So, lately I have really been frustrated with myself. Feeling that I am full of much more potential than I am currently employing my resources to reach. I have narrowed it down to an issue of ambition. I think someone can be full of potential, however without ambition that potential is un-attainable.

This begets the question of "how does one acquire, get, harness, produce ambition?". This is a question anyone who seeks to reach their potential must ask and learn to master to a degree. What is ambition? Is it hard work, un-quiting attitude, self confidence, a dogged determination to achieve a specific goal regardless of the challenges along the way that threaten success...yes I think that is it for me...a dogged determination to achieve a specific goal regardless of the challenges along the way that threaten success. I NEED more of this in my life as of late...I do not want to be one of the majority who floats along in life content in mediocrity. I want live in a balanced way at the top of my game in the areas of my Christianity, family, work and fitness. Currently I feel that I am rating about a 3 out of 10 in most of those areas.

So the question must become, "ok, what is my goal in ______ area?" So I must then establish that goal that becomes point "B". As I look in awe upon the end result set for myself in terms of what my expectation of point "B"is, I suddenly realize I am not there, not even close...I am standing almost too firmly at a distant point "A". Almost in a place that is so distant from point "B" that I cannot see it over the horizon. The only way to reach point "B" besides living in a delusional state believing or justifying that I am really there or close to being there is to begin the journey, to begin the implementation of consistent, DOGGED ambition toward a goal. The choice is mine, I know the goal, it is time to chart the course, measure the steps and begin the trek......

So what if, as often is the case, I am thinking short term and feel perfectly satisfied in the present, thus justifying to myself that there is no need to act for the future? That is where the goals I set become the "spurs" to make me move. I am often not powerful enough in and of myself to move on my own, but those goals are powerful and sharp when considered seriously. When riding a horse, if it is stubborn, (my family has quite an equestrian background) you may have to push with the spurs or heels many times before the horse will move. However, if you are consistent in "spurring" it, eventually it will move and become an animal under your command. So if goals are the spurs to indicate an urgency to move, if I continually read and review and contemplate those goals and make them part of my purpose each day, eventually they will make me move. I will have no choice.


Well this was good therapy, anyone with input feel free to contribute, agree, disagree...or if you are reading all this and it makes no sense...well I am not sure how to explain it any clearer than:

I am a horse that needs to act like a dog when I am spurred in my side with the goals of my life that I must run over the horizon to reach the letter "B". Make sense?

Maybe what you need is the love of a good woman to support you in your ambitions.

I can recommend a good book (http://www-tech.mit.edu/Shakespeare/macbeth/) on the subject.

;)

Well, that is the truth. I have a GREAT woman and I do have her love and support which I am so glad for. She is incredibly supportive, and is more than I ever could have asked for!

Kidding aside, I think this is a very interesting proposition. If you're an ambitious person, you know the importance of education, but if you're an educated person, one of the most important lessons you can learn is how to be happy with what you have rather than always be agonizing over what you don't. You can reach an impasse, where you realize that you are free to choose what you want to do and feel no limits, but where you understand that pride often goeth before a fall, and that happiness comes from living a good life rather than from greatness of achievement.

But, then, you can further learn, past that, that you can set goals and get things done without really agonizing over it, without really saying to yourself - "You have no self-worth if you don't have this thing you want." That you don't need some sort of overpowering terror, some sword of Damocles or threat of damnation hanging over your head, to want to improve yourself or to make the world a better place. That the human spirit, even as it comes to understand its place in a larger universe, is still capable of changing this universe, albeit not in the same meteoric way we intuitively believe when we are very young or uneducated. It's a very republican way of looking at things (little "r"), very Enlightened (big "E").

(Not that this is the only way of progressing, but I think some people will find at least some sypathy with it.)

So, once you're free and have all the tools you need, where do you go? What do you do? Why do you do it? And why do you not do it when it is within your power to do it? I think if we look at practice rather than theory, we find some very complex and difficult answers to these questions.

How do you eat an elephant????...........one spoonful at a time.

This is all some great input to consider...thanks!

I have been thinking about my personality. I am the person who needs to see results right away to continue to be incented to move forward, or feel it is worth my while to continue to put in effort. So I do realize that I definitely need to take a longer term approach in my planning and thinking.

that goal that becomes point "B".
I am standing almost too firmly at a distant point "A".

