Dateline: July 10, 2017
DEAR ABBY: My son, Allen, is 27 and a pretty good writer, mostly fantasy stuff. I don’t like that genre myself, but I have enjoyed reading some of his work. He writes not only short stories but also entire books.
I have tried to convince him to submit his work to publishers to no avail. He has a college degree, but doesn’t use it. He’s content working a minimum-wage job when he could be doing what he loves and possibly make a living at it. Oh! And he still lives at home and does very little work around the house. Advice, please? — FRUSTRATED FATHER
https://www.arcamax.com/healthandspirit/lifeadvice/dearabby/s-1974313
NOTE: This “Dear Abby” writer leaves out some key information … like whether or not the living-at-home son is paying back college debt, paying rent, or sharing other expenses. If not, the price tag on household “Cost of Living” expense and associated effort should be assessed, according to his fair-market value ability to pay … which may mean cutting out any “discretionary” income and/or possibly getting a second minimum-wage job.
am’biSH€n noun
“A strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work :: determination to achieve success.
Synonyms: aspiration, intention, goal aim, objective, object, purpose, intent, plan, desire, wish, design, target, dream, drive, determination, enterprise, industry, initiative, eagerness, motivation, resolve, enthusiasm, zeal, hunger, commitment, sense of purpose
“her ambition was to become a diplomat“
Curiously, this posting includes an analysis of the usage of the term “ambition” in surveyed writings from 1800 through 2008, showing an 83.3% DECREASE in mentions of the word “ambition” during that period. Stated in the reverse, usage of the term “ambition” was SIX TIMES as prevalent in 1800 writings as it was in 2008!
But “ambition” is no less a challenge in 2017 AD than it was in 1800 AD or in 500 BC.
“Whatever you do, do with all your might.”
Marcus Tullius Cicero (428 BC)
“Concern should drive us into action and not into a depression.
No man is free who cannot control himself.”
Pythagoras (560 BC)
In fact, it may be MORE of a challenge in the 21st Century, due to the fact that there’s more of everything to be had – and it’s all more easily accessible with less effort, there is less “hunger and thirst” for a better world, more diversions, and fewer readily “graspable” new horizons to visualize. In addition, the “lowest hanging fruit” has already been plucked, and there’s no sense of urgency to climb a ladder that many in the third world would consider to have already breached “reasonable possibilities”.
But AMBITION still matters! If we’re not “DRIVEN into action” by someone or something above and beyond ourselves, our personal world tends to become gray, small and shallow with increasing echoes of disappointment, regret and a feeling of betrayal … that this wasn’t really what we “bargained for” … and “nobody ever told us this could happen”!
Ambition cures many ills, including depression, despondency, hopelessness, haplessness, helplessness, apathy, depravity, desperation, and orneriness.
Some believe there is greater nobility and “peace of mind” in being satisfied and content with what “is” and with what one “has” rather than being discontent with what isn’t or could be.
From this perspective, it is felt by many that the Almighty will supply whatever they need. But there is a big disconnect at the interface between heaven and earth where man is given the charge to pull himself together and cultivate what he needs – with everything the Almighty has already GIVEN him – “by the sweat of his brow”.
The story is told of a man of great Faith caught in a great flood. Found clinging to the chimney of his house as torrents of water rush by, he sees a guy in a row boat come by to offer assistance, but he cries out, “God will save me!” Shortly after, a Coast Guard rescue boat comes by, but, again, the man cried out, “God will save me!” Finally, as he is about to go under, a helicopter shows up, but, once again, he cries out “God will save me!” When he finally goes under and ends up at the pearly gates, he throws a fit because God DIDN’T save him. He then hears a ponderous voice: “I sent you a row boat, the Coast Guard and a helicopter. What else could you possibly have expected?”
We acknowledge the fact that ambition can easily bleed into becoming the Eighth Vice. Of such, we need to be extremely circumspect.
But Dreams are not the sole province of kings and conquistadors. They are the most democratizing forces in human development and in civilization at large! If America has become less “Great” than it was in the past, one might conjecture that it has become so largely due to a loss of DREAMS and a shortage of AMBITION! Further, much of the ambition in America is now imported. But, to be fair, most of the ambition that made America GREAT in the first place was imported!
What DRIVES you?
What DRIVES ME …
- To make my mother proud!
- To BECOME everything I CAN become
- To KNOW
- To UNDERSTAND
- To be IN CONTROL / COMMAND of as much of my own Destiny as possible
- To be RESPECTED / certifiably “Esteemable”
- To “OWN” some corner of the universe
- To justify other’s high EXPECTATIONS
- To justify MY OWN EXPECTATIONS
- To expand NAVIGABILITY
- To expand NEGOTIABILITY
- To MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE than it was when I came into it
- Simply to BE OF USE … to be of SERVICE … to offer some level of PAY BACK
“Winning” certainly isn’t the end all and be all in life. But winning SOMETHING is really important … even if it’s “winning” against abject failure. Our sense of wellbeing, control, navigability and negotiability are all at stake. But we have to be circumspect about faux winning strategies … like simply trying to “Beat the System”. The “System” can be “beaten” any number of ways in any number of microcosmic “battles” – up until the entire macrocosmic “war” has been lost.
One of the most disconcerting circumstances is not having opportunity – nowhere to meaningfully direct ambition. It is moderately alarming that, even in increasing numbers of “first world” countries, it can be said:
“… life offered few opportunities for young people with ambition.“
But here is where we must look beyond “givens” … beyond the obvious … beyond “low-hanging fruit”. Thank goodness for Dreamers who are constantly looking for new frontiers in science, engineering, medicine, social justice and the environment – along with many other areas of engagement. If you can’t find and formulate your own Dream, latch onto somebody else’s Dream that’s more than big enough to share. While opportunities in the orbit you now inhabit may be extremely limited, it’s neversomuch too soon to begin moving toward a higher orbit. I expect to see you heading toward the stratosphere in the near future. Make your mother proud! Quartermaster