Is too much ambition bad? Why?

Ambition, too much or too little ambition - Ambition have its own good and bad effects as it may inspire or lead to destruction when it uses not properly out of jealousy or greed.
Philippines
October 22, 2009 5:33am CST
Ambition is a complex words but have to say every one of us have it own pursuits in its own forms and styles. It becomes good when we aspire to pursuit the things or object of one's desires fulfilling and thus benefit us in the long run. Putting one in a higher pedestal position being admired by the society. However too little or too much have it's own down sides. When their is less ambition a person becomes too lazy or hesitant to follow through thus losing interest paving the way to own misfortune with bad effects on one's personality. Then, with too much ambition their is an extreme needs of wanting to achieve more power, influences, social status which may result to greediness and self destruction. Wherein all things must be put in the balance as too little or too much ambition lead to nowhere. How about you? Do you think too much ambition is bad? Why? When is too much ambition becomes dangerous? Why? Kindly shares your thoughts. Thanks
8 people like this
34 responses
@Lucky09 (1763)
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
hi neel^^;; i have not much to say because this is a serious discussion and u have mention them but i think an ambition only becomes bad when it is unrealistic. No matter how high a person's ambition is if he/she thinks he/she can achieve it then why not. i say realistic because it's attainable within the given period of time and that is time of life.
2 people like this
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
hi luckyo9, with your presence any serious discussion would be light..hahaha.. well, i have naughty question too but here in mylot, i think they would not approve it.. yeah, that true one must be ambitious as long as he/she could achieve it maybe not fast or even at a slow pace but as long as the desire is there their is hope that it would be achieve as long as one persevere nothing is impossible.
@Lucky09 (1763)
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
ahem ahem... naughty question? eerrr...depends on how naughty that would be i guess neel, do u think if i have ambition and i will be crawling like a turtle, i can still achieve it? seems my dream runs faster than i do so even if tried hard to catch it but still we are miles apart...oh i mean kilometers because we use kilometer here in the Phils...
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
It is so naughty that i couldn't find the right word to replace it.. ah..turtle??? well..you could still achieve it if you let the turtle ride on a mrt or let just say in an airplane so although it is slow you could still reach your destination if you have the determination... yeah, kilometer.. but miles is greater on that in terms of distances...
1 person likes this
@sunny68 (1327)
• India
22 Oct 09
being overambitious can be a dangerous thing. ambitions should always be matched with ones capabilities. because failure to achieve ones ambitions will only lead to frustration. also one should set up small goals to be achieved one at a time and improve to be worthy of the next one. unfortunately today people do not want to work for their ambitions and adopt unethical means to achieve them.
2 people like this
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
very true. appeasement can get you only short term benefits. for example you may get a promotion, but with it also comes responsibilities, for which if you are not capable - you will fail miserably. so hard work is the only way to lasting success. hi sunny, that's true one should not expect too much or want something to do when one is unable to fulfill as in doing so may lead to disappointment and hopelessness. Patience and hard work combines from you mention is the right things to do for every one who like to succeed may learn those values by heart in oreder to succeed wth their choosen goals. thanks.
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
hi sunny, Yeah, that true you have a good point out there and thus i believe too that exaggeration is noticeable if this person like to outdo his competitors thus doing all the dirty deeds or becoming close to the boss just to get the position like in a job they eyeing for a months. Thus, losing one's respect and sacrificing dignity. Thanks for responding.
@sunny68 (1327)
• India
23 Oct 09
very true. appeasement can get you only short term benefits. for example you may get a promotion, but with it also comes responsibilities, for which if you are not capable - you will fail miserably. so hard work is the only way to lasting success.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
22 Oct 09
Becomes dangerous when ya never let up on it like fellers staying way late in office to get that last order in where it hurts health and family
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
26 Oct 09
your welcome!
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
hi lakota, that's right when a person over work and neglect his health although he could earn a lot with high income it is not adequate when one becomes victim of terrible sickness..his money could not even help him to live a long life. Thus, balance in every thing we do is need like work and fun. Thanks for responding.
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
22 Oct 09
Hi neelianoscet, Yes, I think that it's possible to be too ambitious. When someone reaches the point where he/she doesn't care who they hurt or what they do in order to achieve success, they have gone too far. It is good to be ambitious as long as you can achieve your goals on your own merit, but if you have to cheat or walk over another, it is never worth it. Keep a right balance in all things. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@sagnik42 (3592)
• India
22 Oct 09
Actually balance is the key to success. If someone can keep balance in every aspect of his life from family to profession, he can lead a good and normal life. I agree with you completely.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
hi pose, that right and some trampled other people or just uses them for their own hidden agenda for their own ambition. Thus the ambitious person may be successful but would never truly happy as he reach his status not in a good manners without fair dealing and his tactics is full of selfishness to rule over another while trespassing on the rights of other people for his own benefits. Thanks for responding.
