Ambitious People are self-starters who don't float in an ivory tower of theory. Their ambition fills the gap between what they know and what they do. They aren't bothered by societal conventions or clinging to the status quo. Ambitious people make decisions that are not difficult or time-consuming, such as which way to turn in the morning. Instead, they save their willpower for more rewarding activities.
Although ambitious people may be considered to be unreliable, they are not wrong. Ambition is often misconstrued as a desire for power, which it is not. Ambition is fueled by the desire to succeed and to achieve status and recognition, and has nothing to do with power. People who are unambitious are afraid of what ambition will do to them. Ambitious people understand that there is no shortcut to success, but they do not ignore their drive to achieve it.
The word ambition has many technical definitions, and it can have both positive and negative connotations. Ambitious people are generally thought of as goal-oriented individuals who have the energy and motivation to achieve their goals. Ambitious people tend to be self-aware and never complacent, and they often pursue their goals despite not being satisfied with their current situation. Ambitious people also tend to be aggressive, acquisitive, and cynical. However, in most cases, ambitious people strive to achieve a certain level of status and prestige.
While social scientists often refer to ambition as a virtue, they rarely attempt to understand the nature of the trait. One such study by social scientist Bob Miller examined 700 individuals across seven decades and found a strong correlation between high ambition and success. But, while this isn't a proof that ambition is the root cause of happiness, it does show that ambitious people are more likely to achieve their goals than those who lack it. This suggests that ambition can lead to more social status, higher income, and increased longevity.
There is a strong relationship between aspiration and ambition. People who are highly extraverted are more likely to have high levels of ambition. Their tendency to pursue broad goals and have higher self-esteem. Their extraversion levels are linked to their confidence in occupational performance. Ambition can also be influenced by their parents' genes. In addition to their genetic makeup, being neurotic does not seem to have a direct effect on ambition.
In a modern Western society, ambition is viewed as a valuable trait, as it reflects a better vision of the future, a high self-esteem, and higher levels of abstraction. However, ambition is not without its drawbacks, as it can lead to a trilemma - a situation wherein people are faced with difficult choices. The best way to avoid a trilemma is to develop realistic goals.
Modern societies should not give everyone the same opportunities. Rather, ambition must be encouraged by a culture that provides opportunity for physical gratification and a sense of danger. This allows a person to develop greater ambition and gives them a field to act upon. There are many moralists who complain constantly about the current state of affairs and say that our society has become a paradise of equality, but we need to remember that no one is perfect.