Exploring Ambition: A Personal Journey and Its Impact on Success

When people ask if I am ambitious, it often triggers a series of thoughts about work, expectations, and personal growth. Many times in the past, the question was accompanied by an attempt to sell something, whether it be a product, a service, or even a position within a company. However, my response has evolved, and today, I share my thoughts without selling anything.

Ambition vs. Sales

The term 'ambitious' can be a bit misleading when it's used in the context of sales. Often, people who ask this question expect you to adhere to certain expectations or believe that you are in a position to sell their products or services. My response to this line of inquiry is decidedly no, I am not ambitious to sell anything. Yet, the curiosity remains: what are others trying to sell?

Impatience and Distraction

When I was younger, my impatience often caused me distress as I chased after immediate results. I had a keen sense of wanting to see tangible progress and would get easily distracted if I felt my focus was waning. However, through time and experience, I've learned to embrace the process of discovery, learning, and solving complex problems. While this impatience might still make me irritable at times, I no longer let it distress me significantly.

One of the reasons for my distraction is the discomfort I feel around expectations and obligations. Despite this, I do not shirk these responsibilities. Instead, I prefer the excitement and curiosity that come from the next adventure or the next step toward a solution. Working at Apple, I enjoy a relative freedom from external pressures, allowing me to work ahead of schedule and implement my ideas with zero sense of urgency.

Striking a Balance

Not everyone shares the same priorities as I do. Some may be more driven by expectations and obligations, while others may be content with a more laid-back approach. My advice is simple: be true to yourself. If you find yourself slightly off course, it's okay to truncate other priorities to stay aligned with your goals.

Lessons from the Corporate Ladder

My journey towards understanding ambition had its highs and lows. In the beginning, I was driven by a desire to climb the corporate ladder as quickly as possible. This led to a period of intense activity, traveling to different parts of the world, and taking on a wide range of opportunities. However, it took me to a place of exhaustion, frustration, and dissatisfaction.

Realizing that true success is not about how ambitious you are but about focusing on personal growth and improvement within your chosen field shaped my perspective. It's in this space of focused development where genuine success tends to find you, rather than in the pursuit of success itself.

Therefore, if you are feeling ambitious, consider channeling that energy into improving yourself in your chosen field. Success will follow as a natural byproduct of your dedication and personal growth, rather than as a mere chase.