Newsletter 113: What does it mean to be ambitious?
If you were to ask most people if they consider themselves ambitious, I believe the majority would say yes. These days, it almost feels embarrassing to admit that you’ve stepped out of the rat race and are content with what you have.
Nevertheless, I don't think the answer to this question is as simple as a yes or no. Ambition exists on a spectrum, but society often prefers to categorize people in a binary way.
It’s no wonder we see so much division online, with people attacking each other and trying to fit their ideological beliefs into one of these categories: Are you a Democrat or Republican? Do you care about the environment or not? Are you embracing EA (Effective Altruism) or E/acc (Effective Accelerationism)?
Labeling people using such simplistic terms rarely helps in truly understanding them. Throughout the years, I've realized that opinions on any topic fall on a spectrum.
Some people might feel strongly about an issue, while others might hold the opposite view. While some individuals sit at the polar extremes of an issue, most views are spread across the spectrum.
The same applies to ambition.
Several years ago, I co-founded a business with a friend, and we often clashed over the company's direction. It felt like we were pulling the business in different directions, yet we lacked the maturity to sit down and have a constructive conversation about it. We kept pushing and pulling until, one day, I had a thought. I approached my friend and expressed that the cause of our disagreements might be our different kinds of ambitions. Unfortunately, in my frustration, I blurted out, "Oh, now I get it, you're simply not ambitious," which did not sit well with him, leading to an argument...
My communication skills were not as polished as they are today, and I didn’t understand then that ambition can manifest in different ways. His ambition was to build a lifestyle business and spend time with his loved ones, while I wanted to push harder to create something much bigger than ourselves and thus postpone financial returns if needed.
Since then, I’ve had many similar conversations in which I awkwardly tried to explain to people that their ambitions might not be as intense as mine or those of others I have met—and that’s perfectly okay. Do what makes you happy. Not everyone needs to aspire to change the world.
However, I often find that these discussions offend people. As I mentioned earlier, people do not want to be perceived as non-ambitious. So, after some reflection, I’ve decided to sit down and clarify my thoughts on what it truly means to be ambitious.
When I think of ambition, I often imagine a spectrum that goes like this.
On the far left side, you have people who are perfectly happy to be couch potatoes and watch TV all day without contributing much to society. Here, I do not mean to judge their choices but rather to exemplify an extreme perspective.
On the very other side of the spectrum, you have people like Elon Musk, who are tackling the world’s biggest problems, such as global warming, the fact that Earth may die someday, and the dangers of AI if not developed thoughtfully.
Other people who fall closely behind Elon on the ambition spectrum include founders like Steve Jobs or even historical figures like Ernest Shackleton, who undertook one of the most perilous expeditions in the name of exploration.
Then, there’s the rest of humanity, positioned somewhere along that spectrum. This perspective might provoke debates, with some questioning whether only founders deserve to be called highly ambitious. While I am sympathetic to the critics, I still believe that founders play a disproportionate role in shaping society.
I approach the world from a pragmatic standpoint, believing that while dialogue on important topics is valuable, it is through action that we solve the most pressing problems. Those in society who possess a strong bias for action and the ability to deliver are, in my view, the true heroes. Therefore, action is the cornerstone of ambition. Without action, one might never make tangible progress and instead end up battling imaginary foes, much like Don Quixote’s fight against windmills.
The second component of ambition is sacrifice. Founders take on significant risks in their pursuit of solving problems. These risks include career uncertainty, fear of failure, mental health challenges, financial strain, and even the potential alienation of loved ones in the quest for something greater than themselves. Yet, founders embrace these risks and engage in an uphill battle that often costs them nearly everything, but in the process, they make the world a little better—through solving major problems and contributing to GDP growth.
The third component of ambition is working on something much larger than your immediate circle. True ambition involves creating value that extends beyond personal gain and positively impacts the broader society. This is crucial because we must aspire to solve large problems. Problems don’t naturally solve themselves. The opposite of progress is not stagnation, it’s entropy. Therefore, problems are resolved through significant effort, with smart and capable individuals coming together, united by a vision of a better world.
We should never take for granted the remarkable economic growth our world has experienced over the past several centuries—it is the result of relentless ambition and collective action.
These days, when I think of ambition, I try not to categorize people into the polar extremes of a spectrum. Instead, I ask questions to understand their aspirations better. In doing so, I've noticed that where you live greatly influences your ambition. For instance, when I meet Europeans, they often view work as secondary, prioritizing work-life balance and building happy families. In contrast, my experiences in Asia reveal a strong ambition for financial independence, often followed by a focus on family. While Europeans are generally content with being middle class and benefiting from a solid welfare system, my Asian friends aspire to accumulate wealth, surpass the middle class, and build prosperous families in the process.
An interesting observation is that Europeans tend to be more altruistic; they care deeply (sometimes excessively) about the environment and contribute positively to the world. Meanwhile, people in Asia are less focused on altruism and are more willing to run even the most mundane businesses as long as they provide the means for further growth.
Conversely, Americans tend to be more ambitious than both Europeans and Asians. While the U.S. has its share of challenges, one thing it has in abundance is ambition. Recently, I've spoken to several founders based in Singapore who are absolutely certain that if the opportunity arises, they will move to the U.S., believing it offers the platform to truly realize their potential.
Of course, these are broad generalizations and highly subjective observations. Both Europe and Asia encompass diverse cultures, races, and nations. My experiences are specifically tied to places like Bulgaria, Denmark, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan.
However, they illustrate how location can impact ambition. When I lived in Denmark, I found it almost embarrassing to talk about money. It felt as though society frowned upon such aspirations, so I became a more altruistic version of myself, deeply concerned with the environment and social causes.
When I moved to Asia, the experience was quite the opposite. I was looked down upon for not being "ambitious for cash." In this environment, a person’s worth is often measured by their earnings, regardless of their profession. It was a much more capitalistic, and in the case of Singapore, even meritocratic approach. Over time, I came to appreciate the value of financial resources and how they can serve as a platform to pursue more altruistic goals.
The point I’m making is that the fourth and final component of ambition is surrounding yourself with like-minded people. You need to be around those who dream bigger than you, who take action on those dreams, and who aren’t embarrassed to speak openly about their aspirations. This kind of environment fuels your ambition and shapes the story you tell yourself.
These days, I gravitate towards founders because they embody the far extreme of the ambition spectrum, charging me with energy and optimism about the future. In fact, I often advise startups on scaling internationally, and in the process, I’m exposed to many highly ambitious and intelligent people. While I’m well aware of the high probability of failure that startups face, the fact that so many outliers in society—who embody the components of ambition I’ve described—are working to make the world a better place inspires my own aspirations to contribute in meaningful ways.
I hope these reflections inspire you to take action toward becoming the change you wish to see in the world. Fuel your curiosity, find big problems worth solving, follow your instincts, shoot your shot, and be willing to sacrifice in pursuit of what must be done. Strive to be the most ambitious version of yourself.