@sagnik42 (3592)
• India
22 Oct 09
You are right, too much ambition is dangerous. In order to reach his goal a person tends to use unlawful means, become corrupt and self-centered. He stops caring about others and use extreme measures. There is something my father always says - "Too much of anything is always bad".Ambition is a good thing to have but too much ambition is harmful.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
hi sagnik, Yup, that true ambition is good when one uses it for good of self and help also the people he loved. It becomes dangerous when a person act too ambitious that he uses a lot of bad strategy and thinking to propel him to become successful whatever means even degrading his own dignity. Thus, the things you mention really happen in real life and it so bad that to become wealthy and live in luxuries some people do those things without even sweating from honest work. Thanks for responding.
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
Well,that is the sad things having every thing then still feel lonely as happiness could not be buy by money and so is health. Thus, it is better to have ambition that you know your limit than to spend a lot when one could sacrifices a lot including family or self happiness just to achieve ambition and getting miserable because after one have everything still feel miserable.
@leahsmom (337)
• United States
22 Oct 09
There is no such thing as too much ambition in my book. I think lack of ambition is more dangerous.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
Too much ambition happen when one get his achievement using the efforts of other person such as for examples the secretary get promoted for tempting the boss or the politician becomes rich when he becomes corrupt then robbing the people money. Lack of ambition is dangerous too as one without motivation becomes the subject of ridicule and misfortunes.
@sagnik42 (3592)
• India
22 Oct 09
leahsmom, you are right. I reckon anything extreme is bad. So complete lack of ambition is also very dangerous. This way the person concerned does not want to do anything and in turn fails to achieve anything in life.
@maean_19 (4655)
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
In my opinion, ambition is like a dream or a goal that one must accomplish and achieve depending on the motivation or his desire in pursuing it. Whether it is less or much, the way you achieve it is all that matters. With less ambition may tend to be easily content when his ambition is achieved, while too much ambition may tend to have a hard time or high standard in reaching his goal. But for me, no matter hos less or much your dream is as long as the motivation and desire to dream is there or the hope that someday the goal is accomplished. Sometimes, it's all in the mind, that there are people who have less ambitions in their lives. Those have less will power or less hopes. I want to share to you my story which other people may take as an inspiration to dream high. To dream is free, so why not dream high. Take it as a motivation and do something to reach it. Don't let the ambition remain a dream, that is the thinking of people who do not dream at all and pessimistic. If you dream, take one step at a time, never rush. Going back in my last year in high school, I dreamed of becoming a lawyer. I had no other ambition other than to become a lawyer. When I was in College, I took a degree then take Law proper afterwards. Law school was very tough and I had to sacrifice some activities that am used to do. It is worth it because I finished it. Consequently, I just finished the Bar exam and the result will come out next year. I believe and pray to God that I will be one of the Bar passers and soon be called Attorney. For me, whatever ambition you have, entrust it to God. Despite the hardships i had been through, I believe that I can and will make it.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
3 Nov 09
hi maean, yeah, you got a point there and I believe too goals is the one which could inspire anyone to uphold and be inspire to finish what have been started as a dream . Then, have to visualize since the start of setting desirable effects in the whole persona by being determined and decisiveness to accomplish one's targeted mission to gain certain status as in your case becoming a brilliant lawyer. Thus, your ambition makes you to persevere to achieve your desire changes in your life and be satisfy with the outcome of your plan. Studying law is like knowing the right and wrong. Then, one need to be acquainted with the constitutional law and other branches to familiarize it, though their is a need to defend a situation based on the rules indicated in the articles sources from judiciary law, criminal law and other branches of law data information as lacking in the based evidence makes any lead impossible to prove without any reasonable keen thoughts. Good luck to your bar results..thanks
@jezzmay (1845)
• United States
23 Oct 09
I think to much ambition can be bad. When it gets to the point when you do not care who you hurt, to get what you want. I think this leads to destructive habits. I think it will cause you heartache in the end. There must be a balance and you must set goals and be respectful of other people. Have a great day.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
24 Oct 09
hi jezzmay, well..having ambition is good because it could motivates a person to work hard and attain his goals in life helping him in the process and becomes good assets of the society. Ambitious person mostly are famous, achievers in different field and possesses a lot of properties living in luxurious life. While others have mild ambition just enough to have comfortable life not too much or too little. Ambition becomes bad from the things you mention when their is neglect involves and hurt those you loved in the process of being ambitious. thanks
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
22 Oct 09
I think ambition can be a really good thing it is a good thing to try to achieve goals and success and work hard towards reaching them, but there is a point where it does become bad and dangerous. If you forget to live a full life because of ambition and you spend your whole life working and never enjoying any of the joys that life has to offer then ambition can be a bad dangerous thing, some will find they spent their whole life trying to achieve something and when they look back all they remember is work, that is not way to live.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
That is true when a person work too much that he neglect his family or even his own health when he work double times thus missing a lot of social interaction. I seen a lot of rich people who stay most of the times sleeping late at night and have a lots of money in the bank,live in beautiful homes, with flash fancy cars and lot of real estate investment. But, when he get sick his money even could not heal his sickness of his body and worst the sickness of being indifferent leading to selfishness then have friends only because they have money when it is gone they are left lonely and friendless. Thanks for responding.
