“Ambition as a desire is a fuel for progress and accomplishments. It can however be ones downfall.”
All progress as espoused by George Bernard Shaw is attributed to the unreasonable for as the reasonable man adapts himself/herself to the world, he/she persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. In so doing, he uncovers new paths, machinations and ultimately when he succeeds there’s a new reality to be benchmarked on by the reasonable men. In reading, I’ve tried to comprehend the ways of the world and the reasons as to why some people conform to the normalcy of life treading safely towards there graves while others dare to make life an adventure. In the last week, we were entertained by Richard Branson’s, Virgin Galactic trip to space with much anticipation to the upcoming trip by Jeff Bezos. Looking at the two men, one would consider them reckless and this is what we are accustomed to as a society. Playing safe. On the other hand, these are individuals realizing their potentials, rolling out new possibilities for humanity. I’ve never been a space enthusiast but witnessing these feats, I’m challenged and excited to see what comes in the future.
Today as I was closing out on the day I kept asking myself what drives individuals to take up challenges especially the most audacious in life. In retrospect, I’m getting convinced that it’s ambition and desire to accomplish great feats in life. If this is the case, does it then mean that other people lack ambition? On the first lane, we have also witnessed individuals who’ve risked their lives or even lost them in pursuit of their adventure seeking ambitious experiences. These would be considered inherent risks or alternatively, they can be considered to have been overambitious in some circles. This brings it down to an art of balance. How then can one maintain balance between ambition and lack thereof? How do you achieve your aspirations without risking failure or even burnout at the least? It’s an act of balance and this is one thing I’m keen to explore in the coming weeks. “How to manage ambition not to be ones’ downfall.”
On 3rd July I made a trip to Kajiado, Tumaini Gardens to meet a mentor who shared insights and in conclusion, his key advice and caution was for us to manage our ambitions. “Don’t be without ambition for without ambition, life loses its flavor. At the same time, remember that ambition can be the source of your downfall. It’s a balancing act.”