book.chapter Explore the competitive landscape

To thrive in the business world, ambition is a necessity. However, the key lies in striking the right equilibrium. Excessive ambition can lead to recklessness and potentially even ruthlessness. It's crucial to aspire for improvement while concurrently comprehending your "Why". Your Why is the driving force that propels you to push forward when faced with adversity and when initial attempts don't yield the desired results. To truly commit to the grand game, identify your Why. Nothing in business is accomplished without ambition. It must be a fundamental component of your emotional constitution for you to progress, and genuine ambition necessitates struggle before achieving something of value. In simple terms, to progress, you must be ambitious. Without ambition, you lack the personal drive and tenacity needed to advance. Hence, be receptive and maintain a positive attitude towards being ambitious. All great achievers possess this characteristic. As 17th-century philosopher Sir Francis Bacon stated, ambitious individuals, if they find the path clear for their ascent and continue to progress, are more industrious than dangerous. However, if their desires are thwarted, they become secretly discontent, viewing people and situations with a malevolent eye, and derive pleasure when things regress, which is the most detrimental trait in a servant of a prince or state. When directed appropriately, ambition serves as a catalyst for creativity and accomplishment. Ambitious individuals are industrious and active. Issues arise when ambitious individuals are denied the opportunity to follow their passions. In such cases, ambition can transform into a destructive force. You need sufficient ambition to motivate you to take reasonable risks and related actions, but not so much that you become reckless. This dynamic is also applicable in military careers. The most successful military leaders in history have been those who have the audacity to take bold risks without succumbing to senseless follies. As Sun Tzu, a Chinese general and war strategist from the 6th century BC, stated, in the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity. In reality, ambition is a potent tool in the hands of someone who acts with integrity. The United States of America has always been a land of ambitious individuals, and there is no other place on the planet where ambition and sensible risk-taking are rewarded more. The founding fathers of the republic were all risk-takers as they established the world's first government for the people, by the people. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and businessmen like Henry Ford were incredibly ambitious, and this drove them to success. As Wes Berry stated, ambition is like money. It is neutral in itself. It’s up to us to use it to do good... or not. But you know what? If you really have a desire to succeed in your business, it is absolutely going to take ambition— that is, the really good kind. Let’s be clear here: your very desire to succeed IS your ambition. Embrace it! Without ambition, your chances of success in business are pretty slim. Thanks to the underlying ethos of ambition, the American economy has outperformed every other economy in the world. The American business climate offers the richest environment for success in business. It might not seem that way when there is gridlock in Washington and other social issues bubbling to the surface, but the reality is the U.S. Constitution enshrined various kinds of checks and balances to a concentration of power in one person or even one institution. Gridlock and difficulty in getting changes made are healthy signs the Constitution is functioning as it should rather than warning signs of impending doom. While ambition is beneficial and a great business ecosystem is highly advantageous, to truly excel, you must clarify your "Why". You must decide why you're doing what you want to do in the future. As Wes Berry stated, the great game IS a great game, but only if you know in your heart of hearts why you’re playing in it. Does it seem too basic to you? Okay, I guess on the surface it might. But it’s important to know. When things get tough— as they do nearly every day— it's your “why” that’ll get you out of bed in the morning. Most likely, your Why will have a financial component and target, and that's fine, but it's the other dimensions of Why that are significant: What do you hope to accomplish at the same time as you provide for your family? What kind of value do you hope to add in the world? Which of your talents and abilities are you looking to leverage? How do you hope to make your mark in the game? Are you hoping to establish a revenue stream by helping the public use some new products or services you provide? Are you looking to put a dent in the universe? Admittedly, these kinds of thoughts are lofty and idealistic, but figuring out your Why can make all the difference. The game of business is tough. The competitors you will face are incredibly fierce and aggressive. There's no way you will achieve anything worthwhile without battling through setbacks, mishaps, obstacles, and blunders. Some, if not most of these, will be self-imposed, so when you're relying on yourself toughing it out, you have to know Why you're in the game. As John D. Rockefeller stated, the person who starts out simply with the idea of getting rich won't succeed; you must have a larger ambition. There is no mystery in business success. If you do each day's task successfully, and stay faithfully within these natural operations of commercial laws which I talk so much about, and keep your head clear, you will come out all right. When things get tough, it's your Why that will give you tenacity and the ability to keep stepping forward.