Each of us has ambition.
Ambition may entail a healthy balance of hunger and humility, perseverance and perspective.
For some of us, however, ambition may have soured.
How do we differentiate between helpful and harmful ambition?
How can we detect ambition addiction?
Here, 10 signs and symptoms of being too ambitious:
1.
Grandiose dreams of all-encompassing glory.
Ambition addicts harbor detailed fantasies of the wondrous, happy endings toward which we strive.
In these imagined happy endings, we picture ourselves enjoying life free from heartache and fear.
Contempt for the present and reverence for the future.
Present reality can never measure up to the fantastical future depicted in our dreams.
We ambition addicts view the present moment as a waiting room to endure.
We’re frequently looking down the pike, fixing our eyes on what’s to come.
Single-minded focus on goals.
In a choice between easy-does-it or fast-and-furious, those with lots of ambition will always choose fast-and-furious.
We’re forever in a rush, impatient with others, and always very,verybusy.
Ambition addicts yearn to free ourselves from insecurity and vulnerability.
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Those with too much ambition seem to tackle each day with seriousness and severity.
This leaves little room for celebrating our successes and makes us havedifficulty living in the moment.
Ambition addicts boldly assert their agendas and expect others to kowtow.
Distaste for stasis and equilibrium.
A negative side effect of ambition hunger for forward movement and momentum.
We avoid people, places, and situations that appear too staid and sedate.
Difficulty relaxing and enjoying simple pleasures.
Those with too much ambition have a hard time relaxing.
Unscheduled time fills us with dread.
We find it challenging to enjoy simple pleasures.
If we must unwind, we prefer to do so through competitive activities or quantifiable hobbies.
Categorical and calculating opinions of others.
We prioritize interactions with these individuals over interactions with those we deem peripheral to our progress.
Identify opportunities throughout your day to decelerate.
Take a few deep breaths in between emails, calls, and appointments.
With a more measured tempo, we can still tackle our to-do lists.
We just do so with room to breathe.
Step 2: Enjoy.
Dive into simple pleasures.
Treat yourself to an ice cream cone.
Take a stroll outside.
Allow your mind to relax and your body to unwind.
This rejuvenates and renews and may even improve your productivity when you return to more ambitious endeavors.
Step 3: Give thanks.
Spend time reflecting each day on the gifts you currently enjoy.
Step 4: Donate time.
Identify individuals who would appreciate your love and attention, and donate time to these individuals.
Prove to your family, friends, and yourself that these relationships matter.
Step 5: Dream anew.
We ambition addicts dream all-or-nothing dreams.
Consider your personal and professional goals and, perhaps ever so slightly, scale them down.
The bottom line:
With great aspiration comes great responsibility.
If we allow the fire of ambition to blaze beyond control, we risk hurting others.
We risk harming ourselves.
We continue to reach for the stars, but we do so with solid ground beneath our feet.