• United Kingdom
23 Oct 09
I don't think that there can ever be too much ambition! Here are my reasons. If you are prepared to work hard towards something then you deserve to go all the way. People who do nothing get nothing. For those that have goals and work hard towards attaining them there's a good chance that they will succeed, not all the time but a very good chance. It's always best to try and I think the key word here is try! I agree with you that there must be a balance in all things. If someone is so set on achieving their aims regardless of everything or anyone else then this can be a bad thing. I have my own goals and I'm slowly working on achieving them one thing at a time. Andrew
1 person likes this
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
Ambition for me is already within a person and the manner it is done depends on the person intensity of the driving force within one self performing it in accordance with his own motivation. The manner it is exhibited may be slow or fast paced but the importance from you mention is to TRY and that is a good qualities which every person should emulate to achieve one in a day his goals in life. thanks
@zhuhuifen46 (3483)
• China
23 Oct 09
In modern thinking, ambition should be a positive word, but it should be on good standing, without sacrificing the basic values, merits, and on good planning, both near and far.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
Yup, ambition is good as it keeps the person going and think to better of his lives thus would not stop pursuing his desires until he completely attain his goals in life,becomes successful and becomes the object of admiration by the society where he belong. Being ambitious is good than having none as having less may be the precursor for the person to become trap in misery of poverty if one never persevere to attain and meet its goal deadlines.
@cbjones (1147)
• United States
24 Oct 09
Too much ambition can lead to obsession. When you reach the point of wanting something at all costs, people tend to get hurt. It's like, you no longer give a care about the well being of anyone. Not even yourself. Everyone has to sacrifice, but there's a limit on what can be done away with. When ambition is too strong, everything that doesn't serve to help you accomplish your goal, actually turns into a detriment in your own mind.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
hi cbjones, that's right too much of everything lead to wanton greediness, gluttony, avarice just like in the 7 original sins. The same things with having too much ambition when one reach her heights of glory not by his honest efforts it could be noticeable in the long run and this person who live a life of dishonesty would be likely to fall because she comes to her success not from her own efforts but with the help of other people whom have more influences than her. Thus, in the end to have ambition is right, too much is poison and too little dismay. thanks..
1 person likes this
@flower21 (765)
• Philippines
24 Oct 09
Ambition becomes bad when a person becomes too boastful and think high of oneself discarding other friends who fail to reach the same status as her then discriminate others or belittle them for being a loser. Ambition good if uses properly and for the benefit of the common good, from hard work and honest efforts.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
24 Oct 09
Yeah, that true it is good to have ambition rather than none. Their is no limit to a person ability to strive hard to make a living and achieve what she like in a good sources but ambition becomes bad when the sources is from bad things or you uses other people manipulate them in order to get what you like. thanks
1 person likes this
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
personally, there is no limit for one's ambitions. it is free for anyone to aim high or to be ambitious. it is the way to achieve ur ambition that may make it good or bad. there are laws which we are to follow be it political, religious, societal or moral laws. if we follow these rules in achieving our ambitions, we can say they are good ambitions. but if u embark on actions to achieve ur ambition in a way that it contradicts with any law, then, personally, i think ur ambitions are geared to be bad.
