Who is an ambitious person and what does ambition mean? What is Ambition? What does ambition mean?

a socio-psychological trait of a person, expressed in the desire to take actions in the name of achieving leadership in a team, group (social life, science, culture, etc.). Ch. can act as a stable positive motive that encourages a person to engage in socially significant activities. If Ch. is selfish and leads to careerism, infringement of the rights, freedoms and merits of others, it must be assessed as a negative phenomenon. Giving moral justification to the motives of a particular individual can contribute to the formation of her leadership qualities. Ch. can act as a cause of conflicts in an organization, firstly, when it becomes excessive; secondly, if Ch. is reduced to primitive careerism. In the interests of business and conflict prevention, a leader must be able to encourage healthy behavior and prevent careerism from developing in his subordinates.

Ambition

the desire for external honor, honour, respect, honor, promotion and, as a result, the tendency to act in immoral ways.

Like most young ambitious people in literature, he pours out on paper the stock of information he picked up the day before (O. Balzac, Eve's Daughter).

Love is a desired madness, ambition is a serious stupidity (S. Chamfort).

Ambition engulfs small souls more easily than large ones, just as fire engulfs straw and huts more quickly than palaces (S. Chamfort).

We are usually driven to make new acquaintances not so much by fatigue from old ones or love of change, but by dissatisfaction with the fact that people we know well do not admire us enough, and the hope that people we do not know well will admire us more (La Rochefoucauld).

What we take for nobility often turns out to be disguised as ambition, which, despising small benefits, goes straight to the big ones (La Rochefoucauld).

Do not seek earthly glory for yourself in any matter: earthly glory fades away for those who love it. For a while, like a stormy wind, she breathes on a person, and, having taken away from him the fruit of his good deeds, she soon leaves, laughing at his foolishness (G. Konstantinopolsky, Stoglavets).

Wed. desire for fame; vanity.

An ambitious person is an individual who strives to be a leader always and in everything. In life, he is driven by the desire to be richer, more successful, more recognizable and happier than everyone else. Based on this, do you think ambition is good or bad? What motivates a person to strive to be an undisputed leader and what are the motives of such people?

Classmates

As for the concept of ambition itself, it is a person’s desire to occupy a high position in society, to achieve tangible successes that are measured by grades, trophies, awards or numbers. The concept of ambition reveals its meaning through its two roots and means love of honor.

What is ambition? Synonyms and antonyms of this word

Conceited is a synonym for the word ambitious. And the extreme degree of expression of ambition can border on greed - the desire to seek material gain in everything. In psychological dictionaries, the concept of ambition is positioned as the desire, enshrined in human character, to always lead in everything and achieve success in different areas of life. Compared to single-mindedness, ambition is aimed solely at personal goals rather than altruistic ones. This phenomenon is the subject of pedagogy, psychology, ethics and other equally important humanities.

Is ambition good or bad?

Today, the question of an ambitious person is quite relevant - is it good or, conversely, unacceptable in society. When understood well, this concept drives an individual to achieve success in his or her field of activity. In other words, a person does everything possible to ensure that his work is perfect. In parallel with this, he has a desire to climb the career ladder, receive a lot of flattering reviews, be in the spotlight and stand out in the team.

The advantages of this feature include performing work at a high level and the ability to rely on such a person. Without the developed quality of ambition, it is difficult to achieve success in sports, competitions and other competitions. However, quite often there are situations when an ambitious person completely forgets about morality and ethics, then this concept takes on more of the outline of vanity.

How to develop ambition

Having ambitious goals is not a bad thing. If you understand the definition of this word for yourself and decide to develop this human quality in yourself, then we strongly recommend that you follow the valuable tips given below:

The concept of ambition in Orthodoxy

The Orthodox religion claims that ambition is a sin. A Christian believer should not be like this, because it may upset the Lord. According to the Orthodox religion, a Christian should be a modest person and not stand out among others. The Bible tells us how Jesus Christ healed the sick in his life, but at the same time avoided fame and honor. The Holy Gospel calls us to the need to avoid the vice of hypertrophied ambition.

Antonyms and synonyms of ambition, main differences

The qualities of the soul are multifaceted, the inner world of a person is so diverse and full of different properties and shades. A believer must carefully care for his own soul, like a precious garden, and develop only the best qualities. Therefore, it is important to know all the shades of the soul in order to be able to accurately choose the best for yourself. Next, let's look at the concept of an ambitious person, whether this is good or not. Let us analyze this property based on the Orthodox faith.

