Ambition: Positive Or Negative Quality

The dictionary definition of ambition is a noun- an ardent desire for rank, fame, or power; the desire to achieve a particular end. It is inclining to achieve greatness, and usually includes doing things that weren't previously expected of you. Sometimes, it means reaching past your own limits, resulting in either success or failure. Ambition has the potential to be great, but it is known to be a dangerous characteristic if the person who possesses it doesn’t have the ability to control their intent. Ambition itself isn’t a negative trait to have. How an individual goes about fulfilling their ambition determines whether or not it is positive for that person having the desire to reach great accomplishments is admirable. But ambition can quickly become a destructive force when one allows themselves to be consumed by it. Ambitious people tend to have certain goals in mind and as a result, may get ahead of themselves or attempt to take on more than they can handle. This can be very dangerous in certain circumstances. A negative effect of ambition is that those who have it tend to not be grateful and are plagued with a sense of dissatisfaction. Ambitious people hold a perpetual level of discontentment with the results of their efforts and often are unable to have and sense of appreciation for what they achieve, regardless of how successful. Ambition can push you to attempt things you never thought you’d venture to try. To be ambitious means you must be willing to go to great lengths to attain your goals; you must be hard-working, determined, and unable to be derailed in the face of doubt and skepticism. Ambitious people aspire to gain power, wealth, glory, and recognition. Because of this extreme motivation, they are usually willing to take several risks to reach these objectives. Someone who is too ambitious may not see hurting others as an issue if it brings them closer to their goal.

An overreacher is a term that is used by Mary Shelley in the novel Frankenstein. I believe that it was developed to describe someone who overreaches or tries to do more than their ability, authority, or money will allow. This type of person is someone who wishes to go beyond their limits and challenge the power they have been granted. It contains an element of disregard for jurisdiction and also doesn’t incorporate the sense of risk that being (overly) ambitious has. This is negative, as risk-taking can allow for the acquirement of new perspectives and experiences. Lastly, being an overachiever means having the motivation to do better, perform better, and achieve more than is expected through excessive effort. Out of these three descriptors, I would consider myself to be ambitious, but not so much so that I would be willing to cause others harm.

All in all, ambition is a positive quality and can be used to accomplish great things. On the other hand, extreme ambition may end up doing more harm than good and can cause you to make rash decisions with unintended consequences. Despite this, some amount of ambition is good for motivation. Without any ambition, one wouldn't be able to set or achieve any goals. As established above, an excess of ambition can also be dangerous, but as long as you keep it well under your control, you can tap into your ambition to fuel your accomplishments. Ambition is a great thing, as long as you never let it get the best of you.