Category: Blog

Posted on

11 Examples of Ambition in Life and Work to Get You Inspired

Ambition in Life and Work

Sometimes you need a little kick-start — something to spark some energy and help you move forward. You know what you need to hear right now: examples of ambition.

Ambition affects everyone differently. But it always creates a strong desire to improve and achieve. It’s what human beings need to reach their goals and live more meaningful lives.

Just to be clear, ambition isn’t something you mix into your smoothie each day to accelerate a transformation. It takes plenty of grit and effort to develop and maintain. But after you’ve learned how to be ambitious, you’ll realize you know more about yourself than you thought.

Why is ambition important?

Let’s start by outlining the definition of ambition. Ambition is a strong desire to achieve whatever goals you set for yourself. It’s the spark inside you that compels you to keep putting effort into whatever you’re doing.

So why is ambition important? Without it, you wouldn’t work toward your goals — and you probably wouldn’t do any goal-setting at all. This driving force springs you into action and keeps you looking to the future. It motivates you to face new challenges head-on and works hard to develop. And it’s all about pursuing your purpose and trying to live a more meaningful life.

No one is born with ambition, and it isn’t a trait you do or don’t possess. Some days, you might feel like your ambition is lower than usual, but it never truly disappears. Your ambition helps you focus on what you desire to achieve and gives you a reason to succeed. Your focus isn’t always as strong or intent, but it’ll always return. Your desires will still be there in the back of your mind.

An ambitious person has a few qualities that set them apart from the unambitious. Research has found seven groups of important psychological characteristics in ambitious people that help them achieve their goals:

  1. Continuously planning and setting specific goals to keep them focused
  2. Staying motivated to achieve their goals and desire for self-actualization
  3. Only being satisfied with themselves when they reach their goals
  4. Competitively working alongside others, but for the sake of growth and success
  5. Willingly making changes in their lives to better pursue their goals and purpose
  6. Willingly taking risks but maintaining rational thinking and self-regulation
  7. Keeping flexibility in critical thinking and staying open to new ideas to help solve problems

6 examples of ambition in life

Ambition in life is displayed in many ways. You display your ambition in subtle and not-so-subtle ways to those around you. It also subtly impacts your mindset, causing you to strive to do better, sustain your efforts, and think of the future but still be present.

Heads up: these ambition examples aren’t too specific to show you that you can adopt any of them into your life. They’re all ways to let your ambition shine and can act as a template for you to set your specific goals.

Here are six ambition examples in life to review:

  1. Wanting to be great at something: If you’re going to have a hobby or skill set, you want to be great at it. Not OK or decent, but it great. Spending hours practicing this will help elevate you from amateur to expert.
  2. Being passionate: Life’s too short to live without what you’re passionate about. You’ll strive to find meaning in life and enjoy your lifestyle.
  3. Being persistent: You want to be an ambitious person, so you won’t give up easily. You’ll be willing to learn new skills and set long-term goals if it means achieving success.
  4. Making a difference: You’ll strive to make a difference in both your community and life. You’ll always try to see how things might be improved for you and others.
  5. Having a vision: Visualization is key. You’ll have a clear idea of what you want to achieve in life. Even if you don’t know how you’ll achieve it yet, you’ll still know your values and dreams.
  6. Exuding self-motivation: Nobody has to tell you twice to work hard toward your personal goals. Your great ambition won’t let you sit around and scroll on social media all day. This motivation will extend to everything you do, helping you act with purpose and intention.

5 examples of ambition at work

Ambition is a desirable skill at work. Think about it; it’ll make you strive to do better, set new goals, and stay dedicated to your work. It will even make your resume stand out by showing that you have a growth mindset. You’re interested in growing and moving up, not just staying where you are.

Ambition at work has three categories: performance, growth, and achievement. But what’s key is to find a balance between all of them. Well-rounded career ambitions help you be more creative, aid your work-life balance, and leave you more satisfied.