As a rule, we can see most clearly what ambition is if we turn to fiction or biographies of various famous personalities.

This quality was and is possessed by various ambitious entrepreneurs and businessmen, people who wanted to become the best at something, to surpass others, to remain in the memory of others.

Perhaps a good example would be the ideal of the so-called American Dream, for which ambition is actually the basis.

In short, this concept sees America as a country of limitless opportunity, where everyone can achieve anything through their own efforts. Only for this you need to work hard and act within the framework of healthy competition, putting your goals above all else. This concept is more characteristic of the branches of Christianity, Lutheranism and Protestantism, where practical benefit and work are praised.

In order to better grasp the meaning and significance, the following synonyms should be selected for the word ambitious:

purposeful;
leadership oriented;
conceited;
striving to be the best;
careerist;
perfectionist;
ambitious and proud.

You should also choose a possible antonym for this word:

careless;
uninitiative;
not ambitious;
lethargic;
conformist;
follower (not leader);
slob.

Terms such as humble, empathic, sensitive, calm, altruist can also be the opposite. Accordingly, we are not always talking about clearly negative and positive connotations. As you can see, both a synonym and an antonym for the term in question can be both positive and negative.

Useful video: ambition

In order to better understand whether such a quality has a bad effect on the soul or is positive, we need to look again at the various branches of Christianity. Newer teachings, such as Lutheranism and especially Protestantism, point to the sacredness of all work.

It would seem that this is a completely normal concept, even a positive one, since even in Orthodoxy believers are advised to occupy their everyday lives with righteous work, however, there are some differences, which are also pointed out by the most accessible portals - Wikipedia and others.

Protestants see wealth and wealth as a completely acceptable thing. Representatives of this denomination, as a rule, are the richest Christians.

Pay attention! In Orthodoxy, ambition is considered uniquely negative, since to some extent it contradicts the concept of love for one's neighbor and care. It is perceived as a destructive vice that does not correspond to the teachings of Christ, who was the ideal of humility and absolutely not ambitious.

Nevertheless, Protestants generally approve of almost any work, including usury as a type of activity. Let us remember that in Orthodoxy such activity is unacceptable and is associated with the sin of covetousness and love of money. There are significant differences in this subtlety.

When, for example, a Protestant sets ambitious goals to achieve financial well-being, he generally sees his activities as a righteous path and uses a variety of worldly methods in order to achieve the desired result. An Orthodox Christian, in turn, carefully considers each option for generating income, evaluates whether it contradicts the faith and whether it harms the soul. Thus, it is not difficult to understand why sincere Orthodox believers cannot always boast of excessive wealth, while representatives of other faiths can even calmly boast of it.

If we look at it globally, then whether it is good or not particularly good, people decide based on their own faith and basic worldview concept. For someone, “going overboard” for the sake of their own goals and putting their interests at the center of the world is not only acceptable, but also ideal. For an Orthodox Christian, such an ambitious person does not look entirely normal, especially if the quality is manifested in the most negative aspects.

How to get rid of ambition

The Orthodox faith speaks of the ideal of humility, as they say, “he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Of course, we are not talking about some kind of mental or physical masochism and similar painful tendencies. Implied ability:

do not shield your own ego;
do not put yourself above others;
do not seek to humiliate others in order to elevate yourself;
do not look for reasons for self-praise;
do not deliberately seek opportunities to be better than others;
do not become overly competitive and compete with others;
do not look for the worst qualities in others that make you feel better than them.

The holy ascetics in Orthodoxy represented these ideals of humility. Seraphim of Sarov most likely did not want to become the best saint in the world and set a record for the duration of prayer on a stone or build a nunnery better than others. Luke Krymsky hardly aspired to become the most famous doctor or to move higher in the church hierarchy.

You can give a lot of other examples, one way or another, all these ascetics knew what it meant to be ambitious, and tried to eradicate such thoughts in themselves. As you can see from these examples, in order to achieve something (especially in the field of faith) you do not need to be overly ambitious and intend to be better than others. Of course, a certain amount of boldness is needed, but it always comes with humility and a willingness to humiliate yourself.

