Ambition is a quality that, from what I've experienced, has always been seen as something that's both good and bad. In one of my favorite works of literature, Macbeth, ambition is portrayed negatively; Lady Macbeth was overly ambitious and wanted to gain more power, which she obtained by having her husband kill the king of Scotland, but she ended up being overcome by guilt and is constantly making hand-washing motions as she sleepwalks, as if attempting to wash away the actions that she knows she was responsible for.
However, I've always considered ambition to be mostly a positive quality. I remember taking an online quiz (that was probably something like "What [insert food/drink item here] are you?") and it told me "At your best, you're ambitious," and I thought about how true that is. When I really want something, I'll work hard and do whatever I can in order to get it or make it happen. For example, in junior year I really wanted to do well in AP biology, because I had an amazing teacher who really inspired me and made the class interesting. I worked really hard in that class; I spent a lot of time doing the homework and studying, and it paid off because not only did I get a 5 on the AP test (making me the first one in my entire school to get a 5) but I got the award in the class as well. I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging or think I'm some sort of amazing genius; I'm not. The point is that I didn't get to where I did through being smart, but because of hard work and effort. When I'm ambitious and I'm working hard and I'm motivated about something, not only do I usually end up gaining something from it, but it makes me feel happy because I know that all the work I put into whatever I did paid off.
I know, however, that ambition can have negative consequences if taken to extremes. When people are so wrapped up in achieving their goals that they end up hurting other people along the way, then that's taking ambition a bit too far. I mean, not that anyone should completely sacrifice their goals just so they won't make anyone feel bad...but if they're deliberately doing something negative just for their own positive benefit, then in my opinion, that kind of cancels out any rewards or positive feelings that come with achieving something that you've worked hard for.
I guess ambition is both a strength and a weakness...depending on the situation and the person, it can be either. Although I know many times I can be lazy and unmotivated to do things, I know that when I am ambitious, it usually ends up yielding positive results. (I almost wrote "yielding products," like in chemistry. SO glad that class is over, haha.)
4 comments:
Macbeth= Awesome
AP Bio= More Awesome
Being done with Chem= Most awesome
When one's ambition becomes vicious, it becomes damaging. At least to those who still have souls.
What is the point of having ambition when we end up having no one to share it with when all is said and done? What is the point if there is no one but yourself that approves of your actions? Ambition then becomes fruitless, which is the opposite intention.
We find ambition in passion to do things, and I highly doubt Chemistry was your passion. So you aren't lazy you are just not passionate about that subject. Same way I am not passionate about physics =]
Interesting musings on the world's most revered and hated quality.
The worst is when you try your best & you're still rather unsuccessful.
I loved the Macbeth connection. It made me think of the day Mr. A taught the class about haggus and how everyone was productive because Ms. Pong wasn't there haha. If literature has taught us anything it's that being overly ambitious can lead to your downfall, like Macbeth. However he was overly ambitioous for the wrong reasons so he failed. You, on the other hand, were ambitious for your a.p bio class and look what happend; you passed. That's why I agree when you said ambition is both a good and bad quality. I don't think ambition is fruitless then because when taken in the right amount it pushes us foward to get things done. A prime example I can use to illustrate my point is us going to college. Where would we all be if we didn't give a shit about school? We pushed ourselves and now we're lucky enough to have been excepted somewhere.
Being lazy with chemistry is normal. I know you hate it (but really who doesn't?) and it's school work so we all slack off now and then; but when I think about it you were being ambitious in your efforts to pass the class by doing your work and studying just like you did for a.p bio.
The adverse effects of ambition depends on the situation. Generally speaking, if you're too fixated on that one goal, constantly obsessing over it, that can't be healthy.
It's really too bad with Lady Macbeth... she became a woman plagued by obsessive-compulsive disorder. The obsession (or constant thought) is the failure to achieve the goal of her ambition. Therefore, she has the internal compulsion to rinse herself of these thoughts via rituals (like washing her hands, as though the failure is a dirty thing). I don't think it's guilt. She's too much of a cold and calculating woman. It's the failure that haunts her.
Sorry. I couldn't resist analyzing it from a psychological perspective, hehe. But anywhooo...
As long as that amibition is driven by positivity and not malign motives, then the fruits of your labor will surely taste sweet. ;)
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