With that in mind, here are five examples of ambitions at work:

  1. Creating a plan for your career path: If you’re ambitious, you often think about the present and the future. Your ambition helps you plan your career, where you want to end up, and how you’ll develop as a professional.
  2. Listening to feedback: You’re bound to make mistakes. Everyone is. But your mistakes are learning opportunities to help improve your performance for next time. Seize the opportunity to receive feedback and note how you might improve.
  3. Wanting to be an expert: Being an expert is what all the goals you’ve set and achieved have brought you after years of hard work. If you aren’t yet a master at your craft, it might mean you just need more time — but the desire shows the grit and determination of ambition.
  4. Owning your own business: After years of working for others, you might want to be your own boss. The desire to start a new company and invite others to join you might be one of your main motivators.
  5. Striving to be a mentor: Someone likely mentored you when you entered the industry, and maybe you’d like to return the favor. Mentors guide others on their career paths by teaching them new skills and offering career advice. In this position, all of your growth and achievements help you give back to others and feel fulfilled.

Habits you can put into practice

You want to be an ambitious person, but how do you put your goals and ambitions into practice? Knowing what you want is one thing. Doing it is another.

Ambitious people have certain habits that help them stand out compared to people who aren’t as ambitious. You might not notice it right away, but it’s in the details. Small things contribute to how ambitious you are and your mindset toward achieving personal or career aspirations.

If you need some healthy habits to support the goals you’re chasing, try these out:

  • Find a social group with similar goals. Do your friends shrug off goal-setting, or do they share your enthusiasm for growth and hard work? Your social health impacts your attitude, so be mindful of who you hang out with. Surround yourself with like-minded people who share your focus.
  • Be punctual. Organize your schedule and manage your time to ensure you’re not late or keeping others waiting. Things like job interviews and coffee with mentors demand that you’re on time and prepared. But your friends, family members, and loved ones deserve the same level of respect for their time — even for casual things. Punctuality means you’re serious and intentional with your time.
  • Learn from your mistakes. How do you feel about failure? Learning to be ambitious requires that you learn from your mistakes. You’re a human being who, occasionally, fails. Try to view this as a learning opportunity for the future.
  • Accountability. Owning your failures also means being accountable for your actions. This applies to everything — both good and bad. Make sure you celebrate your wins and be proud of yourself, but know when to admit that you’ve done something wrong.

Perhaps you’re already practicing some of these success tips. But if you find some of these are new suggestions, give them a try. You won’t be perfect at them on the first try, but these habits will help lay a foundation for the pursuit of your ambitions.

Take the inspiration and go

Ambition loves inspiration. You need to feel empowered and motivated to work toward your goals, but you need the inspiration to start. All of these examples of ambition demand a little spark.

Maybe you’ve met someone who’s their own boss, and you’re feeling inspired to finally pursue one of your business ideas. That inspiration help ignite your ambition, and before you know it, you’re an entrepreneur.

Wherever you find inspiration, run with it. Listen to your thoughts, and follow what’s pulling you somewhere. And by establishing habits that’ll set you up for success, you’ll cultivate an all-in mindset. Soon you’ll be planning how to turn your dreams into reality. Perhaps you’ll start working on your bucket list, because why not?

With enough grit and determination, you’ll find that this is the driving force you need to live a purposeful and happy life for years to come.

Source: betterup.com ~ By Elizabeth Perry ~ Image: Canva Pro

 

Posted on

4 Essentials for Achieving the Entrepreneurial Dream

lifestyle entrepreneur

Lifestyle entrepreneurs are truly living the dream. They work, make money and thrive online. Most do not have an established physical location (beyond a couch, coffee shop, or occasional home office), and they certainly don’t need one to succeed. A lifestyle entrepreneur just needs two tools: a laptop and a reliable Wi-Fi connection.

Of course, you need other entrepreneurial basics, too, like fantastic ideas, skills, and a jack-of-all-trades mentality. However, does it really matter where you do business, as long as it gets done?

In 2015 around 2.5 billion people went online every day, and according to earthweb.com, the latest data affirms that globally, 5.07 billion people use the internet daily in 2023*. The Internet is a nearly endless source of potential customers and clients for entrepreneurs. Already, there are many lifestyle entrepreneurs, but few are maximizing their potential in this realm (and there are probably many more who haven’t yet figured out this alluring lifestyle).

Some entrepreneurs have figured out how to legally and ethically work the system, and are enjoying some choice perks. For example, moving to another country with a much lower cost of living, scoring that foreign income exemption and maybe living a dream of working beach-side is very possible for some lifestyle entrepreneurs. Should they need to consult “in person” with a client or investor, video conferencing or a phone call usually suffices.