If you rename "B" as "E", stopping off at "B", "C" and "D" along the way makes life a little less daunting.

Andrew.

If you rename "B" as "E", stopping off at "B", "C" and "D" along the way makes life a little less daunting.

Andrew.


Yes, that is correct...I am trying to teach myself to do that and take things a bit slower in terms of my expectations of what I want to reach and how soon...I am just a "Results now" type of person.

Ha, look at my signature!


Improving my health one DAY at a time, one POUND at a time, one MUSCLE at a time...ok maybe 2 or 3 muscles at a time!

Most processes of any value are more like a marathon than a sprint. We must maintain focus and determination, especially in the small tasks, and practice patient persistence always with the goal in mind. If you dont have a goal get one and write it down.

Guess, I need to read those more often!

Improving your body one muscle at a time will lead to a biomechanical imbalance, creating no end of postural problems and increasing your risk of pain and injury.

And so it is with life. By focusing on a single goal at the expense of all others one can easily neglect less appealing, though functionally critical aspects of development (core muscles, a balanced education, financial prudence, whatever). Instead, give yourself a range of goals and organise your activities so that each are incrementally yet simultaneously achieved. Of course this is easier said than done, but you take my point. You'll be a more rounded and happier human being as a result.

The man who thinks accomplishes little.

Sounds like you have a plan but anyway, try this....

Pick out a GOAL you really want to accomplish. Maybe even post it here. Then write down each ACTION you must take to get you to the goal. Then figure out how fast you can accomplish each action. Now you have no excuse. Set a date for each action. Do that and you will run out of goals in life quickly...this may be a good thing. Now you have to reassess your life and set new goals you never thought of before. See? Now you have exceeded your potential because you are doing things you havent thought of before.

So throw out concepts like "ambition" and "potential" from your head. They paint fuzzzy pictures. Its holding you back. You will never know what your potential is. They are emotional words and you know that your level of any emotion changes daily, even by the minute. It seems to point out everything people haven't accomplished in life. People get a negative mindset about themselves and sulk secretly in their heads about things they havent done yet in their life.

Knowledge is not power, action is.
Change yourself from a reults now person to a "minimum effort, maximum impact" kinda guy. Then you will accomplish much. Have you considered that you may be a BIG RESULTS now kinda person.

Improving your body one muscle at a time will lead to a biomechanical imbalance, creating no end of postural problems and increasing your risk of pain and injury.

And so it is with life. By focusing on a single goal at the expense of all others one can easily neglect less appealing, though functionally critical aspects of development (core muscles, a balanced education, financial prudence, whatever). Instead, give yourself a range of goals and organise your activities so that each are incrementally yet simultaneously achieved. Of course this is easier said than done, but you take my point. You'll be a more rounded and happier human being as a result.

By one muscle at a time, I do not mean working my biceps for two months before I move on to working only my abs for two months...more 1 rep at a time was the intention of the statement! :nod:

The man who thinks accomplishes little.

Sounds like you have a plan but anyway, try this....

Pick out a GOAL you really want to accomplish. Maybe even post it here. Then write down each ACTION you must take to get you to the goal. Then figure out how fast you can accomplish each action. Now you have no excuse. Set a date for each action. Do that and you will run out of goals in life quickly...this may be a good thing. Now you have to reassess your life and set new goals you never thought of before. See? Now you have exceeded your potential because you are doing things you havent thought of before.

So throw out concepts like "ambition" and "potential" from your head. They paint fuzzzy pictures. Its holding you back. You will never know what your potential is. They are emotional words and you know that your level of any emotion changes daily, even by the minute. It seems to point out everything people haven't accomplished in life. People get a negative mindset about themselves and sulk secretly in their heads about things they havent done yet in their life.

Knowledge is not power, action is.
Change yourself from a reults now person to a "minimum effort, maximum impact" kinda guy. Then you will accomplish much. Have you considered that you may be a BIG RESULTS now kinda person.


Wow, that was a good point to consider...I am going to contemplate that a bit...not for too long...ya know what you said about thinkers...that is good input thank you!