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The wise man doesn't give the right answers, he poses the right questions.
-- Claude Levi-Strauss
 

 

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Sustained ambition

It’s easy to be ambitious for a few minutes, and maybe even get some impressive work done in that time. What’s more challenging, and what will produce results that approach true greatness, is sustained ambition.

If you can muster a little ambition for a little while, then you know you’re capable of it. That means you’re also capable of a steady and sustained ambition over longer periods.

Just like momentary ambition, sustained ambition is driven by purpose, by the desire to achieve that purpose. To keep the ambition strong and influential, find a way to keep the purpose near the top of your awareness.

When you’re clear about why, and when the why is meaningful enough, there’s no need for any further convincing. That reason why will keep you going, and you’ll continue doing whatever it takes, even when it becomes tedious, complicated, and frustrating.

Great achievements come from great efforts, from great sacrifices over long periods of time. Make sure you have a good enough reason to do all that, and you’ll achieve the excellence of which you’re capable.

Imagine where your own sustained and clearly purposed ambition can lead. Bring forth the reason why, keep it always in front of you, and get your most outstanding work done.

— Ralph Marston

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