My ambition literally keeps me up at night! Sometimes, it eats me alive. However, I think that overall it's a good thing. To date, it's led me to get many feathers in my cap. But, I need to learn how to better temper it. I want to better know how to still be ambitious, but also be present and grateful for what I currently have. For instance, I want to be happy where I am, rather than just constantly looking for the next thing. I guess I need to be more patient and grateful!
I think I was predominately born this way. My parents nurtured it, but more often they encouraged me to not go too hard on myself. That was something I was never good at and am only now getting better at. In high school, one year I took seven AP courses. Ultimately, I was so determined, I convinced my parents to let me do what I wanted. Generally, once I'm fully committed to something, no one or no thing gets in my way!
Perhaps my current levels of ambition may be too much, bordering on the level of unhealthy. Gender is also a strong factor in this. Society expects, but makes it difficult for women to simultaneously fulfill many roles. It also puts many barriers in our way. For example, if women want to advance in male dominated spaces, we must conform to traditional, masculine leadership styles. But at the same time, we are expected to be feminine. It's complicated!
Meditation and mindfulness is all the buzz. I'm sure I could do more of this, but that's still not a silver bullet. One must develop a plethora of intersecting, regular healthy habits to tame the wild beast of one's ambition. I'm working on it! Regular exercise definitiely helps! I try to get enough water and eat healthy.
So overall, how is ambition constructive or destructive for you? How have you effectively managed it? How do gender or other socioeconomic factors impact this for you?
Cheers to going after your dreams in productive ways!
