A person viewing a beautiful sunrise on a mountain trail, in a pixel art style. Image created in Midjourney.
On any journey down these paths, you will face trials. Things you must overcome or come to terms with. It can be daunting, but these trials shouldn’t be avoided. They are crucial to your growth.
After sharing What’s After This, I had an overwhelming response from colleagues, friends and strangers. What really struck me was how many of you are going down the path of harmony after years or decades of climbing.
But don’t let the name fool you – even on the path of harmony, challenges will still arise, and the toughest you'll face is redefining ambition.
Ambition is a desire to achieve something. Today, though, ambition's meaning has narrowed to encompass only professional accomplishments: advancing in rank, expanding responsibilities, or joining prestigious companies. Our stereotype of ambitious people envisions a person shouldering heavy workloads, burning the midnight oil, and relentlessly pushing through the ranks. I even had trepidations writing that I was on the path of harmony. I thought by admitting it in writing, others might assume I’m uninterested in pursuing higher positions or greater responsibilities.
This is the trap, an illusion. Like Dorothy pulling back the curtain on the Wizard, you too must see the illusion surrounding ambition.
Redefining ambition
Let’s look at the definition again. Ambition is a desire to achieve something. Something. Not a work-something, not a corporate-something. Just something.
The path of harmony is about elevating other aspects of your life. That, in and of itself, is ambitious. Depending on where you are from, your career can shape your entire identity and influence how others perceive and address you. How bold, how daring to rebel against this notion. To say, actually, these aspects of life matter more to me. That’s why older generations are clutching their pearls.
Your life, in all its aspects, demands as much dedication and effort as you would give to your career. Experimenting with routines, finding new hobbies, prioritising time with loved ones—these all require hard work. But the work has it’s rewards: an enriched life, a balance that makes you effective and resilient in any scenario, true contentment.
But contentment does not mean complacency–the hardest part of the illusion to shake. You can still grow and achieve in your professional life without constantly climbing the ladder. The world is filled with opportunities and ambition can take many shapes: mastering a new skill, mentoring others, or confronting something that has always intimidated you.
🧙🏻 Navigating this trial
Redefining ambition is a personal endeavour, but it’s not just about changing what you believe inside. We live in a social world with norms, expectations and beliefs. Once you've redefined your ambitions within yourself, the true test lies in maintaining your resolve in the outside world.
It is not an easy trial, but here is how I overcame it (now I actually am your wizard, dear hero reader):
Examining the original ambition. Where did it actually come from? Do you truly want to advance to the next level, or is it more of an unspoken societal expectation? Examine what attracted it to you in the first place. Was it the prospect of taking on new responsibilities, broadening your horizons, or realistically increasing your income?
Understanding how society works. I’m a sucker for sociology books and publications. They give you a big-picture view of society, helping you understand the roots of our motivations. Understanding how we define a good worker versus a bad one, or how our society measures success, shapes our own sense of ambition.
Being around people with different ambitions. It can be tough to redefine things when you're in an echo chamber. Do the people around you all think alike, or do you have a mix of folks with diverse motivations? If you're missing that, consider reaching out to old friends or acquaintances, or attending events where you can meet new people.
Since this journey is personal, what worked for me might not necessarily work for you. I share this with the hope that it will help you navigate your own trial ahead. If you've faced this challenge before, feel free to share what helped you through it.