However, it isn’t easy to become a lifestyle entrepreneur, but it is possible for many. If this sounds like the right track for you, start by choosing the best, most profitable demographic. This isn’t a plea to choose a niche, because that is not always a necessity. It is better to have a specific idea rather than a specific niche. To make money, your target audience has to have money (I’ve tried the broke route and it’s a long one). If you have a great idea, but your target audience can’t afford it, it’s a long road ahead that won’t make money for a while. In my opinion, income generation potential is a key metric that you should make sure is present.

Here are four more steps to becoming the ultimate lifestyle entrepreneur:

1. Start from the ground up.

Your website should be the beginning, but it is never complete. Don’t over-invest in this arena. Instead, build a thriving online presence, work towards an emergency fund, engage with your audience, and seek out tools that can help your business grow.

2. Study what works.

Keep in mind that what works for others may not work for you. Figuring out what works for your business and you will involve research, trial, and error. Testing is your friend, and failure can be a great teacher.

Once you’ve achieved some success, evaluate it. Could it be made even better? Don’t let the white noise overwhelm you, but do acknowledge, evaluate your business and grow it.

3. Grow your audience.

The more exposure you get, the faster your audience will grow. Seek out different means, such as being a guest on a podcast, on other blogs or on authority sites. This will grow your lifestyle business daily.

4. Charge what you’re worth.

Many entrepreneurs accept less-than-great pay to gain experience or exposure. This can be a savvy move in the beginning, but do not be guilted into staying with a client because they gave you a shot. Charge what you’re worth, and realize that will steadily get higher as you gain more experience.

Being a lifestyle entrepreneur is likely more achievable than you think. However, it is not the best fit for everyone. Before even pursuing this track, make sure you’re the type of entrepreneur cut out for such a lifestyle because otherwise, you will stumble with every step.

Source: entrepreneur.com ~ Author: John Rampton ~ Image: Canva Pro

Posted on

5 Ways to Build Authority With Any Prospect

authority

In a previous post, I outlined six ways to quickly win your prospect’s trust. But while trust is necessary for a good working relationship, it’s not enough. You have to establish authority as well.

When you call a prospect for the first time, you probably haven’t given them any reason to care about what you’re saying. They’re thinking:

    • Who is this person?
    • Why should I believe anything they say?
    • Do they even know anything about me?

Authority is different from trust. Establishing authority requires showing that you’re a specialist in a particular subject matter or process, and possess a particular skill set that can help your prospect.

Establishing authority is also necessary to stay in control of the sales process. If you seem like a hot mess, your prospects won’t believe that you’re able to truly understand their problems, much less help them come up with a viable solution. Sales reps who convey authority come prepared to calls, think a few steps ahead, and project confidence.

Generally speaking, being authoritative usually requires a person to be forceful, confident, and direct. But authority takes on a slightly different meaning in sales and is therefore expressed in different ways. Here are five techniques salespeople can use to build authority with prospects.

1) Start your calls with an agenda and a question.

Setting an agenda shows your prospect you’ve thought deeply about your business relationship and how to advance it in a productive manner.

Always ask your prospect to review your agenda and confirm it makes sense. Steamrolling your prospect is the opposite of authority — there’s a huge difference between being controlling and being in control (more on that later). Be flexible and willing to adapt if that’s what your prospect wants.

The question signals that while you’re in control, you’re not going to force your prospect into anything. You care what they have to say. Some examples of good opening questions include:

    • “How’s everything going [in relation to discussed goals or plans]?” Ask for a status update early on to quickly surface potential roadblocks.
    • “When we last spoke, we discussed X and decided on Y. Does Y still make sense?” Confirm that you and your prospect are on the same page. If you’re not, find out why.
    • “Before we get started today, is there anything you think I should know?” A mix of #1 and #2, this question gives your prospect the opportunity to discuss information that’s important to them — and may wind up being crucial to your sale.

2) Demonstrate your experience.

If a salesperson said to you, “Trust me, I’ve seen your situation a million times — everything will be fine,” how would you respond?

If you’re savvy, you’ll say, “Oh, really? Give me an example.”

Your prospect has no reason to believe that you have a track record of success unless you show them what you’ve done. Whether it’s sharing anecdotal examples, setting up a call with a satisfied customer, or providing a walkthrough of the sales process, your prospect will be far more likely to listen to what you say if you’re able to prove you know your stuff.

3) Work how the prospect wants to work.

What’s the difference between being controlling and being in control?

A controlling salesperson is rigid and inflexible. He won’t change his approach no matter what his prospect says, because he believes his way is the only way. And guess what? He probably doesn’t close a lot of deals.

