Sunday scribbles #15: What's your ambition?

Last week I have been fortunate again to work at an event with amazing people. This was an event for the company who won the '2020 company of the year'-award. Yes yes, for the bright: that was indeed two years ago, but something called 'a pandemic' didn't really make it possible to organize parties or dinners with many people. At this event my task was to be the right hand of the person who organized everything. In my eyes this meant being everywhere at all times, and knowing everyone, so that when something had to be done, you lose as few time as possible looking for the specific problem-solvers. I had yet to work for the person in charge, which is always kind of exciting because you don't know exactly what to expect. Sometimes you easily connect and sometimes it can take some effort to bite your tongue. Luckily for me, a connection was made quite fast. I am not too fond of small talk, which is a little contradictory because working as a host, you actually engage in small talk pretty often, especially with attendees who sometimes seem to live for those talks. Now this man was quite the opposite, and after some short conversations in between tasks, he asked me one of the most interesting questions: "What is your ambition?".

Many of you know that I focus a lot on self-development. Whereas I have had a past where I just read books about it, I am now actually putting this into practice. I am doing my best to steering my life in the direction I want, and getting tips 'n tricks from books or friends really help a lot. There's still a long way to go, but I do believe I am on the right track... Until I get questions like these. What's your ambition... What's your passion... What's your goal... I never find it easy to answer these questions. One of the reasons is that I have yet to create my life plan and write down more specific goals in my life. At this point I have a direction, and I know where I want to go, but it isn't very well defined. Right now I am beyond happy with the life I am living, and the most important thing is to keep enjoying this ride I am on. Now you will probably want to know what I answered. Well, without admitting it too much, I want to live a rich life. Rich in a broader sense than only a stacked bank account. Here I have to add that money is one part of the equation though, and this is the part I answered when asked that question. "I want to be a millionaire.", is what I said. When saying this, I immediately starting quoting Rubeus Hagrid in my head: "I shouldn't have said that, I shouldn't have said that". Sometimes you don't give the answers you want, but you get the reply you need. The man calmly answered: "If being a millionaire is your goal, you won't achieve it".

Now, even though I don't totally agree with this (thanks to books like Think and grow rich, The secret and Master your mindset), I do believe there is strong value in those words. I think that for some people this will work. Some people are so focussed on becoming a millionaire, that they will find ways to achieve this. But for me, there is more than just that. I don't just want to become a millionaire, this won't make me happy. I have said it in some recent posts. Even with that much money in the bank, my life will most likely look the same for the biggest part. The only differences will be that our holidays will occur more often, and our house would be a little bit bigger. Stuff that won't increase my happiness level that much, mainly because I am already smiling most of the time when I think about my life. When becoming a millionaire, I want to have achieved it by doing something I love, and that should be the main goal: do what you love. In most cases, money will follow. Except if gambling and drugs are the things you love, then downhill is the most probable way to go. So the value in his answer is that different opinions make you think. As a teen I would have been quick to think 'nevermind his answer, I've read tons of books which say that this goal is achievable'. I'm happy that I am not that guy anymore, especially when I am talking to people who have way more life experience than me. So I don't need to tell you that more conversations that followed with this man, were more precious than the money I earned that day (and for one day I did earn some decent money in my eyes, but that again is of course relative).

Following that day I have been thinking a lot about his question, and things that were said. Also about why I answered that being a millionaire was my ambition. Part of me does want to become a millionaire, but saying it out loud sounds very surreal. I am trying to believe that it is possible, but it's easier said than done. I think one of the reasons I have a difficult time believing this, is because of our society and our social circle. For this I want to give an example by the inspirational Michael Pylarczyk. This week I encountered a video of him where he says the following story. He was at a birthday party of his niece. They both sat together, away from the crowd, looking at the moon. She asked him what he was thinking. He answered: "I am thinking about the moon, and about being there, looking down on our wonderful Earth". His young niece, somewhere around the age of 8, asked him if it was possible to go there. Michael, being Michael, replied that if she believes she could go there, that it would be possible. She could come with him. The girl was so happy, she ran over to her parents and shouted: "Mom, dad! I'm going to the moon with uncle Michael!!". Her parents, knowing Michael very well, sighed and told her how silly she was. They told her that people don't go to the moon, that she had to abondon that idea. The girl was quite down afterwards and indeed, let the idea go. Allthough there are things that just aren't possible, the biggest ideas are killed by sharing them with the wrong people. Children often have big dreams, but we, adults, are quick to put them with their two feet on the ground, and this is one of the worst things we can do. I mean, chances are that if we were to encourage children to go after their dreams, no matter how big, that there are indeed children who will achieve them. Who are we to say that his niece couldn't go to the moon. There's always a possibility, if you put your mind to it and work towards that goal. So let's not try and kill eachothers dreams, and instead, encourage one another to chase after it. It's like Norman Vincent Peale once beautifully said:

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.”

In being able to answer questions like 'What is your ambition', I am planning to write them down. This won't be done during a 2 hour writing session, and it will involve some more reading and a lot of reflecting. But I have to be honest with myself and admit that I have been procrastinating with this. No clear idea on why, maybe because it feels so real and can be very confronting. Oh well, the seed has long been planted, and various connections are watering it without even knowing to do so, for which I am beyond grateful.