It is useful for a simple believer to follow these examples, to understand what the word considered here means, and what the negative aspects of this property are. In the modern world, it is difficult to find humility, especially if you have to act in an environment where everyone is competing with others, where everyone acts only in their own interests. However, the personal definition of a true believer is to make behavioral choices based on faith, not majority opinion.

Pay attention! In some areas of activity, some ambition may be acceptable and bring some positive results. For example, it is useful for a leader to be ambitious in caring for his subordinates and his own subordinate structure.

Useful video: is ambition a replacement for talent or the need for immortality?

Conclusion

One must realize where ambition is useful and where it is excessive, and observe the norms of religious morality. Giving up ambition does not at all mean inaction or some kind of passivity. Refusal of this vice means choosing a more difficult, but true path, when other people are not perceived as competitors who need to be surpassed, and worldly fame and recognition are the highest goals of existence. Such a difficult path is accessible only to a sincere and deeply religious person.

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Ambition is a character trait that manifests itself as clearly expressed personal goals, motives and methods of achieving primacy, fame, recognition or an honorable position in a certain field of activity.

Manifestations and properties
Ambition orients a person towards specific actions - achievements, career, individual success. Realizing his ambitious goals, he strives to do his job better than others, constantly improves his skills, mobilizes willpower and personal potential.

Ambition, as a personality quality, is expressed in the desire to acquire a high social position, weight, influence, and also to earn official recognition in any area of life. The ambition of a man of intelligence and integrity is to stand out among others by his good name and to be valued for his knowledge, truthfulness and nobility - qualities that cannot be bought anywhere, but can only be acquired by those who have a clear head and a good heart .

Differences between Vanity and Ambition

Vanity is to produce a cheap effect, buffoon, ephemera, moth. Ambition - to achieve success with a deeply thought-out project. This is a focused, serious and long-term approach to lasting success, at the top of which everyone will see the shine of the virtues of her conqueror. True ambition can only be satisfied with well-deserved, and not exaggerated, contrived fame. This evokes sincere respect.
Ambition grows from a person’s internal need for self-affirmation, the desire to prove to himself and the outside world his personal value, usefulness and significance, to receive visible evidence of his merits.
Ambition is a must for a man. As well as self-confidence, determination and responsibility. Find a woman who would like an unambitious companion who is content with today's standard of living? Woman and desires are synonymous. Women's desires are many times greater than men's and serve as a stimulus for men's ambition. Vanity is a deception that cannot deceive a woman.
And who would want to work without seeing success and recognition ahead? Convinced of one's own worth, a person gains self-respect and a healthy sense of self-worth. When you are valued and respected by the people around you, you don’t need praise, everything is very clear to both the person and the people around you.

Built into the complex psychological organization of a person, ambition acts as an ethical quality of the individual and is manifested in his interaction with society.

If ambition is on the side of Good, it will be healthy, constructive, and positive for people.

If Ambition turned out to be on the side of Evil and a destructive personality became the owner of ambition, then society will expect a shock if such a person comes to power.

Society is interested in cultivating healthy career and professional ambition in people. Healthy ambition is an extremely positive personality quality, and it is necessary to develop it, because it motivates people to productive social activities.
There is nothing more natural than the desire to provide your family with housing, and if possible, a separate house with a garage, garden and swimming pool. It is more than natural for a person to want to give his children a better education than the one he himself received, to send them on vacation abroad to ski and sail on a yacht. Even though all these are just components of status, will a person work overtime if he is deprived of such a lure? Who would sit up all night reading books without hoping for a higher degree?
In other words, it is difficult to imagine the progress of mankind in isolation from the Ambitions of its most proactive and enterprising representatives.

Ambition as part of other qualities of Character

Ambition by itself, without connection with other positive personality traits, turns into empty fantasy. When he has purposefulness, perseverance, perseverance, constancy, determination and responsibility as his allies, it turns into a formidable force that crushes all obstacles.
An inspired and inspired ambitious person frantically asserts himself in his chosen environment. Ambition directs every calorie toward the realization of a goal; it is like a clot of colossal energy directed toward a goal.

Pronounced h love of selfishness

Exorbitant, hypertrophied, not supported by its own significance, ambition comes close in its qualitative properties to cheap vanity. Morbid ambition, associated, as in the case of vanity, with the acquisition of vain fame, causes a feeling of chronic dissatisfaction with life, suffering and worries, envy of other people's successes, sacrificing love for children, spouse and friends.