A rep who’s in control knows this isn’t an effective tactic. She’s not afraid to change her strategies if it turns out her prospect needs something a little different. By being adaptable, she’s demonstrating that she’s an expert seller — all while making her prospect feel as comfortable as possible.

The takeaway? Always ask your prospect if they’re in agreement with you before taking a step. For example, you might say, “What I’d like to do now is spend 30 minutes taking you through X. Is that okay with you? Will you let me know if I start talking too fast, too slow, or if you have any questions?”

By getting your prospect’s buy-in, you’ve automatically made them a stakeholder in the process and confirmed that you’re proceeding at their desired cadence.

4) Be businesslike with a personality.

I love making people laugh. When people are having a good time, they’re more relaxed and more real.

Authority doesn’t mean being so lofty and out-of-reach that your prospects can’t relate to you. I use analogies to make my prospects smile — “moving faster than a hungry dog to a hot dog cart” is one of my favorites. Humor allows me to foster a connection with my prospect, who is then more likely to tell me the truth.

Here’s another way in which I bring my personality to selling. I like to ask whether the process has been easy or hard, stressful or relaxing, fun or a pain. This tells me whether the prospect has done this before and is following a set plan, or is winging it and needs a bit more help.

Like trust, authority is easier to gain if your prospect believes you’re genuine. You can’t get by on likability alone, but I always bring my personality to the table because the rapport I build with my prospects makes them more receptive to my direction. Ultimately, prospects are more likely to be forthcoming if they feel you’re genuine. And unless you understand their needs, you can’t tailor the sales process to their unique situation.

5) Recap.

At the end of every conversation, clearly list the next steps for both you and your prospect, and attach due dates. Email out a written summary after each call recapping what’s been done and what’s next, and ask for updates, changes, or questions.

Keep in mind that your prospects are busy people, and they depend on you to keep them organized and remind them of what to expect next.

It’s essential to stay in control of a sales process. You simply can’t close deals if your prospect doesn’t put stock in what you say. Moreover, you can’t successfully anticipate objections or accurately forecast deals without a plan and the ability to get your prospect to follow you. And to do that, you need to establish authority.

Source: hubspot.com ~ By Dan Tyre ~ Image: Canva Pro

Posted on

How to Exercise Your Sales Authority Correctly

authority

In his seminal masterpiece, Influence – the Psychology of Persuasion, Dr. Robert Cialdini offers six key principles of influence. Among the Big Six: is the principle of authority.

Put simply, we are greatly influenced (in ways we do not always understand) by our impressions of authority. This is not about sales tactics; this is about human nature.

Consider the captain of the sports team. Or your local congressperson. Or your physician. We have a natural tendency to respect authority, and thus to follow the advice of the authoritarian leaders in our lives.

So how do we exercise authority in the sales realm? Here are three ideas. Use these as a checklist in your own presentation.

1. Know your stuff
I know, you’ve heard it before. Know your product, know your competition, know your market, etc.

All that is true (and it will always be true). But I want to look at an advanced form of knowledge – that which you know about your buyer profile.

Selling to Baby Boomers? It would behoove you to understand their goals in the last one-third of their lifetime. Have a lot of Filipinos in your buyer base? 30 minutes on understanding the fascinating and often-troubling history of the nation will give you incredible insight. Engineers? It’s probably worth your time to study basic but important tech trends.

The key is to gain knowledge even when you don’t know how you will use it. And trust me – you will most certainly use it.

2. Look the part
The pharmacist wears a white lab coat. Why? Is that really necessary? Well, yes…if she wants to earn the respect of a customer. (Would you trust a pharmacist in jeans and a tank top?)

How you dress, how you stand, and what you hold – all speak to perceived authority. Studies show that simply holding a clipboard can make a huge difference in how you are perceived.

There is a very simple test here. Look in the mirror and ask the question, “Would I influence myself?” That inquiry might cause you to stand taller, exercise better facial posture, and perhaps even buy a new shirt.

3. Speak with clarity
I’m not talking about diction, but rather about resoluteness. in an attempt of showing kindness and caring, too many salespeople speak in a wishy-washy manner. It’s nice and all, but it certainly isn’t authoritative.

Consider talking with your financial planner. How high would your trust be if he said, “You know, there are a lot of ways to handle this and I certainly don’t want to force anything on you, so I’ll just lay out your options and you can decide.” Uh….no. I want someone who knows me so well that the options are clear and delivered with conviction.

