What’s Your Greatest Career Ambition & How Much Support Do You Receive For It?

Recently I was talking with a friend and we found ourselves talking about her career goals. She told me what she hoped to do in the future, and I then asked her what her ultimate career dream was. She paused for a minute and then said she hadn’t really thought about it.

This conversation caused me to wonder why some people have such dreams and others don’t. I thought for a moment about the speeches award winners give when they thank so-and-so for encouraging them and supporting them from the time they were little. The most inspiring stories always involve people whose passions and skills were supported in the face of few opportunities.

There doesn’t appear to be a simple formula that explains why some people have dreams and great ambition and others don’t. You can’t blame it all on the parents. While some children come from neglectful homes and rise to great success, others reach similar success but were nurtured and supported every step of the way.

One of the reasons why I think it’s important to consider how supporting one’s dreams affects people is that you can look at your life today and see how it applies. For example, do you have any life or career dreams that you believe are possibly within reach? If so, how do the people in your life support or not support it? Have you shared your highest career goals with others? I believe it’s terribly important to 1) verbalize your career dreams and 2) receive encouragement and support for them from those around you.

You should also extend the same courtesy and optimism to your loved ones. Tell those around you that anything is possible – why not? No one needs one more Debbie Downer in life to tell them something just isn’t going to happen. Just as half the battle may be talent and luck, I believe the other half is positive thinking.

Take this opportunity to write down your career dreams and assign dates by which you hope to realize those dreams. Ask your loved ones around you if they have such dreams. Make a pact to support each others’ dreams and perhaps with attention to and support of those dreams, some of those dreams just may come true.