Ambitionisthedecisiononemakesandtheresolutionwithwhichhecarriesoutthatdecision.Itprovidesuswiththerequireddrivingforcetoaccomplishanyundertakingsinourlife.JustasJosephEpstein,afamousAmericanwriterputit,“Andaswedecideandchoose,soareourlivesformed.”Indeed,oncewemakeupourmindstochoosetodosomething,thenourlifebecomesmeaningfulandspecificallyorientated.Thisnotionoflife,asfarasIobserve,isclosesttotruthanddoesapplytoalmostallaspectsoflife.
Firstthingsfirst,ambitionrendersusasenseofmission.Nomatterwhatdecisionyoumakeyouhavetoberesponsibleforyourchoice.Yourchoiceprocuresyouasenseoforientation,ormorespeciallyasenseofmission.Andonlyastrongmissionmayenableonetoaccomplishgreatness.CaesaroftheancientRomanEmpirewasurgedbyhisambition“Icame,Isaw,Iconquered.”AndbecameanunrivaledempirebuilderinthehistoryofRome.JohnMilton,stimulatedalwaysbyhisambitionthataimedatwritingsome“mightylines”whichEnglandwouldunwillinglyforget,hadinduetimesecuredhispositionasthesecondShakespeareinthehistoryofEnglishliterature.
Inthesecondplace,ambitioncanbringone’spotentialstothefull.Ambitionmaywellserveasacatalystactivatingone’sdormantpotentials.Withoutambitionone’spotentialswillremainslumberinglikeadormantvolcano.AcaseinpointisMsZhangHaidi,aChineseHelenKeller.ItwasherambitiontobeausefulpersonhasturnedthealmostparalyzedZhangHaidiintoawell-accomplishedfigurewhoseachievementswoulddwarfthoseofsomenormalpeopleaimatthesun,though,atworst,theymayprobablylandonthemoon.
Influentialasitisuponus,however,ambitionmustbechanneledintherightdirection.Ifwronglydirected,one’sambitionmaybringhavoconhimandothers.Hitler,whoseambitionwastoconquerEuropebywhateverevilmeans,finallyturnedhimintoademon.ItwasthisdemonthatalmostcastEuropeintoanunfathomableabyssofanguishandsuffering.AnothercaseisMacbethwhoseambitionwastobecomethekingofScotland.However,hisambitionwasmaterializedbythemurderofKingDuncan.Consequently,unbearableguiltandpsychologicalagonydrovehimtohistragicdoom.
Tosumup,ambitioncanbenefitustremendouslyifwiselyandcorrectlychanneled,otherwiseitmayruinothersandourselves.Apoetsays:lifecanbebad;lifecanbegood;lifecanbedirty;lifecanbesad,;lifecanevenbepainful.Inmymind’seye,apersoncanmakehislifebeautiful,meaningfulandrewardingandstandoutasarespectablepersonageifheismotivatedbyawell-orientatedambition.