,’ this topic has become more important to me. Not only did it require a lot of ambition to complete the writing and publication of a book in the midst of a worldwide epidemic, but the book is also about the worth and importance of ambition in a nutshell. When you face greater challenges as a result of your ethnicity, gender, or other life circumstances, you’ll need a laser-focused, vast vision and unwavering desire to achieve.
Here are some more compelling reasons to embrace ambition and utilize it to your advantage in your life.
Table of Contents
Motives to pursue your goals
You’ll find out what you’re really capable of.
Unless you are ambitious enough to attempt, you will never know how competent you are or what you could be capable of. Many of us are guilty of passively living our lives, rejecting change and being afraid of the unknown. But what if the only thing stopping you from achieving true success is your refusal to conceive a greater, better life for yourself? Why don’t you see what you’re really capable of?
Your subconscious mind is within your control.
Long-term ideas, attitudes, emotions, and memories are retained in your subconscious mind, which acts like a sponge. It’s the powerful machine that develops your thoughts, defines your behavior, and influences your outcomes. You may feed your subconscious mind ambitious ideas and ideas over and over again, and it will absorb them and set to work on making them a reality.
You can persuade the cosmos to your side.
Have you ever put anything “out there” – expressed an idea, a wish, or a want – only to have an opportunity for that identical concept appear out of nowhere? This is the cosmos at work, reacting to the energy of your ideas in ways that will astound you. Sometimes the things you concentrate on, no matter how ambitious or far-fetched they may have sounded, are the ones that keep turning up. So why wouldn’t you dream big when the universe is on your side?
Most likely, you are underestimating yourself.
High-achievers have a tendency to underestimate their own abilities, to the point where they believe everyone else is more competent than they are. Imposter syndrome is a major theme in my next book, Be the First. It’s a psychological phenomena initially recognized by Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, and it usually affects high achievers. The inference is that our persistent doubts or concerns about our capacity to succeed, despite a long list of past accomplishments, are really indicators that we are very talented! So embrace it and recognize it for what it is: a reminder of how far you’ve come and an indication of how far your goal can carry you.
Goals appeal to your brain, and ambition is a natural trait.
It’s a fact: ambition is genetic; don’t resist it! When you reach a goal, your body releases dopamine into your brain, making you feel good and therefore more motivated and focused on your duties (Mehta 2013). As a result, the more ambitious you are, the better you will feel, the more you will accomplish, and the better you will perform.
It is up to you to enjoy your life!
A life spent in fear, as the proverb goes, is a life half lived. Making a few errors is much worse than not attempting at all, and how often is it stated that people regret the things they don’t do more than the ones they do? Your life might be a “splendid torch” or a “brief candle.” Choose life, not ambition!
Aspiration
However, although some individuals are born with this laser concentration, self-belief, and determination, others find it more difficult to discover and maintain ambition. So, if you fall into the latter category, here are my top ideas for discovering and channeling a strong sense of ambition.
How do you embrace your ambition?
Face your stumbling blocks.
Consider where those views originated from and why if you grew up with a negative view of ambition, believing it to be a selfish or undignified character. Look for facts to support the other viewpoint and do your own study. Be heartened by tales of good and honorable aspiration.
Look for someone who can serve as a role model.
Look for persons who exemplify the lofty ideals you like. Use their traits and accomplishments as inspiration for your own goals.
Be proud of your goals.
Be outspoken about your desire. Repeat the sentence “I am ambitious” many times. I was first self-conscious and embarrassed when several people at a networking group branded me as ambitious. But then it dawned on me that THIS is what I do for a living. I have a goal in mind and a strong desire to achieve it. I have a lot of ambition. And it feels fantastic!
Make a goal that is both ambitious and bold.
Make a list of the largest, most ambitious one you can think of. Then repeat it loudly for seven days. By the end of the week, you’ll be surprised at how enthusiastic and enthusiastic you are about that objective. That’s what I call ambition!
Consider your accomplishments in the past!
Consider a goal you’ve accomplished in the past that felt both daring and scary. Try to recall how you felt about achieving that objective before you did. Have you ever completed a marathon? Have you started a business? Have you ever learned a talent that seemed unachievable at the time? All of these things are affirmations of your ability – as well as your goals. Keep these in mind.
Overcome your fear of failing.
We typically avoid setting ambitious objectives because we are afraid of what would happen if we fail. But only if you consider failure to be a bad thing. Learn to perceive failure for what it is: an opportunity to learn, to develop, and to use as a stepping stone to ultimate success.
Allow yourself to be free of the fear of success.
You may be afraid not just of failing, but also of succeeding and the additional obstacles that success may bring. What happens if you receive the job or the promotion? Will you be able to cope, will you be content? Let go of the “what if” scenarios. They will hold you back from growing or make you regret lost possibilities.
Spend more time with folks who are driven.
Join networking organizations and hang out with others who share your ambition and drive to succeed. You’ll be swept away by the tidal wave of others’ optimism and desire, which will assist you in reaching your goals.
Make sure your desire is genuine.
It’s not just about what you want; it’s also about why you want it. If you are sincere and remain loyal to your basic principles, you will discover genuine drive in your work/life decisions. Consider your prior experiences and attempt to figure out why – when were you the happy or most energized? When do you feel dissatisfied or bored? This will assist you in directing your ambitions toward things that are meaningful to you. And once you’ve channeled that genuine desire, nothing will be able to stop you!
So you know why you need it and how to achieve it – but did you realize there are a few major blunders you should avoid on your quest for ambition?
Avoid these blunders.
Not realizing you’re suffering from Imposter Syndrome.
The higher your level of expertise, the more likely you are to think critically about risks and consequences. If you dare to set a lofty objective, you may choose to qualify it based on a cognitive knowledge of the scientific likelihood of achievement (or failure). But don’t allow the feeling of being an impostor keep you back. Accept your inner impostor and recognize that your sensible desire to self-edit ignores your own great talent and agency as the creator of your own fate. Take back control of your bold goals.
It’s a common misconception that ambition equates to ruthlessness.
I believe in the importance of role models, but your ambition role model doesn’t have to be an arrogant, hard-nosed achiever who achieves at all costs. Find someone you admire for their traits and principles. There’s no use in concentrating on a brutal autocrat as the ideal of successful ambition if you value intelligent and facilitative leadership. Ambition does not have to imply arrogance or ruthlessness. Don’t be turned off by the people you see who are. Find YOUR style of ambition and pursue it in your own unique manner.
Surrounding oneself with individuals that are negative.
By exhausting your energy and willpower, negativity may have a significant influence on your thoughts and behaviors, thereby squashing your desire. Join a network of like-minded individuals that share your vision, positive outlook, and determination to get out of a rut. Get rid of the doomsayers and embrace the upbeat!
You believe you can’t have it all.
Striking for superhuman abilities will never be possible or desired, but you can have it all (assuming you know what you actually want.) What are your values, goals, and dreams? There is no common standard; it is just a matter of figuring out what makes YOU happy and living up to your full potential. Because you know what your particular “all” is, you can certainly make it happen.
It is a common misconception that ambition is a selfish quality.
Many of us have grown up with negative stereotypes about ambition, such as that it is vain or selfish. If you see that these sentiments are restricting your ability, confront them. Consider their roots and put them to the test. Make a thorough investigation and discover proof to the contrary. Look for role models who don’t conform to unfavorable preconceptions. Ambition may be whatever you want it to be.