Everyone in this world is driven by ambition, be it a good or wicked one. The scope of this ambition could be for temporary or long-term purpose. Most of the time, aspiration is propelled by inspiration. Inspiration is that person, thing, occasion or a place that motivates or encourages you to pursue certain goals or adopt a lifestyle for yourself.
The humility of Jesus Christ, for example, can be an inspiration for somebody willing to live a simple and godly life. Likewise, the opportunity of a good standard of living and access to infrastructures in developed countries could be the force behind someone in a developing country who is bent on going abroad at all cost.
Our inspiration should be based on things that will not only be for our advantage but also for the benefit of many others so that in the process of time, they too can tap from it. The world would be a peaceful place to live in if our aspirations are rooted in love and justice. Injustice brings about hatred and violence while love promotes peace, unity and faith. It’s important to have our ambitions in life tailored to follow the ‘live and let others live’ concept.
The ambition of Adolf Hitler of Germany to rule the whole world by military aggression and invasion of sovereign countries, led to World War II. This is an example of a selfish and destructive ambition. Every ambition that does not give deep consideration for the lives and wellbeing of others, must be rejected. Hitler’s story depicts that bad leadership and destructive ambition will not have root in human society, because sooner or later, it would be cut off.
The Role Of Integrity In Life Ambition
Olatunji Akanbi Odu in his book presentation titled My Audacity few months before he died at eighty-seven years old said, “I never got involved in bribe-taking and never offered any till date. Truly, contentment is medicinal and I feel fulfilled in life with peace of mind.”
This is a great testimony worthy of emulation. Truly, bribe-taking perverts justice and destroys institutions that are meant to keep specific systems working for the betterment of all. If majority were to live lives consistent with the word of God, the world of today would have been a better place to live in with satisfaction.
The basis for moral value stems from integrity. It is a pillar for universal honour and respect for any individual who manifests the character. “Character is what you do when no one else is looking.”
Men of integrity value what is honest, true, noble, trustworthy, kind and right, ahead of personal gain. Once integrated into your foundational operating system, integrity ceases to be optional but instead becomes a way of life.
Integrity involves rooting yourself in a moral foundation; look for the positive, resist the temptation to compartmentalize your life and determine to live for others ahead of yourself. The root enemy of integrity is selfishness.
Be accountable, partner with a friend where you need to make progress, make it a habit to share everything with your wife. When we don’t keep any secrets from our spouses, it has a good impact on who we are. Practice the habit of imagining the presence of someone whose opinion you value. Integrity requires a man to live a consistent lifestyle; an inconsistent lifestyle is chameleonic.
To achieve a positive and progressive ambition, you must be definite, focused and put a time to it. Nearly everyone nurses the ambition of becoming an authority in their chosen fields or professions. The western educational system covering technology and human relations has provided different platforms for attaining one’s ambition in all human endeavours.
An outstanding individual in any field extensively becomes a source of inspiration for many others who the individual’s success will motivate to go into that profession. It suffices to say that in every field one chooses in life, one must be conscious of laying enduring acceptable values and be a good example for others to follow. It takes personal discipline, courage, integrity and selflessness to become an acceptable leader to millions of people. Every recognized leader is a mentor that mentees look up to for character adoption.
There have been great leaders who have impacted their society and global community positively; there have also been others who impacted their society and the global community in the negative direction. The truth is, posterity will judge every good leader while history will not be kind to the bad ones. What will posterity remember you for?
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