Enemies of Ambition

Ambition has two enemies - an unfulfilled dream and not your own, but an achieved goal. There was not enough talent, and the dream remained a dream. When this happens, ambition looks for excuses, attributing the collapse of its hopes to time, circumstances, bad luck, evil fate and the machinations of enemies.
In the second case, this is a mistake in setting the Goal, and Ambition tries to understand why the peak was taken, but there was no happiness. The understanding that I was going towards someone else’s goal, imposed from the outside, adds even more suffering.
Someone else's goal came under the influence of stereotypes, false beliefs, beliefs and the influence of others, a lack of Basic Concepts and Human Values.

Each individual has his own idea of bad and good character traits. A certain person can evaluate some qualities as positive, others as negative. While another person will give these concepts a completely different characteristic. We all decide for ourselves what is bad and what is good for us, and it is impossible to give an exact definition to the concept of “honor” or “ambition.”

Definition of the term ambition

Wikipedia gives us the following definition of the term “ambition”: the character-based desire of an individual to achieve success in accordance with personal goals in such areas of life as personal productivity, success, recognition, influence, leadership, knowledge or power. Thus, ambition is an individual’s desire to achieve certain successes. We can conclude that this quality is positive in nature, because an individual’s desire to achieve heights cannot be considered a negative personality quality. However, many psychologists take the opposite point of view.

An ambitious person in psychology is an individual who is in constant search of veneration and respect from other people. He likes it when people literally “look into his mouth”, admiring his exploits and successes. Such people can be found both in fairy tales and in real life. Let's give an example from the literature. A character named Ambitious appears in a popular fairy tale for adults. Saint-Exupery perfectly represents the individual in The Little Prince who wants everyone to admire and imitate him.

Signs of an ambitious personality

The term “ambition” can be broken down into two words: honor and love. The phrase “love honor” sounds positive only if the individual who craves honor actually does good deeds and achieves success towards his goal. The other side of this aspect is the desire to achieve set goals no matter what, while infringing on the interests of others and putting one’s own person above others. In psychology, this is an indicator of selfish behavior, which is not a positive personality trait. Many great psychologists have said that selfishness is a sin of the human soul.

There are several signs by which you can recognize an ambitious person.

Selfishness- This is the first sign of a selfish individual. A person striving for veneration is an egoist. In ethics, there is the concept of “exploitative orientation,” according to which a person uses the people around him to achieve his own goals. Such people are not accepted by society; it is difficult for them to make friends and acquaintances. For an ambitious person, honor is just a mirage that they want to create in order to rise in the eyes of others.
Ambition among ambitious people they are usually overestimated, but not justified. An individual may set too many goals that he cannot achieve both physically and emotionally. An ambitious person may lie about the amount of work he is able to do. Such an individual can easily lie for his own benefit.
Pride- This is one of the signs that distinguishes an ambitious person. It should never be confused with pride. Pride is one of the deadly sins. Such people usually have high self-esteem; they have a high opinion of themselves and their capabilities. Such people are also not accepted by society and are rejected by it.
Acute response to criticism- This is a fairly common sign found in ambitious people. When forming a personality, two paths arise - accept criticism and adequately evaluate it, or reject criticism and react sharply to it. People who desire honor usually cannot take criticism well and react aggressively and irritably.

How to get rid of ambition

The roots of this quality lie in childhood. If a child has always been taught to be first, get excellent grades, excel in all activities, and do everything “better than everyone else,” he may develop a desire to receive honors and praise for the work he does. It is worth remembering that ambition is a negative and positive quality that has its advantages and disadvantages. If an individual feels that he wants to get rid of it, it is worth looking for the reasons for the emergence of such a character trait in early childhood.

There are various trainings and exercises that allow you to fight ambition.

An important point in any of these exercises is determining the individual’s self-esteem and correct analysis. Self-esteem can be:

adequate;
inadequate;
average;
high;
low.

The ideal indicator is an average adequate self-esteem. With adequate analysis, people who strive for veneration notice that their self-esteem is high and inadequate. In some cases, ambitious people have high adequate self-esteem.

Ambitious people in some cases actually achieve great success. A striking example is Steve Jobs. He considered himself an ambitious, moderately selfish person who reacts sharply to criticism. Thus, each individual decides for himself whether ambition is a positive or negative personality trait, and then decides whether to get rid of this quality or, conversely, develop it.