We are in the daily race for higher objectives, and we constantly strive to over-achieve. Sometimes that ambition overshadows what we truly aspire to. Aspiration is related to our deeper desire. The closer we get to our aspired state, the more fulfillment we experience.
We should of course have a healthy dose of ambition. But we should be careful not to get trapped in our ambition and lose sight of our true aspiration. It requires some efforts to connect back to what we truly aspire to. We should be careful not to miss this in the rush of events.
What is the difference between aspiration and ambition?
ASPRIRATION is rooted in your deep desire. It is like an inner force that pulls you to aim for higher goals. It is more deeply connected to who you are. It is connected your deep desire and to what you truly value (e.g. the wine yards and not the life in corporate finance, as outlined in the example above of Eugene). Reaching these goals will provide you with fulfillment, meaning and profound satisfaction. It will allow you to become the best version of yourself, because the closer you get to the state that you aspire to the, more you can leverage on our talents and strength. You will be able to operate in “your space”.
This could ultimately get us closer to what the Greeks have called ataraxia: the absence of desire for more. The state of fulfillment where nothing more is needed, where we are serene and generous.
The starting point of an AMBITION is usually a competitive spirit. It is related to standards and over passing these standards. It is about outperforming others.
That motivation is a less deeply intrinsic one, because it is triggered by a specific situation or context (e.g. the launch of a new product or a sports game). Very often certain external factors reinforce that “will to win”. That is the case for example if an audience is watching (e.g. in a sports stadium). Ambition is largely a performance in the eyes of others. In the case of an ambition, the objectives are usually explicit, and success is highly visible.
We see here the difference to aspiration, which is more something we achieve for ourselves. It might go unnoticed for the others. They might simply see a greater happiness or serenity but may not perceive what is triggering this.
What are the implications for your career?
There is of course nothing wrong with ambition. In sports for example this has tremendous virtues. It is thanks to the encouragement of others that athletes break the records; there is for example a real positive symbiosis between the football players and the supporters in the stadium.
But if your career has this as its main source, complete fulfillment may not be reached for two reasons:
Because the ambition is calling for always more. You have hardly reached one objective or beaten one record when you want already more.
Or, because once you have reached the goal, there is nothing more to aspire to and you might fall into an empty hole (“what am I going to do now that there is no objective anymore to run towards?”).
Ambition is an energy that vanishes once the ultimate target is reached. Aspiration in the contrary is an energy that sustains once the desire state has been reached.
The example of Fabien
Fabien wanted to be a pilot since he was a kid. After many years of studies and a tough selection process he finally reached his career goal. For a number of years he was excited about this new life and about the successes he had in the airline, where he was promoted to larger aircrafts. But deeply inside, it became clear for him that he had achieved what he wanted to achieve and that this job was no longer offering him real satisfaction. He progressively lost interest in his job started to look for satisfaction in his hobby: cooking. First, his friends had the pleasure to enjoy his talent in the kitchen. Finally, Fabien decided to change jobs and to make a living out of his hobby. He invested his savings to buy a restaurant. Very soon, the success of the restaurant had proven he had been right in making this courageous decision. Fabien, who had become over the years sometimes a bit moody, was again the “old one” as we knew him for years: a very relaxed and engaging person who loved to be with people. Quite obviously, this new job was offering him the deep satisfaction and would likely be fulfilling in the longer term.
Conclusion
I believe that this has quite important implications. We should of course have a healthy dose of ambition. But we should be careful not to get trapped in our ambition and lose sight of our true aspiration. It requires some efforts to connect back to what we truly aspire to. We should be careful not to miss this in the rush of events. Working on your personal career strategy is a good opportunity to connect back to your deep desire.
More information in my book:
Sven Sommerlatte : Successful Career Strategy – An HR Practitioner’s Guide to Reach Your Dream Job (Springer, June 2023). ISBN: 978-3-662-66790-3