The fact is that your customer wants to see your authority. They are looking for you to believe in yourself.

If they see that you can lead, they follow. If not, they walk.

Source: jeffshore.com ~ Image: Canva Pro

Posted on

6 Ways To Communicate With More Authority

authority

It takes courage to voice your ideas and stick up for them. These tips can help.

Hierarchy is disappearing in many companies, and that’s opening the door for employees at every level to contribute–and even lead. The trouble is, many of us haven’t picked up the skills we need to make our voices heard. These six tips can help you get comfortable with communicating with more authority across your entire organization and even outside it.

1. DECIDE ON YOUR CONVICTIONS

It takes some courage to share your ideas at work. Especially if the goal is to influence people outside your immediate team, including those you don’t have any power over—your boss, a senior executive, a prospective client, you name it—you might feel like you’re stepping out of line.

But consider this: The word “courage” includes the Latin root “cor,” meaning “heart.” Don’t share ideas or beliefs that aren’t heartfelt. You need to have a strong conviction in your ideas before asking others to consider them. But if you believe you have a contribution to make, go for it!

2. DON’T HEDGE

Once you’ve decided that the point you have to make is worthwhile, state it boldly, clearly, and confidently. Never lead with an apology (“I’m sorry if I’m saying something you already know”), introduce caveats (“I’m not sure about this, but let me give it a try”), insert tentative language (“It could be that . . . “; “My best guess is . . . ”), fill in the background information first.

Get right to your point. Clarity and directness give you power and authority, especially when you’re trying to communicate with higher-level leaders.

3. STAND YOUR GROUND

Defend your ideas if it turns out that you need to. It may be tough to stand up to dissenting views, particularly if the opposition comes from people more senior than you. But remember that the ideas most worth sharing is likely to be at least a little controversial. So when you say something new, expect to be challenged, then rise to the occasion by showing why you’ve taken your position.

When you do respond, be careful not to be defensive or aggressive–that will only make you look less confident and undermine your message. Instead, acknowledge the other person’s point of view, and succinctly, politely explain why you see things differently. Remember that every challenge gives you an opportunity to reaffirm your point. Welcome it as an opportunity.

4. BE WILLING TO CHALLENGE OTHERS

I’ve coached leaders at all levels, and often senior officers tell me that they value thoughtful input that sparks dialogue—they like it when people challenge each other and share contrary views. “That’s what we’re paying them for,” one CEO told me. “We want their best ideas.”

So when you bring critical thinking to the table, do it in a collaborative spirit. When you challenge a plan, don’t just say, “You’re wrong” or “I disagree.” Instead, say, “I understand where you’re coming from, but let’s take your logic one step further.” Or ask, “Could we achieve the same goal more cost-effectively, by . . .” That dialogue builds better solutions than either staying quiet or getting combative.

5. ALWAYS SHOW RESPECT

It takes courage to communicate in the same open, confident way to everyone. Most of us are conditioned to address people differently, according to their relative authority. So keep that in mind. Don’t talk to senior leaders sycophantically. Phrases like “with all due respect” or “to be honest” sound condescending. By the same token, don’t let executives take over the conversation or silence you. There’s always a temptation to defer to those who have more power than you. But they won’t respect you for that. Ultimately, the best way to show respect for upper-level managers is by sharing your best ideas with them.

And when you address those less senior to you, show an equal degree of respect. Listen to them carefully, acknowledge their views, and build on their ideas wherever you can. Communicating forcefully isn’t possible if it doesn’t come from a place of respect, no matter where it’s directed.

6. BE AUTHENTIC

Finally, it can take extraordinary courage simply to be yourself while you’re sharing your ideas, especially if you work in a company on a team where you aren’t necessarily seen as someone to voice your views.

Sometimes that isn’t always personal–it’s cultural. As you look around at your peers, you might feel there’s a normal way of dressing, speaking, looking, and acting. There’s no need to resist corporate culture in your effort to become a more powerful communicator.

But you also need to have the courage to preserve your spontaneity, creative energy, vitality, and sense of humor. Suppressing those qualities won’t serve you, your message, or your company.

Source: fastcompany.com ~ By Judith Humphrey ~ Image: Canva Pro

Proudly powered by WordPress
Ask Michele Today Skip to content Secured By miniOrange