Ambition - positive and negative force

Recently, I was recollecting the two rather interesting chats I had with two different persons sometime back. The common denominator was both were uber ambitious; but with different approach and attitude to success and happiness in life.

One was saying, “This month I bagged bonus money along with my usual pay package at workplace. Now, I am totally perplexed, pondering over plenty of things I have been planning to procure since a pretty long time. I have been aspiring to buy an exquisite two-wheeler, something more eye-catching than any other on road. A colleague of mine often keeps flashing her snazzy smart phone. I wish to buy more high-end than hers, never mind even if it costs a bomb.

And then, there is niece’s wedding slated next month. For which I ought to buy some exotic jewellery, which would elicit extravagant attention in that mega gathering. I sincerely hope I grab that lucrative work assignment abroad that would bestow me with more splurging power. For that I am persistently plugging away at one particular office project by practically putting my health at stake.

Now, the second person was saying, “I often visited the fashion outlet, owned by my aunt. It was sheer delight to watch her dexterous hands, adept at awesome dress-designing. Even more captivating was the way she charmed her clientele crowd with her chirpy chats and chic creations. Being fully inspired by her, with fire-in-belly ambition, I too wanted to have a shot at this business.

I knew this dress-designing was dormant in me, but I was diffident about dealing with different folks with different tastes. Slowly, mustering my spunk and marshalling my wits, I kick-started my business with this smouldering ambition. Without jeopardising my health or my family’s well-being, in my spare time, I assiduously toiled at my work, hatching up my own marketing strategies. Today, I have made my fashion business a smashing hit.”

Now, if we juxtapose the two aforesaid cases, in the first case, the ambition is more of ruthless arriviste kind, somewhat analogous with avarice. Here, the factors, success and money, turn into severe obsession, making people forfeit even peace and harmony at home. In the second case, the ambition is more of a potent positive force, proffering plenty of fillips, to propel oneself ahead in life. Here, it isn’t the unhealthy competition, but it is the impetus-providing inspiration.

Apparently, ambition is somewhat like a burning fire, which can be adopted constructively or destructively. Constructively speaking, it’s essential. Just like the way fire is needed to whip out good food, we need ambition to pep up our life, which otherwise may be pedestrian and pretty jejune. And destructively, ambition can be like a raging inferno, which can destroy even sky-scrapers, just like the way it can extinguish one’s health and happiness, if left unchecked.