It’s a word that comes with a host of negative associations: being branded as ambitious is often used as a shorthand term for greed and selfishness and a determination to win at all costs. That’s a real shame because, in reality, ambition is simply the desire to make the most of your potential and achieve something amazing. There is nothing inherently selfish about it – indeed, without ambition in our society we would have no progress, no inventions, no innovation, and no change for the better. Ambition drives us on to do better and greater things, whether that’s for ourselves, our families, or even for the world.
True ambition is not about achieving material things: they can be a by-product of success, but the idea of simply striving for a bigger house, a fatter bank account or a faster car can actually feel rather meaningless and empty. Instead, ambition is about striving for that sense of real personal fulfilment, for that incredible feeling when you achieve something brilliant and can look back and say, ‘I did that.’ That might mean creating something unique; reaching the top of your field; starting a business; becoming an expert in a particular area; making a positive difference to the world. It is basically the difference between taking control of what you want your life to be, or simply letting random circumstance determine where you end up. And, the best news of all, is that we’re capable of far more than we think. Many of the successful people I interviewed for my book were astounded at what they had achieved.