AMBITION

“Ambition is the force that drives you to greatness. A goal is for a moment, ambition is for a monument.” - Terry Mante

BILL GATES (1955 - )

APRIL 4 1975 – Albuquerque, New Mexico; United States. At the founding of Microsoft, 19-year old Bill Gates declared that his company would place “a computer on every desk and in every home…” This audacious mission was conceived at a time when there was no sign that most people would even encounter a computer in their lives or find the need to even buy or own one.

At the time, Gates’ vision was a castle in the air. It was seen as a hallucination. However, decades later a computer on every desk is not a dream. It is an impending reality. In fact, the craze is now for a computer in the hands of every person, not on a desk or in a home but in the hands of people. Gates did not set out to become the wealthiest man in his generation; his focus was on becoming a significant person. He sought to influence how the world runs.

His quest for influence drove him to make tough choices and sacrifices – such as dropping out of Harvard; which implied denying himself a college degree. The quest for influence fuelled by hard work, passion and sacrifice led Bill Gates to build a formidable business enterprise and became one of the world’s wealthiest men.

THOMAS EDISON (1847 - 1931)
IN JANUARY 1894, a new page of entertainment opened to the world when the first motion picture was produced and received copyright. The film, titled Edison Kinetographic Record of a Sneeze featured a Thomas Edison worker Fred Ott sneezing. The film was produced by William Dickson, the associate who helped Edison to develop the kinetograph and the kinetoscope.

What Edison had in mind when he worked on the technology is marvelling. Hear him as he reflected on the future of motion pictures:

“I consider that the greatest mission of the motion picture is first to make people happy… to bring joy and cheer and wholesome good into this world of ours. And God knows we need it.

Second – to educate, elevate and inspire. I believe that motion picture is destined to revolutionise our educational system, and that in a few years it will supplant largely, if not entirely, the use of text books in our schools…
The education of the future, as I see it, will be conducted through the medium of the motion picture, a visualised education, where it should be possible to obtain a one-hundred per cent efficiency."

Edison wanted to see a more joyful, cheerful and wholesome world; a world where people are happy. He wanted the educational system to be more practical, useful and effective. He was not just interested in becoming a renowned inventor. More importantly, he wanted to achieve something great for the world, just like Gates.
So I ask you…

WHAT IS YOUR AMBITION?
YOU CANNOT have a significant life if you are not driven by a strong desire to be successful and achieve something great. What is driving your life? What great thing do you want to achieve with your life for the world? Why do you want to achieve something great?

Ambition is the force that drives you to greatness. If you want to be great, you need to be ambitious. Greatness is the means by which you make a statement in the world. Your greatness goes beyond your personal success. Your greatness is the representation of your life in the world.

Ambition is not the same as a goal. A goal is something that is rational and achievable within a short space of time. A goal may form part of ambition but ambition is far bigger than a goal. Whereas a goal is for a moment, ambition is for a monument – it is a lifetime commitment. It is a trans generational imprint.
Are you living just so that you can have a huge mansion, a fancy car or designer clothes? No! No! No! Have an ambition – a big one.

DREAM BIG. THINK BIG… IRRATIONALLY
ANYBODY who makes a difference dreams big. You will never be better than your dreams and your thoughts. If you want to be big in the world, you must think big. Dream big! You must rise above little things and let your thoughts be on superior values. Don’t just think; think BIG. Sometimes, rational thinking can limit your ambition and your greatness.

When Thomas Edison suggested to a young assistant that they make a pact not to sleep until they had found solution to a problem, the young assistant complained, “I have tried every reasonable thing I could think of, and no result. Not even a lead!” but Edison chuckled and said, “That’s where your trouble has been. You have tried only reasonable things, you’ll have to begin thinking up unreasonable things to try, and then you’ll hit the solution in no time.”

Don’t be afraid to think big. Dare to think even if there is no box. Be bold. Be ambitious!



© 2012 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana