I’m not quite sure what triggered my train of thought, but I started pondering over the subject of ambition over the Christmas break. I began to wonder why some people are more ambitious than others. You only have to look around you and there seems to be a huge gulf between the levels of drive in different people. Some just seem to be ‘on a mission’, while others are quite happy to coast through life with no particular aspirations towards the future.
I started to look on the Internet to find out more about where ambition comes from and discovered an interesting article on Time.com. This suggested that some experts believe it to be a genetic factor, while others think that it has more to do with upbringing and influence. The thing that I found most fascinating, however, was the view of Dean Simonton, a psychologist from the University of California. He believes that it is possible for those who have previously lacked ambition to ‘jump-start their drive’. What is crucial to this, however, is finding the right thing to feel ambitious about. He states that although energy levels may be genetic, and although they may have a part to play in how ambitious a person is, what people actually need to drive them forward in terms of ambition is the right ‘jolt’.
Of course, the whole issue of ambition is a complex one which can depend on gender, where you live in the world and a great many other factors, but Mr Simonton’s comment just seemed to strike a chord in terms of careers. Sometimes those who just don’t feel as though there is much point in striving for anything better can look at those who are utterly driven with feelings of envy. ‘Why can’t I be like that?’ they want to know. Maybe though, it’s not just down to different personalities and genetics, but simply the fact that these people have found something worth aspiring to. Indeed, I have known people who appeared to be remarkably unambitious throughout their lives, until they found that one thing that set them alight. From there, there was no holding them back. If you have never considered yourself to be one of the ‘movers and shakers’ in life, therefore, perhaps it’s worth considering that you just haven’t found your right niche yet.
Leave a Reply