Tuesday, June 05, 2012
Ambition is a strong desire for success of distinction. If may be good or bad. It urges one to great and noble things, it is a valuable asset. But if it is directed to selfish and mean ends, it is usually fraught with great mischief. Misdirected ambition is capable of doing infinite harm. There are of course, men who seek for themselves, wealth, fame or honour in a selfish spirit, but we cannot condemn them, unless they go to extremes. To gain wealth or power is a natural desire, since everyone cannot be expected to adopt renunciation as his idea. But the unselfish ambition of few great men is the salt that livens society. For example, one whose ambition is to secure of the countrymen is honored and loved for more than one whose only ambition is to enrich himself.
Ambition lends impetus to work. The motive behind work becomes very powerful, when it proceeds from ambition. Ambition is, roughly, an index of power; and when the ambitious man possesses strength of will, intelligence and capacity for work, he is sure to succeed in life. But to a habitual drone who has neither the will nor energy to works wonders for those who plunge into life’s struggle with a will, who feel a great enthusiasm for their desired object, and who have to energy to win through at all costs.
Progress and prosperity are but the results of the life long endeavors of ambitious men. They do good, not only to themselves, but also to their fellow-beings. Great scientific discoveries, no less than success in business or other spheres of life.
Ambition may sink into the day-dreams of men who build castles in the air. Able men generally wish for things that cannot be realized; their so-called ambition is as empty craving. If he ambition is for a thing that is beyond human endeavor, it is nothing but idle speculation that degrades rather than elevates. We must be careful to weed out ill desires from the mind. At the same time we should also see that our ambition does not lead us to degeneration. To have an ambition for a base thing is high. We should never none at all. Our aim should always be high. We should never stoop to meanness for attaining our objects. It is only noble ambition that can elevate individuals or societies; and is alone capable of bringing peace and prosperity.
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