Why we should be more ambitious

In my workshops and also in coaching, I hear this objection time and again: "Why should I even want to achieve more? I'm satisfied as it is!"

Now, of course, there is little to be said against someone being satisfied. But many people confuse satisfaction with happiness and fulfillment. The problem is that you almost always notice the difference only after a long delay:

What makes me "satisfied" today makes me unhappy and, above all, unfulfilled in the long run.

There are studies on what people wish most, shortly before they die, if they could have changed something in their lives: They often wish they had dared and tried more, but never that they had had a calmer and more satisfied life.

If that's not enough for you to question your contentment, here are three more rational reasons why you should definitely be more ambitious:

1. Standing still is an illusion. There's the famous saying "stagnation is regression". This is absolutely true: there is no "standing still" in nature or in your life. Either you move forward, sideways, or backward, even if you think you can "hold" your life as it is today. And if you are moving anyway, it is better to actively steer the direction, fed by your ambition.
2. Contentment makes you unhappy. I mentioned it at the beginning: people are unhappy in the long run and especially unfulfilled if they are "satisfied" for too long. The tricky thing is that we are good at fooling ourselves into thinking that everything will turn out all right only to "wake up" 20 years later and realize that our "stable" life is falling apart. 
3. Contentment is selfish. There are enough challenges in this world that we should tackle with high ambition. Our human potential is enormous but we have to exploit it. And satisfaction is exactly what prevents us from doing so. Anyone who retreats contentedly into his corner instead of using his potential to improve the world is, in my view, acting profoundly selfishly.

If you want to work specifically on your ambition or that of your team, simply contact me with the keyword "ambition". Or ➔ click here to set up an appointment.