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
Ambition serves as inspiration for any person to strives to work hard and seen, experience and show to the world what one got from one effort of attaining successful life. Thus, anyone could become ambitious with no limit as long as he could sustain it on a long run without making himself fool in the process for taking considerable amount of time in pushing self when their is less opportunity. But if one vision could takes him outside the normal pace as long as one could reach it with a definite time then his goals is achieve. However, all ambition never obtain when one lack the necessary skills or talents then just rush in without thinking about the consequences of its action and in the process ruin the self and the beloved because of egotism and pride. Thus, it becomes the sources of avarice which is not good and many fall from dark oblivion when it already reach it saturation.
@coldmoon (1088)
• France
22 Oct 09
Too much ambition is still good as long as it doesn't make you tired and hurt the innocent people around you. Anyway, it still comes from the human greed, and so is never able to take as a good reason to plead for bad things.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
Yeah, having ambition is good and even too much it only mean the person is working hard to achieve his/her goals in life. It really takes a lot of thinking and balance of all things. As no one have the ability to topple down an ambitious person because she have something to prove wheres too little ambition is not bad at all and the bad becomes from a lack of ambition. Thanks for responding.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Oct 09
Neelianoscet hi yes too much ambition can be bad if you neglect the people in your life and your health to boot. make enough to live on and live your life with your family and take care of yourself. you do not have to become a millionaire. just make enought to live and pay bills. It becomes dangerous when the person never seems to make enough, and has to have more and more and more, forgetting family and friends and endangering his or her health.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
Yeah, that true I have a cousin who work 7 times a week and her only rest is for 2 hours sleep per day. Because, she have to pay her 2 house. She already have 1 beautiful house and because she move to another house. Her first house is not yet sold so she been paying it for almost 3 years and the house is empty. Thus, she have everything but very thin as she look fatigue have all the material wealth for being a good achiever. I could say that she achieve all but have no time to smile and often becomes selfish unable to compliments her beloved those label as selfish. I think all things should be put in a balance work and fun to live a good life as anything in excessive may be not good at all. Thanks for responding.
@ckyera (17332)
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
having an ambition in life is a good thing, coz it will give us something to look forward in the future and will give us an inspiration in doing our best to achieve this dream... but too much of everything may harm us...and with ambition, it will become bad when we fall in doing bad, nasty things just to achieve it... yes you are right, too much of it can lead us to greediness, self destruction , selfishness...and everything...and sometimes, it can make us forget about our God...
1 person likes this
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
hi ckyera, Ambition may inspire to those who really work hard to reach his goals in life in a right way and persevere little by little until one could see the final outcomes with being comfortable in life, and becomes a great achiever. While, other becomes disappointed when they fail to reach their ambition becomes sad and easily lost their tempers because of lack of motivation. While, having too much could lead to selfishness and avarice coupled with egotism and pride could makes a person terrible not only in the eyes of man but as you mention with God too..
@cindyhxf (1446)
• China
22 Oct 09
Hi friend,as you said ambition is just one part of personality.it is hard to say bad or not my opinion.it is also hard to change someone's mind.i think it is good to keep balance.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
hi cindy, yeah, having ambition is good as it inspires while lacking is bad as it would only lead to misery and poverty if one never persevere to reach his goals while becoming ambitious which is too much is also bad when one have already enough, then not yet satisfy leading to greediness and wickedness. Thanks for responding.
@simonelee (2715)
• China
22 Oct 09
Not really as long as you know how to handle your self and the morality is there there will be no problem at all. But, when a person is only wanting for his/her own good that would be another issue. Wanting too much money, power, and fame will only manipulate the person due to his/her eagerness to attain certain things and due to that he/she will forget that he/she's a christian.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
That is true when you know how to balance all things and put them properly in the right places without using other people to achieve one's desires,never depending on anyone like an influential person to pull you and benefit for his luck. Wrong motivation lead to dangerous pursuits when a person become so obsessed and selfish. Thus, he get what he want due to fame and other things which you mention are some of the negative factors brought by too much ambition. Thanks for responding.
@Craicha (801)
22 Oct 09
for me theres nothing wrong in too much ambition as long he can reach his ambition and what causes it bad if he failed in reaching it.....so its better to be contented in what you got and satisfy in what you have....
1 person likes this
• Philippines
22 Oct 09
Yup, that true and it becomes bad when the ambitious person pursue it in a wrong way damaging itself, losing one dignity and getting to uses many people for his own hidden agenda. Thus, failure to fulfill pursuits of personal ambition becomes bad too when a person becomes frustrated leading to disappointment causing neglect self and hurting other people in the process of being depressed. Thanks for responding.