Monday, September 15, 2008

My Ambition

The expression ‘Ambition’ is rather vague but, in a nutshell, ambition comprises of what he/she likes to do, and to achieve what he/she wishes to. It is quite a truth that, ambition must be within all of us, to keep us steering ahead, in out journey of life. However, this same ambition which is, on the one hand a guiding force, becomes on the other, a road to doom also. This is because, sometimes, our ambitions take to such an unknown heights and fly across unknown areas and domains and then boomerang on us. This happens because in our ambition at times, we also lose track of realities, capacities, and having no sensitivity to them, fly beyond all precincts of reason. We seem to be desiring or having ambitions equivalent to reaching or handling the moon, and when we do this we get dumped against disappointment and frustration.
In order to steer us ahead, ambition should also be backed with some right reasoning and a sense of practicality, for example, if any human starts having an ambition that, he should live in the happy realms of human beings and, at the ambition is much too broad based and too demanding, and so, is bound to crash with a loud thud. Let us be more practical when we set our ambitions and goals, then we will see more of success and les of disappointment.
It is this very overplaying of ambition in this modern era which is leading to traumatic ends of people. Let us see how petty and foolish we can be most of the times, when we desire foe things. Take the simple case of a modern housewife. She visits her industrialist friend, and sees plush carpets and grand décor in her house. This sets her thinking as to why she should not aspire to have all this. She desires to have a rich décor, when the family income cannot even buy her a good sofa set. If she sets the industrialists’ house as her goal and ambition she is bound to face frustration, as, she should know that, she will never be able to afford that standard of living and style.
Next very common scene for setting ambition is when parents see other children scoring good marks, and their own ward not doing as well, they set the high ideals, goals and ambitions for their ward and themselves. In this it seems that, little do the parents realize that all children, or, I’d rather say that all humans have their own optimum. I.Q, and so each individual has a limit to his/her achievements. When these parents set very high goals for their children, the children often land up as complete failures. This in turn, takes them to drug addiction to get away from their worries of failures. All this disappointment in the lives of the children and the parents I’d say is just because, ambition is stretched too far and beyond the approaches of the child. This far fetched extension of ambition leads us nowhere, except to the doors of unhappiness.
The picture is the same dismal on the financial front wherein we see a continuous rat race for making money more money, and still more money. For this also, the motive force is ambition. It may sometimes goad individuals towards improvement but mostly it is seen to lead to disaster. This is because, in this modern world of to-day, we have lost all sense of decency and moral code, we just want to achieve whatever others have, this, not because we really want it but just because others have it. Does this not sound ridiculous, yes it does.
In the same way, going on a higher plane and moving up from individual’s to the ambition of a country, here also there have to be practical goals set, looking into the background and general standard of the country. If this is not done, disaster is a foregone conclusion. For example, if a developing country like India for instance becomes so ambitious so as to acquire equality with the U.S.A in all its spheres, India is I’d say living in a Fool’s Paradise, and inviting doom. India must remember that, progress must, like all other things start from small beginnings and can be achieved only in a planned manner. We, on the contrary, are only flying high and giving way to our ambitions of being as if a progressed country, like the U.S.A., and the results are for all of us to see. India, in fulfilement of her high flown ambitions has got neck deep in financial debts, while its teaming millions are not getting even one square meal a day. Is this not being over ambitious?
I’d say whether it be an individual or a country, there has to be some logic and semblance of practicability in our ambitions. Ambitions must not be mere day dreaming, for such ambitions are sure to remain unfulfilled and result in frustration, unhappiness and then crime. It is wonderful and correct to have ambition as, this is the driving force that pushes us to work towards our goal but, at the same time, ambition should not propel us so far that, we climb high on wings of ambition and then crash down and become dust.

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