What is Ambition?

"Ambition is the generator that powers motivation and instigates the will to succeed"
-Audrey Marlene

Ambition is a burning desire to achieve something. Whether it is to lose weight, gain financial freedom, earn a job promotion, or get a better education. You can have ambitions not only for yourself but for the people you love, for your children, your family. Your ambition for them drives you to assist them to excel.

When you are ambitious, you have a vision. You envision your life in a certain way. You dream of your future and hope to aspire to your ambitions. You sense the urgency to take action. You feel a void inside that instigates you to elevate yourself to a higher level of existence.

Your ambitions won't allow you to become complacent or settle for less. Even when adversities arise, the ambitious person will eventually rekindle that ambitious flame. You yearn to climb the ladder of success and achieve the vision you have for yourself. When you are ambitious, you are constantly in search of opportunities to take you to that next level. You feel a restlessness to investigate, inquire. Your thirst for learning and knowledge intensifies.

Is Ambition Inherited or a Learned Behavior?

There has been tremendous research about the nature versus nurture issue of personality traits. There are studies that support the strong genetic influence on personality traits such as ambition. However, environment can play a significant role in one's level of ambitiousness as well. In my humble opinion, I believe one's degree of ambition is a combination of both genetics and environment.

There may be situations where one inherits their fair share of the ambitious gene (if there is such a gene) but circumstances can arise in their lives that can suppress their ambitions. Or there may be someone that didn't inherit that ambitious gene but because they was raised in or exposed to a goal-oriented environment, their level of ambition was allowed to flourish.

If you happen to inherit your parents' level of ambition be thankful and enhance it to the best of your ability. For those who can feel that ambitious spark burning within but someone or something stifles it, find out how you can remove yourself from those kinds of situations. If you recognize that it is indeed your level of ambition that needs to be addressed, find ways to improve it. Remember, your success in life is first determined by how ambitious you are.

Factors Influencing Ambition

Here are some factors you need to be aware of that can negatively influence your level of ambition:

Stress-Stress comes in many different forms. Physical or psychological stress can paralyze you robbing you of your ambitions. If you think stress is stifling your ambitions, find ways to learn how to cope with stress.

Illness-Illness in any form physical or
Emotional Trauma-Emotional trauma psychologically affects the human spirit. It inhibits the ability to recognize any talent or ambitions you may have. This is an area you must attend to if you seek to rise to your level of ambition. Click
Friends and Associations-Without realizing it, the company you keep can greatly influence your ambitions. Think about it. If you hang around unmotivated, lackadaisical people, after a while you begin to adapt to their behaviors. If you associate with motivated, goal seeking individuals, your ambitions are more likely to awaken. Do an analysis of the company you keep. Are their behaviors rubbing off on you, good or bad?

Drugs and Alcohol-It's no secret what drugs and alcohol can do to your life. Even though you have been bestowed with a great, genetic, ambitious character, drugs and alcohol can undermine it. You must learn to discard these behaviors that can diminish your level of ambition. If you feel drugs and alcohol are stifling you ambitions, get the help you need immediately.

Guidance-A lack of or the wrong guidance can interfere with your ambitions. If you follow the wrong advice you may fail at the task you undertake. This can demotivate you, minimizing your confidence and your level of ambition. Learn to do the research for yourself. There is so much information available to you nowadays. Always get an objective second opinion before pursuing anything.

How to Improve Ambition

A Life Coach-A life coach can help you organize your life and clear all the cobwebs so you can begin to peel away the layers that bury you ambition. Remember your success begins with the level of ambition you possess.

Your Associations-Analyze the people you associate with. If these people are not helping to elevate you to a higher level of ambition, think about finding new people to associate with. Start hanging around people who are optimistic about their future, who are goal oriented and make a positive contribution to your life. Avoid people who inject negative poisons into your psyche.

Read Books-Read inspirational books of triumph, about the indomitable human spirit you carry within you. Also, read books and material about people who have achieved success. Allow this information to awaken your ambitions.

Attend Seminars-Attend seminars on motivation. These seminars have the tendency to rekindle the sparks of ambition that reside within you. At these seminars and workshops you also have opportunities to meet ambitious people and experience the synergy that surrounds them.

Selectively Share your Ambitions-There may be times in your life when your ambitions begin to awaken and you feel motivated to do something with your life. When you feel your ambitions moving you, be selective with whom to share these ideas to. Share them with people who will support you or give you the constructive feedback you need to follow through with your ambitious plans.

For example, uncle Ted a real pessimist hears of your plans and immediately begins to pour cold water on your ambitious spirit. He has never really aspired to any greatness in his life but he always seems to have so much to add to your creative ideas. In addition, your coworkers who are already jealous of you for whatever reason, may want to sabotage you by minimizing any creative ideas your ambitions have instigated you to generate.

Ambition drives motivation, determination, and all the ingredients to achieve success in your life. Take this opportunity to analyze your level of ambition. If you truly want to achieve success in your life, you must realize that it is your ambition that creates the yearning. Your level of ambition prevents you from settling for mediocrity. Your level of ambition will determine who you or your children will become.

What is your level of ambition? How do you perceive your ambition? Define your ambition. What do you aspire to for you and your children? Begin today to examine your level of ambition.