What is the origin and power of true ambition? There exists really only one place to find it, and that is within you—in every thought, movement and motivation. Your ambition is an expression of who you truly are—your own self-expression.
Ambition says, “I know who I am and I know where I want to go. I’m accumulating knowledge, experiences, feelings and philosophies that will help prepare me for opportunities that I know will show up without notice or any help on my part.” Because you know where you want to go, you have likely already been working on the parts of your personality that will make you better. Working on your attitude, working on your health, working on your time management skills. Putting it all down on paper.
Ambitious people seek to improve themselves, plan how to achieve their goals and put in the time and effort required to do so. A healthy sense of ambition may encourage you to learn from others and from your own failures; to take obstacles as a lesson rather than a setback, and to take action to overcome those obstacles. And those with a healthy sense of ambition may constantly see themselves in the place they want to be, going in the direction they want to go.
Ambition has the power to give you direction
“Direction determines destination,” says Andy Stanley, founder of North Point Ministries. So here is a question you must ask yourself: “Are all the disciplines that I’m currently engaged in taking me where I want to go?” What an important question to ask yourself at the beginning of the month, the beginning of the week, the beginning of the day. Don’t kid yourself, fingers crossed, hoping you will arrive at a good destination when you’re not headed that way. You have to ask yourself often, “Am I? Am I developing the disciplines that are taking me in the direction I want to go?” Don’t neglect to ask these important questions, questions that help determine your direction, the set of your sail, your destination:
- “Is this the direction I want for my life?”
- “Is this someone else’s direction?”
- “Is this a goal I have been ingrained with since my childhood?”
- “Is this goal my parents’, my spouse’s, my boss’, my children’s—or is it mine?”
Ask yourself these questions, then debate them. After you have answered these questions, take it one step further and ask, “What am I doing that is working or not working?” Debate it all. Work with your mind to figure out the best possible direction for you—your self-direction. And then ambitiously pursue your own self-direction. Let the power of your own ambition take you where you want to go, do what you want to do, create the life you want to live. Visualize your goals, then chase after them unrelentingly. The direction of your life is yours to choose, so long as you take the reins rather than let someone else steer for you—or, even worse, follow the wrong path while convincing yourself it’s the right one.
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This article was updated August 2023. Photo by GaudiLab/Shutterstock
This article originally appeared on JimRohn.com and has been republished with permission.