Amortized Ambition

Point 01: Root of all ambition

It may be a little early in the life of this blog to stray too far from its stated theme and goal, but I was recently inspired and would like to pay small homage to those that have influenced me thus.

I often find myself amazed when discovering the hidden talents and passions of those around me. Whether it be a penchant for homemade Italian cuisine, musical prowess, or general adroitness when it comes to dealing with people, I find myself wondering what drives us to attain these extracurricular proficiencies.

Those that have heard me say it know that I am consciously and conscientiously expending effort towards constant self-improvement. This half-joke-half-truth speaks to my very nature, and if I may be so bold, the nature of all those who strive towards a similar state-of-being. There is some innate ambition, instilled at various stages of development, that pushes us to constantly improve. It may aptly be described as a Darwinian force that drives us to fulfill our genetic potential, lest we fail to survive in our modern jungle. To be sure, I am not naive enough to think that such an edict is universal. Unfortunately, many are perfectly content leading a wholly stagnant existence. These people are denying their very nature; they deny their own mind and therefore deny their own life. The sub-current forces that put us on a path towards the pursuit of noble endeavors, at the end of which lies the pinnacle of human evolution, are suppressed by those with a lackadaisical and lethargic disposition.

It begins at a young age. We grow up wanting to be an astronaut, firefighter, marine biologist, or gynecologist to the stars. If you're lucky, those around you and in charge of your care will nurture these nascent ambitions. Through added years and understanding we mold these to better fit our more developed and mature mind; to make them fit within the framework of our surroundings and our own abilities. A few will turn supernova and completely defy convention by superseding the expectations of others, but more importantly, their own. These are the ones who claw and climb their way out of darkened obscurity and malaise, and into the morning light of success, recognition, and epistemological well-being.

It is a frail thing this ambition. At any point it can be derailed, destroyed, decried, and discarded. If you find yourself wanting to better yourself in any fashion, no matter how insignificant it may seem initially, it is truly something to treasure and protect and pursue. They are a lucky and chosen few that experience this urge and choose to act and to progress and to evolve.

"Ambition is like love, impatient both of delays and rivals."
- Buddha

P.S. For those that use Outlook as part of their daily office grind, I cannot recommend Xobni highly enough. Their product was in private beta for a while, is now in public beta (free as in beer), and available for download.

UPDATE: Possible first step towards self-improvement, read any one of these: 100 Must-Read Books: The Essential Man's Library.